All-GTNS wrestling team dominated by the J?s

Like an episode of Sesame Street, this year?s Golden Triangle News Service wrestling team is brought to you by the letter ?J.?

Four wrestlers on this year?s squad are named Jake, and another is named Jac (pronounced Jake). There?s also a Jay and a Jayden on the team.

Besides being a popular place for guys named Jake, the Golden Triangle was also a hotbed for wrestling this winter. Two state champions and 12 state qualifiers were selected to this year?s All-GTNS team.

Columbus and New London headline this year?s squad, with the Wildcats placing three wrestlers on the team and taking Coach of the Year honors and the Tigers getting four wrestlers selected to the team.

Although it seems that having a name starting with the letter ?J? was a prerequisite to being selected to this year?s All-GTNS wrestling team, that wasn?t the case with the team?s captain. Columbus senior Matt Mougin was named captain after winning the 145-pound Class 2A state championship this season.

Mougin had been to two state tournaments before his senior year, but had never placed higher than sixth. But he had a magical run at the state tournament, capped with a 145-pound state championship.

Entering the tournament, Mougin had four losses and was ranked fourth at his weight. But he won all four of his matches by decision to take the title. He defeated Wilton senior Ryan Hand 5-4 in the finals, which was a rematch of the district championship match from the week before.

Mougin finished the year with a 40-4 record. He also placed eighth at 125 pounds as a freshman and took sixth at 130 pounds as a junior.

Coach Bill Plein coached the Columbus wrestling team to a fifth-place finish in Class 2A at the state wrestling tournament. His team scored 64.5 points.

His team also won the district title over Louisa-Muscatine by one point when junior heavyweight Gil Martinez won a wrestle-back match in double overtime. The Wildcats had placed second behind the Falcons at the sectional tournament.

Plein took five wrestlers to the state-wrestling tournament. Of those, he had one state champion, one runner-up and one third-place finisher.

103?Sawyer Farris, freshman, New London/WMU

Sawyer Farris was one of two state champions in the Golden Triangle this season. Farris, a freshman, amassed a 47-2 record, pinning 19 opponents on his way to the Class 1A 103-pound championship, where he defeated Belle Plaine?s Zach Buch 4-2 with an overtime takedown to stand on top of the award podium.

Farris won

Farris picked up a major decision, a fall and a 10-6 decision as he marched his way through the bracket at state.

112? Jake Kadel, sophomore, New London/WMU

Jake Kadel amassed a 47-4 record and 27 falls on the way to his second third place finish in as many years at the state tournament. Kadel fell to eventual 112-pound runner up Brandon Welter of Don Bosco in the quarterfinals, but fought his way back through three rounds of the consolation bracket to take third after picking up an 8-3 decision over Sioux City?s Seaton Sandbulte in the consolation championship.

119?Jake Hopkins, junior, New London/WMU

Jake Hopkins capped his junior season with an eighth place finish at the state tournament. Hopkins fell to Akron Westfield?s Chet Utesch in the opening round of the tournament, then pinned his opponents in the first two rounds of consolation before giving up a tech. fall and fall in his final two matches.

Hopkins amassed a 39-16 record, with 28 falls during the season and will be one of four state qualifiers returning to the Tigers next season.

125?Jake Keller, junior, Columbus

Junior Jake Keller made his third consecutive state wrestling tournament appearance this year, and had his best result yet. He headed into the state tournament undefeated and ranked third, but suffered a 6-1 loss to top-ranked Joe Colon of Clear Lake in the semifinals. Keller bounced back to win a pair of matches and take third place. He finished the year with a 33-1 record.

Keller has a career record of 110-15. He was a state qualifier at 119 pounds as a freshman, losing his first two matches, and then he placed sixth at 119 as a junior.

130?Brad Goehring, junior, Van Buren

Van Buren?s Brad Goerhing was one of the few constants in the Warrior lineup this season as the junior posted an overall record of 30 wins to just nine losses. Goehring wrestled his way to a runner-up finish in the sectional tournament, and rebounded from an opening round loss at districts to finish second again and advance to the state tournament. Goehring failed to place at state, but will be back for another run in 2010.

135?Matt Mullikin, senior, Sigourney-Keota

Senior Matt Mullikin made his third state wrestling tournament appearance, and he came away with his best-ever finish, taking fifth at 135 pounds. Mullikin lost his first match of the tournament to second-ranked Derrick Miner of Spirit Lake Park, but then won four of his next five matches to take fifth place. He finished the year with a 23-5 record.

Mullikin placed eighth at 103 pounds as a freshman in 2006, and he took seventh at 130 pounds as a junior.

140?Seth Noble, junior ,Columbus

For complete story, read the Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Fairfield Ledger.