by Ashley Miller

Last year, the PCM wrestlers didn’t fare well at the Ankeny Centennial dual tournament, losing 5-0. On Dec. 10, the varsity grapplers traveled back for a chance at redemption, but this year wasn’t much better. Dubuque-Hempstead placed first with Ankeny Centennial and Dowling Catholic trailing behind them. PCM finished in eighth with three other teams. The Mustangs won against Ottumwa 51-30. PCM went 1-4 for the day, but they tallied up 14 pins,one technical fall, four major decisions and three decisions in their favor. Senior Leevi Telfer and sophomore Wes Cummings finished the day undefeated with 5-0 and 3-0, respectively.

PCM started off the day against Ankeny Centennial; they lost 56-19. Next they would face-off against Ballard-Huxley and lose 50-25. The Mustangs’ only win of the night was against Ottumwa. They pulled through with a win of 51-30. PCM would lose the next two rounds against Oskaloosa and Dallas Center-Grimes, 51-18 and 56-19, respectively.

“I saw some real good things from Chase Shirk wrestling 160 while weighing around 145,” Head Coach Cory Waddell said. “He wrestled hard every match and won a couple of big ones for us. Nathan Fagg put forth a  very good effort filling in at 132 for us. Overall the team worked hard all day against some big schools and very tough competition.”

The first dual of the day was against Ankeny Centennial, who won 56-19. PCM had two pins, one major decision and one decision overall. Telfer pinned his opponent, freshman Ethan Frazier, in 1:01. Cummings went against freshman Logan Neils and pinned him in 3:05; he has beat Neils before at the the DCG Invitational. Senior Xavier Miller won by major decision, 11-2, and sophomore Jarron Trausch won by decision, 5-1.

The Mustangs lost again against the Ballard-Huxley Bombers, 50-25. Telfer snagged another pin in exactly one minute, and sophomore Clay Van Wyk pinned his opponent, sophomore Tim Lang, in 3:14. PCM had two wins by major decisions. Freshman Payton Drake won 11-0, and Cummings won 16-7. Miller won by tech-fall, 17-2.

Round three against Ottumwa was the ‘Stangs only win. PCM won the round with seven pins and one decision, which helped them gather up enough points to win 51-30. Telfer, Miller, Cummings and Drake all pinned their opponents, along with seniors Chace Palm and Jakeb Fenton and junior Drew Johnson. Junior Chase Shirk won by a decision of 12-5. After one round of favorable results, the Mustangs fell short in the rounds to come.

They lost next to Oskloosa 51-18, and only had one pin courtesy of Telfer, taking down sophomore Riley Miller in 1:41. The other 12 points for PCM came from two forfeits.

The final round was the same as the one before as PCM lost to Dallas Center-Grimes 56-19. Telfer got his fifth pin of the day against freshman Karter Jorgensen while Trausch got his third of the day in 2:31 against sophomore Rowan Collins. The Mustangs got one major decision and one decision in their favor to end the day.

Waddell said, “We need to continue to get in better physical condition. That will come as the season progresses, and guys get to the weights they belong.”

The Mustangs will be wrestling against Gilbert and Roland-Story tonight, Dec. 15 at Roland-Story High School at 6 p.m.