DES MOINES — Tristan Clark, Xavier Miller and Ron Marshal all continued their strong starts to the season with wins by fall Thursday night, but a slow start by the Prairie City-Monroe wrestling team doomed the Mustangs in a 45-36 loss here.
Clark and Miller are now 8-0 on the season after clinching their sixth and third pins of the year, respectively. Marshall is 7-2 with seven pins, as well, but PCM dropped its first Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference dual of the year after falling behind 21-0.
The Mustangs (3-2, 1-1) cut their deficit to 21-12 following Marshall’s pin and Jaret Maggard’s win by forfeit. Maggard is now 7-2 on the year as well.
Sean Miller helped Saydel extend its lead with a fall at 195, but PCM got as close as it would get all night following back-to-back forfeit wins by Mike Fagg and Trent Malone at 220 and 285, respectively. Malone is now 6-3 on the year.
The three-point deficit rose to 15 after the Eagles recorded two pins at 106 and 113. Miller and Clark, ranked No.7 in Class 2A at 126, went back-to-back on pins after that, but it wasn’t enough as Oscar Ruiz’s pin at 132 sealed the win for the home team.
PCM wrestles Saturday at the Ankeny Centennial dual tournament. Action kicks off at 10 a.m.