Fairfield wrestlers sluggish at start, turn it around

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield wrestling coach Steve Miller didn’t mince words about his team’s performance in the Trojans’ Southeast Conference dual against Keokuk on Friday night.

Miller said his team wasn’t ready to go in a 40-30 loss, one that would keep the Trojans winless in conference play.

“As a team, we weren’t prepared for that first dual,” said Miller. “We didn’t warm up very good. That’s on us.”

But luckily for the Trojans, there was still action to go. Fairfield would get a shot at redemption in its second dual at the Trojans’ home triangular, defeating Mediapolis 48-36.

“In this sport, and in anything in life, you’re going to get out of it what you put in,” Miller said.

And the Trojans put a lot in to that second dual. Fairfield washed away the earlier loss and got off to a hot start. After a pair of forfeits, the Trojans won two big matches in a row when 126-pounder Zach Westercamp and 132-pounder Cason Miller scored back-to-back pins.

“You start off with two guys going out there and working hard and pinning two of their tougher kids,” Miller said. “It’s a whole momentum thing.”

Other Trojans to pick up pins in the second dual were Wyatt Johnson at 145 pounds, Cam McClain at 152 pounds, and Terrance Craig at 285 pounds.

Keokuk 40, Fairfield 30

285: Jordan Salyers (KEOK) over Tarence Craig (FAIR) (Fall 4:49) 106: Rylee Moore (KEOK) over (FAIR) (For.) 113: Double Forfeit 120: Double Forfeit 126: Zach Westercamp (FAIR) over (KEOK) (For.) 132: Cason Miller (FAIR) over (KEOK) (For.) 138: Jace Hannes (FAIR) over (KEOK) (For.) 145: Conrad Kirchner (KEOK) over Wyatt Johnson (FAIR) (MD 14-6) 152: Ethan Rose (KEOK) over Cam McClain (FAIR) (Fall 1:42) 160: Kevun Joy (KEOK) over Landon Pilcher (FAIR) (Fall 0:21) 170: Kolbe Barnes (KEOK) over Wyatt Lovelady (FAIR) (Fall 1:00) 182: Dakota Haage (KEOK) over Hunter Abbott (FAIR) (Fall 2:16) 195: Theodore Metcalf (FAIR) over Aydan O`Connor (KEOK) (Fall 0:28) 220: Cesar Smithburg (FAIR) over (KEOK) (For.)

Fairfield 48 Mediapolis 36

113: Gavin Gerber (MEDI) over (FAIR) (For.) 120: Kayla McGee (MEDI) over (FAIR) (For.) 126: Zach Westercamp (FAIR) over Braxton Davis (MEDI) (Fall 4:43) 132: Cason Miller (FAIR) over Grady Gunn (MEDI) (Fall 3:17) 138: Quinten Aney (MEDI) over Richard Curtis (FAIR) (Fall 1:53) 145: Wyatt Johnson (FAIR) over Isaiah Robben (MEDI) (Fall 1:18) 152: Cam McClain (FAIR) over Cody Vradenburg (MEDI) (Fall 0:50) 160: Levi Arnold (MEDI) over Landon Pilcher (FAIR) (Fall 0:18) 170: Lucas Wagenbach (MEDI) over Wyatt Lovelady (FAIR) (Fall 0:42) 182: Hunter Abbott (FAIR) over (MEDI) (For.) 195: Theodore Metcalf (FAIR) over (MEDI) (For.) 220: Cesar Smithburg (FAIR) over (MEDI) (For.) 285: Tarence Craig (FAIR) over Jaden Wenig (MEDI) (Fall 0:21) 106: Wil Whitaker (MEDI) over (FAIR) (For.)