Panther wrestling splits double dual at Marion

MARION ? Not a single Mt. Pleasant wrestler was pinned by his Marion opponent as the Panthers claimed a 64-12 win over the host of Thursday night?s double-dual.

The Panthers also wrestled against Pleasant Valley and fell to the Spartans by a score of 50-25.

Against Marion, the Panthers took maximum points in the first seven matches to go up 42-0.

Colton Aplara (220) pinned Kenneth Kiene in just 27 seconds to open the dual, and Emmett Wester (285) then pinned Kyle VanMeter in 4:31.

Colton Mertens won by forfeit at 106 before Conner Eads got a win by fall over Jared Almandinger in 1:19.

Both Tyler Lanphier (120) and Alex Lanphier (126) also won by forfeit, and Alec Mathews, back in the lineup at 132 pounds, pinned Tevin Mull in 1:58.

Marion won the 138-pound match by decision. The Indians also got a win by decision at 182 pounds and a win by forfeit at 195 pounds.

Every other match went to the Panthers.

Josh Larson (145) won by major decision, 14-4, and Jayton Phillips (170) got a forfeit. Michael Alderson (152) pinned his opponent in 1:07, and Noah Brown (160) won by fall in 1:56.

In the dual against Pleasant Hill, the Panthers did not fare as well.

They lost by forfeit in the first two matches, 182 and 195 pounds, starting down by 12 points. They picked up the next five matches: Aplara won by decision (3-1), Tyler Lanphier won by major decision (9-1), and three Panthers won by fall.

Wester pinned Landon Carney in 3:42; Mertens pinned Destin Babcock in 1:01 and Eads pinned Joe Hebbeln in 4:44.

The last seven matches, however, went in favor of the Spartans, giving them the win.

The Panthers end their dual season with a record of 14-8.

They will wrestle again on Saturday, Feb. 9, when they host the district tournament at noon.