Bulldogs secure two more dual wins, place fourth at tournament
MFL MarMac senior Holden Mathis won his 150th career match on Jan. 20, at the John Byers Invitational, making him just the 11th Bulldog wrestler to achieve the feat. He was also the tournament champion at 138 pounds. Mathis is pictured with coaches Dan Anderson, Travis Johnson, Chet Bachman, Collin Stubbs, Mike Meyer and Chip McGeough. (Submitted photo)
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac boys wrestling team last week won two more duals and placed fourth at a weekend tournament.
The Bulldogs were 2-1 in a Jan. 18 quad, picking up wins over Bellevue and Beckman Catholic but dropping just their second dual of the season to Anamosa.
MFL MarMac defeated Bellevue 63-18, led by falls from Will Howes (285), Rylan Schroeder (126), Gavin Kishman (132), Holden Mathis (138), Quinn McGeough (165) and Dayne Kohrs (190). Tristen Koehn edged his opponent 5-2 at 157 pounds. Another 24 Bulldog points came via forfeit.
Bellevue got on the board with falls over Nolan Lerch (215) and John Martins (144), as well as a forfeit at 113 pounds.
The Bulldogs’ 60-17 win over Beckman Catholic included 10 forfeits—eight that went in favor of MFL MarMac and two for the Blazers. Mathis and Koehn both scored pins, and Caleb Zuercher lost by technical fall at 175 pounds.
Anamosa benefitted from four MFL MarMac forfeits in a 48-27 victory. The Bulldogs also suffered rare losses by Koehn, who was pinned, and McGeough, who was bested 4-3. Wolfgang Martins Saboria (106) and Zuercher were pinned in their matches, and Schroeder lost a 9-6 decision.
The Bulldogs earned four falls thanks to Howes, Keith Anderson (120), Mathis and Kohrs, and Lerch pulled out a 5-4 decision.
MFL MarMac is now 16-2 in duals this season. The team is ranked 15th in Class 1A and will compete in the regional duals at Don Bosco, Gilbertville on Tuesday, Jan. 30. They will take on #20 Nodaway Valley in the first round. The winner will face second-ranked Don Bosco.
Last week concluded Jan. 20, at the John Byers Invitational at Midland, where the Bulldogs placed fourth of 19 teams with a score of 139. That trailed West Branch’s 212.5, Southeast Polk’s 209.5 and Maquoketa Valley’s 150.
Mathis continued to wrestle well, working to the top of the podium at 138 pounds. He also earned his 150th career win.
Koehn and McGeough placed second in their respective 157- and 165-pound brackets. Anderson finished third at 120, and Howes was third in the heavyweight division.
Kishman took fifth at 132 and Schroeder sixth at 126. Gunnar Ross (113), Ty Koeller (120) and Averey Thornton (285) did not place.
The Bulldogs will test themselves against Upper Iowa Conference opponents on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the conference tournament at South Winneshiek. Wrestling will begin at 4:30 p.m.
