by Kinsey Phipps
The sky was still dark, the sun yet to rise on the early morning of Dec. 2. The PCM Mustang grapplers rolled out of bed and on the bus at 6:45 a.m. to travel to Dallas Center-Grimes High School for the DCG Mustang Invitational. Wrestling began at 10 a.m., and the top of the podium was lingering on all of the wrestlers’ minds. In the end the PCM Mustangs finished fourth out of 15 teams, having eight wrestlers stand on the podium; two wrestlers came out on top.
In the 106-pound weight class was freshman Landon Fenton. Fenton wrestled his first high school competition of his career, and he came out on top. With a bye in the first round, Fenton went 3-0 on the day. In an exciting championship match, Fenton defeated Webster City’s Reece Sadler by fall in 5:32.
Sophomore Payton Drake, a returning district qualifier, wrestled in the 113-pound weight class. Drake is ranked 10th in 2A according to iawrestle.com. Drake went 3-1 on the day. In the semifinals, Drake wrestled Carlisle Peter Comer, a sixth-ranked 3A 106-pounder from Carlisle (iawrestle.com). Comer was no match for Drake, getting pinned in a mere 38 seconds. This moved Drake on to the finals where he fell to Adel-Desoto-Minburn’s Andrew Flora. Flora is ranked second in the 113-pound 2A rankings according to iawrestle.com. Drake fought hard and tied Flora until the third period, losing 3-1 as Flora took him down for the win.
Freshman Brian Nicholson went 0-2 on the day, wrestling in the 120-pound weight class for the Mustangs. Junior Clay Van Wyk wrestled in the 126-pound weight class, going 1-2 on theday.
The next to place for PCM was senior Chase Shirk. Shirk went 3-2, placing sixth. Similarly, junior Cody Wallace placed sixth in the 138-pound weight class. Wallace went 3-2 on the day, as well.
In the 145-pound weight class was freshman Colby Tool. Tool is a promising new addition to the PCM wrestling team; he is a returning three-time AAU State champion. Tool started off the day strong, winning his first two matches by fall. In the semifinal round, Tool lost by technical fall to 3A 138-pound second-ranked Deville Dentis of Des Moines East (iawrestle.com). In the third place matchup, Tool won in sudden victory, 3-1 against Ankeny Centennial’s Alan Ayers. Tool went 3-1 on the day in his first high school competition, placing third in the 145-pound weight class.
Senior Drew Johnson wrestled in the 152-pound weight class, going 0-2 on the day.
In the 160-pound weight class, returning 2016 state qualifier junior Wes Cummings sailed to the semifinal round, winning his first two matches by fall in the first period. This was Cummings’ first competition since getting injured late in the season last winter. Despite not being able to finish the season, Cummings was able to come into the season ranked fourth in 2A according to iawrestle.com. In the semifinal round, Cummings defeated Webster City’s Luke Rohmiller by decision, 8-1. In the finals, Cummings fell to 3A number two-ranked Zane Mulder of Dallas Center-Grimes, 6-1. Cummings went 3-1 on the day.
Junior Lucas Roland came out on top in the 170-pound weight class. Roland is a two-time returning state place winner, and he is ranked number two in the 2A 170-pound weight class according to iawrestle.com. Roland went 3-0 on the day, receiving a bye in the first round and pinning his way to the top of the podium.
Another two-time state qualifier, junior Jarron Trausch, wrestled his way to the finals in the 182-pound weight class. Trausch went 3-1 on the day, falling in the semifinals to Ankeny Centennial’s Collin Hondred. In the third-place match, Trausch pinned Mason Woosley of Interstate 35 in 5:31. According to iawrestle.com, Trausch is ranked sixth in the 182 2A weight class.
The final Mustang wrestler, sophomore Jace Smith, went 0-2 on the day wrestling heavyweight.
PCM finished fourth out of 15 teams, scoring 162 points total. Beating the ‘Stangs was Interstate 35 in third with 181.5 points, Webster City in second with 199 points, and the DCG Mustang Invitational champions were Ankeny Centennial with 214.5 points.
The ‘Stangs are home tonight, Thursday, Dec. 7. They wrestle a conference triangular against Nevada and North Polk in the PCM High School gymnasium. Wrestling begins at 6 p.m.
