Mount Vernon wins Panther Invite

For the first time since the 2020-21 season, the Creston boys wrestling team didn’t take first place in a regular-season invitational tournament on Saturday.

Even though Mount Vernon emerged victorious among a field of four state-ranked teams contending for first place, Creston coach Cody Downing said his team’s runner-up finish in their own Panther Invitational was a positive experience for the postseason tournament drive ahead.

“We’re never going to get used to second place, but considering all of the things today, I’ll take it,” Downing said. Two varsity regulars were not in his lineup Saturday — 126-pounder Lincoln Keeler is working down to weight after being out for concussion protocol; and 220-pounder Quinten Fuller is sidelined with a wrist injury.

Still, Creston scored 199.5 points to take second behind Mount Vernon’s 207.5 points. Crestwood of Cresco was third at 196.5 and Bondurant-Farrar fourth with 191 points in a tight four-team battle.

“Crestwood is ranked third, just ahead of us in the dual rankings,” Downing said. “Mount Vernon is next. We’re all right there. Bondurant-Farrar is missing a couple of guys today, but they have some studs in their lineup. We’ll take it (second place).”

Since seeding at the state tournament incorporates outcomes against wrestlers from various regions of the state, teams are often willing to travel to boost the resumes of their top wrestlers. Drawing teams like Mount Vernon and Crestwood from northeast Iowa and Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln from the western border has fortified the field in Creston’s home tourney.

“I don’t think any team here today could leave here wanting more,” Downing said. “This tournament was perfect for hitting the middle of January. We’re getting into that time of the year when it’s going to get real competitive. One of my objectives when I became head coach was to get our tournament going again and this was a good one.”

Creston and Mount Vernon were tied for first place going into the final round with 173.5 points each. Mount Vernon crowned three individual champions in winning the title.

Christian Ahrens (120 pounds) and Kaden Street (170) won championships for the Panthers. Also making the finals and placing second were Austin Evans (138), Will Bolinger (160) and Max Chapman (285).

Taking second place in their weight class for Lenox were Dylan Stein (132) and Jake Cox (195).

“We’re at the point where we’re expecting Christian to win every time out right now, that’s kind of the way he’s rolling,” Downing said of Ahrens’ march to the 120-pound title. “That would be considered an upset win for Kaden at 170. (Henry) Ryan of Mount Vernon was the top seed, but Kaden was the aggressor in that match. Kaden kind of tweaked a knee last Saturday, but it didn’t seem to slow him down today.”

Quality opponents

Downing said even his wrestlers who lost in the finals were competitive in facing state placewinner-caliber talent.

“Will was wrestling a state placer at 160 so that’s a quality loss if you can call it that,” Downing said. “Same with Chapman, that Treynor heavyweight has placed at state and last time Max wrestled him he was pinned in the second period. He’s closing the gap. Austin’s kid has made it to the PanAm Tournament and he’s probably state-finalist caliber, but Austin w

ould probably tell you he could get that match. We’re about 20 matches behind where we normally are with him at this point because he’s been out.”

Finishing third for the Panthers were Chris Aragon (145), Milo Staver (152) and Jagger Luther (182). Trey Chesnut placed fourth at 132 pounds.

Other Creston varsity placings were Brodrick Phelps sixth (126); Lane Travis (106), Gunner Martwick (195) and Jackson Kerr (220) each seventh; and Kylen Parsons eighth at 113 pounds.

Placewinners from Creston’s JV included a sixth by 132-pounder Brandon Briley; a seventh from Jackson Pettegrew (132); and eighth-place finishes by Owen Henderson (145), Luke Travis (152) and Tyson Looney (170).

“The thing I like about today is that everybody contributed,” Downing said. “Even the guys in seventh or eighth gave us wins and we got some pins, which give you an extra two points. Battling back from a loss is how you win tournaments.”

Creston travels to Shenandoah Thursday for duals against Denison-Schleswig and the host Mustangs before starting the two-day John J Harris Tournament in Corning on Friday. Creston hosts dual action on Jan. 24 against Carroll, Lewis Central and Harlan.

Panther Invitational

Team scoring — 1. Mount Vernon 207.5; 2. Creston 199.5; 3. Crestwood 196.5; 4. Bondurant-Farrar 191; 5. Interstate-35 128.5; 6. North Polk 94.5; 7. Earlham 93; 8. Treynor 78.5; Lenox 65; 10. Riverside (Oakland) 59; 11. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 57.5.

Final round

106 — 1. Mitchel Schmauss (Crestwood) pinned Davis Bramman (Riverside), 4:26; 3. Reid Foster (B-F) dec. Klayten Perreault (MV), 11-8; 5. Dallas Canoyer (Earlham) dec. Jaymeson VanderVelde (CBAL), 6-1.

113 — 1. Connor Fiser (B-F) dec. Carter Schmauss (Crestwood), 8-1; 3. Aidan Watts (CBAL) pinned Jett Sornson (Treynor), 1:56; 5. Jake Haugse (MV) pinned Nathan Hansen (Earlham), 1:06.

120 — 1. Christian Ahrens (Creston) dec. Matthew McCrea (B-F), 10-4; 3. Josh Winey (Earlham) pinned Andrew Reed (N.P.), 1:11; 5. Michael Upp (I-35) dec. Kellen Oliver (Riverside), 4-3.

126 — 1. Jase Jaspers (MV) pinned Maximus Riggins (B-F), 5:29; 3. Payton Harger (Earlham) pinned Jacob Moeckly (N.P.), 1:24; 5. Daniel Schwickerath (Crestwood) dec. Brodrick Phelps (Creston), 10-3.

132 — 1. Ethan Plotz (MV) dec. Dylan Stein (Lenox), 7-1; 3. Croix Shebetka (MV) dec. Trey Chesnut (Creston), 5-2; 5. Landon Cory (B-F) dec. Brandon Briley (Creston), 8-7.

138 — 1. Nolan Fellers (B-F) dec. Austin Evans (Creston), 8-1; 3. Cade Korsmo (Crestwood) dec. Mikey Ryan (MV), 7-2; 5. Parker Herzog (CBAL) pinned Evan Kelsick (N.P.), 3:54.

145 — 1. Jackson Jaspers (MV) dec. Nick Steinlage (I-35), 5-2; 3. Chris Aragon (Creston) dec. Ryan Wilson (Creston), 7-4. 5. Jeff Rose (Riverside) pinned Chase England (Lenox), 4:49.

152 — 1. Jack Lewis (B-F) major dec. Danny Kinsella (Treynor), 15-6; 3. Milo Staver (Creston) medical forfeit over Ryan Steinlage (I-35); 5. Tristin Nosbisch (MV) pinned Taven Moore (Riverside), 1:58.

160 — 1. Cole Butikofer (Crestwood) dec. Will Bolinger (Creston), 11-5; 3. Jackson Hird (MV) dec. Marcus Teed (B-F), 8-5; 5. Caleb Smith (Earlham) dec. Body Stanley (I-35), 8-5.

170 — 1. Kaden Street (Creston) dec. Henry Ryan (MV), 3-2; 3. Ryan Stiles (Earlham) dec. Cohan Torres (N.P.), 9-6; 5. Tyler Pisney (Crestwood) pinned Jordan Martin-England (Lenox), 2:42.

182 — 1. Brock Voyna (Crestwood) dec. Levi Young (Treynor), 5-4; 3. Jagger Luther (Creston) dec. Watson Krob (MV), 6-1; 5. Trent Paxton (B-F) pined Kaden Bush (I-35), 5:28.

195 — 1. Eli Green (I-35) major dec. Jake Cox (Lenox), 11-2; 3. Ethan Wood (MV) pinned Cody Kerian (Crestwood), 2:40; 5. Rafe Gayer (Treynor) pinned Caden Forristall (Riverside), 4:11.

220 — 1. Evan Foreman (I-35) dec. Reece Wrage (N.P.), 4-2 SV; 3. Drew Jackson (Crestwood) pinned Keaton Harper (B-F), 2:54; 5. Warren Summers (CBAL) major dec. Xavier Adamson (Lenox), 10-0.

285 — 1. Dan Gregory (Treynor) dec. Max Chapman (Creston), 2-0; 3. Quinten Fulton (B-F) dec. Tucker Anderson (N.P.), 7-5; 5. Trystin Lashley (MV) pinned Jack Maske (I-35), 1:37.