Beason wins at Southern Iowa Classic

FAIRFIELD - The Mt. Pleasant wrestling team finished sixth in the Southern Iowa Classic in Fairfield on Saturday. The Panthers had four top-two finishes including a first-place finish for Zach Beason at 220 lbs.

Beason, who is ranked No. 5 in Class 3A, pinned three different wrestlers to win the bracket at 220 lbs. He started the day with a 48-second pin over Milo Johnston of Knoxville, and then pinned Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's Nolan Stetter in 1:10 to win his semifinal.

Beason faced Washington's Tristan Allender in the championship match. The Panther big man finished off Allender in 3:13 to take home the top spot.

The Panthers had three second place finishes. Avante Henley, Nathan Wallace and Jayden Davis each took the silver.

Henley began the 132 lbs. tournament with a bye, and then defeated Keokuk's Levi Boudewyn in a 13-5 major decision to make the semifinals. Henley defeated Davis County's Davan Goering on a 10-4 decision to make the final, but got pinned by EBF's Tayton Ricard in 1:54 to lose the championship.

Wallace, who wrestled at 145 lbs., picked up a first round bye before pinning Lucas Henderson in a 40-second quarterfinal. Wallace defeated Dillan Sanders of Washington on a 7-2 decision, but fell via pinfall in 4:22 to Prarie City-Monroe's Colby Tool in the final.

Davis received a bye all the way to the semifinals and pinned EBF's Connor Reed in 4:50 to make the 160 lbs. final. In the championship match, Davis lost to PCM's West Cummings by technical fall, 19-1, in the second quarter.

Mt. Pleasant will have a long break before their district tournament on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Panthers will wrestle at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School.