Colfax-Mingo wrestling edges PCM, downs R-S

STORY CITY — Colfax-Mingo sophomore Mariah Webster doesn’t shy away from competition. She’s wants matches and wants to be put in situations to help her team.

On Thursday night, she checked in for her 120-pound match against Prairie City-Monroe with her team leading the Mustangs by three.

A win would seal the team victory for the Tigerhawks. A loss by decision would force a tiebreaker and a loss with bonus points would have resulted in a team loss.

Webster was up for the challenge and her win by pin in the first period against PCM’s Cody Courtney secured the win at Roland-Story High School.

“I knew the coaches and my team were depending on me, so it made me feel really good to be able to get that win for us,” Webster said.

Colfax-Mingo improved to 11-3 after another two wins against Heart of Iowa Conference foes. The Tigerhawks downed PCM 45-36 and defeated Roland-Story 48-33.

Gilbert (14-1) went 3-0 on the night, dispatching of all three opponents with relative ease. The Tigers defeated Colfax-Mingo 60-24.

“Half of our lineup has wrestled before and the other half hasn’t. To win 11 duals so far at this point is a testament to our underclassmen and first-year wrestlers,” Colfax-Mingo coach Erin Hume said. “They show up, practice hard, ask questions and are ready to learn. I am really happy with how things have gone during the early part of the season.”

PCM added a few more wrestlers to its lineup and closed the gap as far as duals go. But the Mustangs remained winless on the season following narrow losses to Colfax-Mingo and Roland-Story.

The Norse and Mustangs ended their dual tied 42-42 but Roland-Story (2-7) claimed the win because it had one less forfeit (3-2) than the Mustangs. Gilbert defeated PCM 60-18.

“We were closer tonight. There were a couple of duals we could have won,” PCM coach Jeff Nicholson said. “I think we took a step forward. We filled some weights we hadn’t had yet. We just have a lot of good kids piled up at the same weights.”

Colfax-Mingo jumped out to an 18-0 lead over PCM after three matches. Samantha Haney pinned Hayleigh Spray in the second period at 126, Hunter Green took a forfeit at 132 and Cyden Fitch rallied to beat Landon Fenton by fall at 138.

Fenton led Fitch 2-0 after one period and took a 4-0 lead in the second. Fitch took advantage of a mistake by Fenton near the edge of the mat.

“I got a little lucky in that one,” said Fitch, who improved to 17-1 on the season. “We have had a rivalry against PCM for a long time. We came here with a goal to win that dual. It feels good to get that done.”

Fitch entered The Predicament rankings at No. 10 in 1A at 138 a few hours before the match. Fenton is ranked sixth in 2A at 132.

“Things were going the way I wanted it to go. What I was doing was working, but I just made a mistake and he got me,” said Fenton, who went 2-1 on the night and is now 18-3 on the season. “I put myself in a bad position. I still need to get into better shape. My mindset is on just making sure I am ready for February. That’s when it really matters anyway.”

PCM got within 18-12 after Kaleb Ives took a forfeit at 145 and Payton Drake pinned Tim Carroll at 152.

Hunter Stevens extended the Tigerhawks’ lead with an 11-4 win over William Vanderpool at 160 and then Trystin Ross (13-4) took a forfeit at 170.

Four straight pins by Zeb Padget, Cooper Sloan, Donovan Nickelson and Seth Greiner from 182 to heavyweight put PCM (0-17) in front 36-27.

Judith Goetz took a forfeit at 106 to close the gap and then Noah Strohmeyer, who is ranked No. 10 at 106 in 1A, got a win by fall at 113 to give C-M a 39-36 lead.

Webster then finished off the victory with the first-period pin at 120.

“I was really nervous. I was shaking so bad before that match, but I was able to get it done,” Webster said.

Webster cut enough weight to move down to 120 for the first time this season.

“Mariah has had the goal of making 120. It took her a few weeks, but she made it tonight and gave herself the opportunity to have that big match,” Hume said. “I am proud of her.”

Fitch went 3-0 on the night with three pins for the Tigerhawks. Strohmeyer (13-3) also was 3-0 with two pins, Goetz (106) and Shane Aikin (182) took a pair of forfeits and Green (12-6) was 2-1 at 132.

Jakob Champman (285), Tim Carroll (152) and Will Thornton (195) also had pins against Roland-Story, while Kirsten Frier (138) took a forfeit. The Tigerhawks led the Norse 24-0 and went up 48-15 before R-S finished with three straight wins to close the gap.

Drake, who is ranked No. 10 at 138 in 2A, was the only PCM wrestler to go 3-0. He won all three of his matches at either 145 or 152 by fall.

“Tonight was good. I had a couple bumps in the road. I am still working through a couple things,” Drake said. “I am not where I want to be completely, but we’ll get there.”

Cooper Sloan (10-6) was 2-1 with two pins at 195, Fenton was 2-1 with two pins at 138 and Kaleb Ives took a pair of forfeits at either 138 or 145. Alex Courtney was 2-1 at 106 with a pin and a forfeit. Seth Greiner (9-3) won his only match by fall at 285 against Colfax-Mingo.

Against Roland-Story, Fenton, Drake, Sloan, Alex Courtney and Jace Smith all won by fall for PCM, while Ives and Tristan Giles took forfeits. Fenton and Drake both got wins by fall against Gilbert and Alex Courtney took a forfeit.

PCM is still without Colby Tool, who is ranked No. 2 at 152 in 2A, because of injury. He is expected to return to the lineup in early January.

Brian Nicholson also has been out with an injury. Coach Nicholson said he is back from injury but hadn’t practiced all week because of an illness. He is expected to be back in the lineup this weekend.

Colfax-Mingo wrestles in the North Polk Invitational at 8 a.m. on Saturday in Alleman.

PCM competes in the Red Owens Holiday Classic hosted by Southeast Polk at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Pleasant Hill.