Four champs lead Panthers to DC-G title
GRIMES — The Creston/O-M wrestling team picked up right where it left off last year in terms of winning tournaments, taking the title in its first appearance in the Dallas Center-Grimes Invitational Saturday.
The Panthers crowned four champions in posting a 63-point margin over runner-up Webster City, 250 to 187.
“We got exactly what we wanted when we decided to go up there,” said Panther coach Darrell Frain. “Their new facilities are awesome, it was run really well, and we faced competition we hadn’t seen before.”
Freshman Wyatt Thompson (113), three-time state champ Jake Marlin (145), returning state finalist Keaton Hulett (195) and senior 220-pounder Cole Tanner claimed championships for Creston/O-M.
“Wyatt wrestled really well,” Frain said. “That weight class had a state placewinner who lost before Wyatt saw him.”
Thompson beat Brad Yakle of Interstate 35, 10-8, in the title bout.
Marlin, Hulett and Tanner all pinned their way to championships.
“Jake and Keaton were not really threatened and that wasn’t surprising,” Frain said, “but that was really big for Cole to pin his way through the tournament. As a senior he’s gotten more physical for that weight class.”
The Panthers nearly had a fifth winner as Spencer Wray gave up a reversal to Matt Schmitt of Des Moines East in the final five seconds of a 6-5 loss in the title match. Gage Cheers was defeated 11-3 by Josh Crawford of Grinnell in the finals at 132.
Also making the finals was junior Trevor Frain at 170 pounds, losing by fall to Devin Chesler of West Marshall.
“The West Marshall kid beat a real good Webster City kid with a spladle, and then Trevor got pinned in the same move,” Frain said.
Taking third was Adam Baker at 160. Stone Hammons won his first varsity match in taking fourth at 106. He topped Nevada’s Will Raley, 6-0, in the quarterfinals.
Next up for Creston/O-M is a Hawkeye 10 double dual at Atlantic Thursday against the Trojans and Clarinda, which won the Nodaway Valley Tournament team title Saturday. The Panthers then compete in the Central Decatur Tournament in Leon Friday night.
“Atlantic is strong in the lighter weights, with a couple of good upper weight kids, too,” Frain said. “And with Clarinda winning the title at Nodaway Valley, we know there will be good competition at Atlantic.”
DC-G Invitational
Team standings — 1. Creston/O-M 250; 2. Webster City 187.5; 3. West Marshall 185; 4. Dallas Center-Grimes 171; 5. Grinnell 144; 6. Interstate 35 136; 7. Panorama 103; 8. Carroll 90.5; 9. Carlisle 88; 10. Nevada 82; 11. Des Moines East 68; 12. North Polk 33.
106 — 1. Austin Pontier (I-35) major dec. Chase Erickson (NP), 10-1. 3. Carter Robbins (DC-G) major dec. Stone Hammons (Cr), 9-1.
113 — 1. Wyatt Thompson (Cr) dec. Brad Yakle (I-35), 10-8.
120 — 1. Justin Kaltved (Car) major dec. Cole Needham (WM), 13-0. 5. Kruz Adamson (Cr) pinned Dalton Kardell (DC-G), 3:47.
126 — 1. Matt Schmitt (DME) dec. Spencer Wray (Cr), 6-5.
132 — 1. Josh Crawford (Grin) major dec. Gage Cheers (Cr), 11-3.
138 — 1. Kyle Blocker (WM) major dec. Tanner Hild (WC), 12-2; 5. Nick Brushaber (DC-G) dec. Joey Huntington (Cr), 6-3.
145 — 1. Jake Marlin (Cr) pinned Brody Beck (Grin), 1:23.
152 — 1. Tanner Arnold (WM) dec. Sal Arzani (I-35), 5-3. 5. Jesse Rathe (Cr) dec. Landon Schuessler (NP), 3-2.
160 — 1. Dale Hilleman (WM) major dec. Blake Wolinski (DC-G), 13-5.3. Adam Baker (Cr) dec. Blake Lingenfelter (Nev), 2-0.
170 — 1. Devin Chesler (WM) pinned Trevor Frain (Cr), :57.
182 — 1. Dylan Fielder (WC) dec. Jack Leshen (Grin), 3-1. 5. Cole Baker (DC-G) pinned Seth Maitlen (Cr), 5:08.
195 — 1. Keaton Hulett (Cr) pinned Taylor Hein (Pan), 2:30.
220 — 1. Cole Tanner (Cr) pinned Devin Ginn (DC-G), 2:40.
285 — 1. Landon Johnson (WC) dec. Ben Burnett (Carl), 3-2. 5. Nathan Robinson (Cr) pinned Zack Beyerink (Car), :23.
