March 29, 2024

Mustang grapplers hope to continue success in HOIAC

MONROE – Prairie City-Monroe wrestling coach Cory Waddell refuses to shy away from high expectations. In fact, he talks openly with his squad about competing and winning a Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference championship in 2014-15.

And with a state qualifier and three other district qualifiers returning to this year’s lineup, the Mustang coach feels he’ll have a lineup that should once again be near the top of the league.

“One of our goals is to win the conference title and we don’t shy away from the expectations,” Waddell said. “I want them to have high expectations of themselves and of their team. We just came up a little short last year.”

By coming up short, Waddell means the Mustangs finished second in the HOIAC Invitational a year ago, losing to Greene County by a mere half point. PCM did share the conference dual title with Saydel and if things can fall into place for the Mustangs, Waddell knows his team can do it again.

Senior Tristen Clark is back at 126 pounds this season after advancing to the state meet a year ago. He went 37-11 in 2013-14.

“He’s used to wrestling those guys at that weight,” Waddell said. “He had a good summer, and I expect a big year from him and he expects a big year from himself.”

The three district qualifiers from a season ago were senior Ron Marshall and sophomores Xavier Miller and Chace Palm.

Miller went 34-5 a year ago at 113. He finished third in districts but the top two both earned medals at the state meet a few days later. Miller will move up to 120 this season but is still expected to compete for a state berth.

Marshall was third at districts, as well, and the top two finishers at his weight both earned medals, too. He went 35-14 at 170 last year and will stay at that weight this season.

Palm was only 16-20 last year, but he weighed just 95 pounds while wrestling at 106. This year, Waddell said Palm should be more competitive as he climbs a little closer to the maximum mark.

Other returners to the PCM lineup include seniors Jaret Maggard, Trent Malone and Skyler Koder.

Maggard went 25-17 at 195 but will move to his more natural weight of 182 this year. Trent Malone also returns at heavyweight after going 17-24 a year ago.

Koder was 8-5 last year but won’t wrestle until sometime in January after injuring his back during the preseason.

The junior class consists of one grappler – Michael Fagg. This is only Fagg’s second year of wrestling but he has shown remarkable promise during the early stages of the preseason.

Besides Palm and Miller, the sophomore class also includes Leevi Telfer, who went 3-1 last year in minimal duty as a freshman.

Other than that, Waddell says 132, 138, 145 and 152 will all be filled by inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. But the lineup won’t be fully loaded until January when Koder completes things at 160.

The Mustangs, whose roster includes 20 wrestlers, will have a tougher slate this year as Waddell wanted to toughen up the schedule.

As usual, PCM will be one of the favorites in the HOIAC, along with defending invitational champion Greene County, Roland-Story, Gilbert and potentially Saydel.

The newest additions to the schedule this season are tournaments at Ankeny Centennial (Dec. 13) and Solon (Jan. 3). The Mustangs’ host invite is Jan. 10 and the HOIAC invitational tournament will be Jan. 24 at Gilbert.

“We changed our schedule. We toughened it up,” Waddell said. “We wanted some better competition and more matches. We don’t want to see the same schools every weekend.”

The regular season begins Tuesday in a triangular at North Polk. The Mustangs also will wrestle East Marshall.