Area wrestling teams made a drive to Letts on Saturday for a Louisa-Muscatine Invitational.
Highland had the best area finish placing sixth out of 12 with 66.5 points while Central DeWitt won it all with 203.5. Bryce Thompson was the headliner placing first at 113 lbs with a 16-0 technical fall, a pin in 2:24, and an exciting 5-4 decision victory in the championship match over Central DeWitt’s Royce Butt. Easton Schlabaugh went 2-1 at 106 lbs to finish second and Jack Peiffer was 2-2 at 120 lbs to nab fourth.
Washington’s 48 points put them 11th in the team standings. Ayden Frazer placed second at 182 lbs with the senior winning by fall in 1:11 and then dropping the title match 4-0. Jacob Miller was fourth at 138 lbs and Chase Greiner managed fourth at 160 lbs.
The Highland wrestling team dropped three duals at a quadrangular Thursday at Mediapolis. Highland fell to Muscatine 60-15. The Huskies got wins in contested matches from Easton Schlabaugh at 106 by 17-1 tech fall and Bryce Thompson at 120 by 17-2 tech fall.
The Wapello Indians beat the Huskies 54-15. Highland got wins in contested matches from Easton Schlabaugh at 106 by 9-1 major decision, Bryce Thompson at 113 by 17-1 tech fall and Carlos Valenzuela at 126 by fall.
Mediapolis defended their home mat against the Huskies by a 30-22 score. Highland got wins in contested matches from Bryce Thompson at 113 by 17-1 tech fall, Jack Peiffer at 120 by fall and Carlos Valenzuela at 126 by 17-1 tech fall. Highland is now 3-9 on the year. The Huskies will next be in action Saturday at the WACO tournament.
Highland High School was the center of the wrestling world in southeast Iowa Saturday as the Huskies hosted their annual Gary Curtis Invitational. The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks posted the best team score of any area squad with 139.5 points, in fifth. South Tama won the tournament with 173 points. Mid-Prairie crowned three champions on the day. Vinnie Bowlin brought home the title at 160lbs with a fall over Kaden Shirk of Wilton. Cael Garvey took the title at 195 with a fall over Johnathan Lilly of Wilton and Josh Wallington was the champion at 220, beating Logan Wright of West Branch by 16-5 major decision in the title bout.
The Highland wrestling team opened the 2021 portion of their schedule last night and won two out of three duals in a quadrangular at Alburnett.
The Huskies lost to the Pirates 63-18, but defeated Edgewood-Colesburg 27-24 and Maquoketa Valley 35-30. There were just eight contested matches on the night with Highland winning five of them including going 2-2 in the dual against Alburnett. Bryce Thompson won both of his matches at 113 lbs with a fall in 28 seconds and a 7-4 decision. It was a milestone evening for the senior picking up his 100th career win. Easton Schlabaugh won a match at 106 lbs by fall in 5:46, Jack Peiffer had a pin in 2:15 at 120 lbs, and Remington Fields won an exhibition at 106 lbs with a fall in 3:23.