Panthers score senior night shutout

Creston/Orient-Macksburg wrestling blanked all three opponents during its three duals on Thursday’s Senior Night as the group prepares for the John J. Harris Tournament Friday and Saturday.

The Panthers took down Hawkeye 10 opponents Denison-Schleswig 81-0 and Shenandoah 82-0, while getting an 80-0 win over East Union.

“One slip up tonight can cost you a seed, can cost you something down the road,” Creston/Orient-Macksburg head coach Cody Downing said on how his team stayed locked into each match. “We wrestled two duals inside the Hawkeye 10 tonight, and we wrestled our neighbors. It’s still an important match to the individual. I think we used that aspect to motivate us tonight.”

Mainstays in the Panthers’ lineup, Garon Wurster at 138 and Class 2A No. 2 195 Jackson Kinsella, wrestled Thursday after injuries forced the duo to be questionable throughout the past week.

Wurster returned in his first matches since the DCG Invitational Dec. 5. He finished the night with a 6-0 decision win over Denison-Schleswig’s Luis Mendoza, 14-5 major decision win over Shenandoah’s Landon Newquist and win by forfeit against East Union.

Kinsella pinned Denison-Schleswig’s Jaxson Hildebrand at 1:01 and scored forfeit victories against Shenandoah and East Union.

Creston/O-M started out the night against Denison-Schleswig, scoring five wins by forfeit.

The Panthers’ first seven competed matches were wins by pin, finishing with eight victories by fall. After a forfeit win from Briley Hayes at 160, Kaden Street (170), Andy Weis (182), Kinsella, Max Chapman (220) and Andy Wes (285) won five consecutive matches by pin.

Kinsella and Wilson’s were the quickest, coming at 1:01 and 0:49, respectively. Street pinned Jordan Von Tersch at 2:54 and Chapman’s pin came at 3:32 over Luis Chan.

At 120, Austin Evans pinned Hugo Medina at 1:47, Triston Barncastle at 132 pinned Angelo Perez at 0:30 and Keaton Street pinned Jesse Pena at 0:33.

With the win, the Panthers were red hot, bringing energy and confidence throughout the night.

“It’s our second dual at home, That helps the energy a bit. We had a little bit bigger crowd than normal tonight,” Downing said. “Definitely, the buy-in (is there). You see a lot of the guys finish with the same moves tonight. As a coach, that’s what you want to see. Confidence is good right now. We’ll see as it gets with a little heavier competition this weekend.”

Facing a depleted Shenandoah team, Creston/O-M won the three competed matches in the dual.

Kaden Street started the dual with a pin victory over Logan Dickerson at 3:12 before eight consecutive wins by forfeit. Barncastle scored a pin over Owen Laughlin at 1:03, and Wurster’s 14-5 major decision win capped off the competed matches.

Rounding out the night against East Union, the Panthers didn’t let up, scoring four wins by pin, one by technical fall and a 10-8 win in overtime.

Brandon Briley pinned East Union’s Tyler Tate at 1:11, Keaton Street pinned Damon Hayes at 1:48, Kaden Bolton pinned Shane Lear at 1:28 and Briley Hayes ended the night with a pin over Dany Thomlinson at 1:16.

Justin Parsons (106) won his only competed match of the night with a 16-1 technical fall at 5:48 over Milo Staver.

Lincoln Keeler and DJ Islas battled back-and-forth at 113 pounds. Islas took a late 8-7 lead with 1:30 remaining in the third period, but Keeler was able to score an escape, forcing overtime. He scored a reversal on Islas to take a 10-8 win.

The Panthers also took eight wins by forfeit, with two seniors getting in on the action.

“That dual against East Union was really cool for me to get in guys like Adam McElwain and Tyson Stuart, guys that aren’t really fixtures in the varsity lineup but are pushing guys in the wrestling room everyday,” Downing said.

Kinsella, Weis, Bolton, McElwain, Wurster and Keaton Street were all honored after the first dual against Denison Schleswig.

“A great senior class. Two with 100 careers wins, Jackson is pushing 150 career wins. Andy and Keaton Street have only being varsity for a couple years but are putting together a good string of their own,” Downing said. “Then, you’ve got those guys like Tyson and Adam that keep pushing the pace. Kolby Hulett is still very much part of the group. His situation, it is what it is (medically inactive), but he’s still very much part of the senior class. Really good to see them off with a couple wins at home.”

Eagles’ limited lineup

East Union also fell to Denison-Schleswig 45-18 as open weights riddled the Eagles’ lineup.

Denison-Schleswig won five matches by forfeit to East Union’s two. At 120, 145 and 160, there were double forfeits.

Hayes won the lone match of the dual for East Union. He pinned Jesse Pena at 0:41.

UP NEXT – For Creston/Orient-Macksburg and East Union, the action continues today (Friday) at the John J. Harris Tournament in Corning. With modifications to the tournament due to COVID-19, Friday will feature the first seven weight classes, 106-145, beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday will feature 152-285, beginning at 10 a.m.

Championship matches are set to begin Friday at 6:45 p.m. Saturday’s championships are scheduled for a 1:45 p.m. start.

“It’s a weird setup,” Downing said on the two-day tournament. “We’ve had six practices already this week. We pulled back (Thursday) morning, but we’re ready to go. Our legs might be a little tired, but we had a little reprieve tonight. Not everybody had three matches, so hopefully we’re feeling good and gives ourselves a chance to win the tournament.”

Results

Creston/Orient-Macksburg 81, Denison-Schleswig 0

106 — Justin Parsons (C/O-M) by forfeit. 113 – Lincoln Keeler (C/O-M) by forfeit. 120 – Austin Evans (C/O-M) pinned Hugo Medina (D-S), 1:47. 126 – Brandon Briley (C/O-M) by forfeit. 132 – Triston Barncastle (C/O-M) pinned Angelo Perez (D-S), 0:30. 138 – Garon Wurster (C/O-M) dec. Luis Mendoza (D-S), 6-0. 145 – Keaton Street pinned Jesse Pena (D-S), 0:33. 152 – Kaden Bolton (C/O-M) by forfeit. 160 – Briley Hayes (C/O-M) by forfeit. 170 – Kaden Street (C/O-M) pinned Jordan Con Tersch (D-S), 2:54. 182 – Andy Weis (C/O-M) Leo Araujo (D-S), 1:01. 195 – Jackson Kinsella (C/O-M) pinned Jaxson Hildebrand (D-S), 1:01. 220 – Max Chapman (C/O-M) pinned Luis Chan (D-S), 3:32. 285 – Chris Wilson (C/O-M) pinned Elbert Perez (D-S), 0:49.

Creston/Orient-Macksburg 82, Shenandoah 0

106 — Justin Parsons (C/O-M) by forfeit. 113 – Lincoln Keeler (C/O-M) by forfeit. 120 – Austin Evans (C/O-M) by forfeit. 126 – Brandon Briley (C/O-M) by forfeit. 132 – Triston Barncastle (C/O-M) pinned Owen Laughlin (Shen), 1:03. 145 – Keaton Street (C/O-M) by forfeit. 152 – Kaden Bolton (C/O-M) by forfeit. 160 – Briley Hayes (C/O-M) by forfeit. 170 – Kaden Street (C/O-M) pinned Logan Dickerson (Shen), 3:12. 182 – Andy Weis (C/O-M) by forfeit. 220 – Max Chapman (C/O-M) by forfeit. 285 – Chris Wilson (C/O-M) by forfeit.

Creston/Orient-Macksburg 80, East Union 0

106 — Justin Parsons (C/O-M) tech. fall Mlo Staver (EU), 16-1 5:48. 113 – Lincoln Keeler (C/O-M) dec. Milo Staver (EU), SV1 10-8. 120 – Austin Evans (C/O-M) by forfeit. 126 – Brandon Briley (C/O-M) pinned Tyler Tate (EU), 1:11. 132 – Adam McElwain (C/O-M) by forfeit. 138 – Garon Wurster (C/O-M) by forfeit. 145 – Tyson Stuart (C/O-M) by forfeit. 152 – Keaton Street (C/O-M) pinned Damon Hayes (EU), 1:48. 160 – Kaden Bolton (C/O-M) pinned Shane Lear (EU), 1:28. 170 – Briley Hayes (C/O-M) pinned Danny Tomlinson (EU), 1:16. 182 – Andy Weis (C/O-M) by forfeit. 195 – Jackson Kinsella (C/O-M) by forfeit. 220 – Max Chapman (C/O-M) by forfeit. 285 – Chris Wilson (C/O-M) by forfeit.