Fairfield’s 1st mat action successful

WASHINGTON - Thursday was the first time the Fairfield High School wrestling team competed in matches this season, but the way head coach Steve Miller saw it, it was the Trojans fifth practice.

Fairfield had been out of school, thus no sports, and in-person learning just started Monday.

'We got tough kids who know they are behind the eight ball with everyone else having practiced more than a month, but we control our attitude and our effort,” said Miller, who communicated to his team with Zoom and text messages. 'They did an outstanding job of doing it.”

The Trojans lost to Ottumwa but defeated Washington. The Demons also lost to Ottumwa and Keokuk.

The only way to get in wrestling shape is to actually grapple in a competitive environment. Fairfield had missed a meet with Washington and was scheduled to go to Ottumwa, but some finagling by Washington head coach Brent Van Weelden got the meet moved to Washington, where the Demons were already scheduled to face Keokuk. Fairfield got to make up a meet and the Demons got some extra work against Ottumwa. Fairfield and Keokuk have a scheduled match in the future so did not compete.

The Trojans usually get a week off between Christmas and New Year's but Miller is claiming some of those days this year for practice.

'We have to stay positive,” Miller said. 'We didn't have any say in what happened and we only control what we control.”

Theodore Metcalf and Payton Cline each got two pins for Fairfield. Cline got both in the first round, while Metcalf got one in the first and one with 30 seconds remaining in the match.

'I'm so proud of the whole team,” Miller said. 'To get a dual win after four practices says something about the kids we have.”

Washington's Jacob Miller, who is out for the first time, got three wins, all by fall.

'He has been practicing hard for a couple weeks and did well against the No. 1 New London kid last week,” Van Weelden said. 'Lincoln Hansen, who is new, wrestled a good match at the end. Robert Bennett got two pins, but made mistakes that cost him in a loss. Ayden Frazier has to beat kids like that Ottumwa kid if he wants to get to the next level. Jacob Hill is doing good. Curtis Stender, we have to get him stronger.”

Washington wrestles Saturday at Fort Madison, which was a two-day tourney but with a pathogen on the loose, changed it to one. Fairfield wrestles Saturday at Iowa City Regina's tournament.

Ottumwa 53, Fairfield 21

Fairfield forfeits 106, 113, 182. 126: Braylon Griffiths (O) over Brecken Courtright (F) (Fall 0:18) 132: Daltin Doud (O) over Zach Westercamp (F) (Dec 2-0) 138: Sayar Aung (O) over Tate Richardson (F) (Fall 0:31) 145: Cohyn Roach (F) over Mikey Cain (O) (Dec 6-3) 152: Zachariah Shoemaker (O) over Logan Adam (F) (Fall 5:29) 160: Payton Cline (F) over Aidan Lord (O) (Fall 1:26) 170: Trevor Summers (O) over Aiden Lyons (F) (Fall 0:57) 195: Theodore Metcalf (F) over Brandon McKeag (O) (Fall 1:09) 220: John Hardin (O) over Arya Patel (F) (TB-1 4-1) 285: Cesar Smithburg (F) over Jay Guerra (O) (Fall 4:36) 120: Dawson Goodwin (O) over Jacob Bland (F) (TF 19-4 5:41)

Fairfield 48, Washington 24

Washington forfeits to 126: Brecken Courtright, 132: Zach Westercamp, 145: Cohyn Roach, 220: Arya Patel, 285: Cesar Smithburg. Fairfield forfeits to 182: Jacob Hill, 106: Jack Kleese. 113: Double Forfeit

138: Jacob Miller (W) over Tate Richardson (F) (Fall 1:36) 152: Logan Adam (F) over Lincoln Hanson (W) (Dec 7-3) 160: Payton Cline (F) over Robert Bennett (W) (Fall 1:54) 170: Ayden Frazer (W) over Aiden Lyons (F) (Fall 2:23) 195: Theodore Metcalf (F) over Curtis Stender (W) (Fall 2:48) 120: Jacob Bland (F) over Lane Schrock (W) (Dec 7-1)

Keokuk 42, Washington 36

Keokuk forfeits to 195: Curtis Stender, 285: Brayden Hartman, 106: Jack Kleese 113: Double Forfeit; Washington forfeits at 126, 132, 145, 220 138.

Jacob Miller (W) over Alejandro Morales (K) (Fall 1:46) 152: Ethan Rose (K) over Lincoln Hanson (W) (Fall 2:52) 160: Robert Bennett (W) over Xavier Johnson (K) (Fall 2:55) 170: Ayden Frazer (W) over Zack Glasscock (K) (Fall 1:43) 182: Kaleb Spurgeon (K) over Jacob Hill (W) (Fall 1:45) 120: Nolan Riddle (K) over Lane Schrock (W) (Fall 0:32)

Ottumwa 63, Washington 18

Washington forfeits at 113, 126, 132, 145, 220, 285, 152.

138: Jacob Miller (W) over Sayar Aung (O) (Fall 5:21) 152: Lincoln Hanson (W) over Zachariah Shoemaker (O) (Fall 2:28) 160: Aidan Lord (O) over Robert Bennett (W) (Fall 3:38) 170: Trevor Summers (O) over Ayden Frazer (W) (Fall 3:34) 182: Jacob Hill (W) over Eli Stater (O) (Fall 0:50) 195: Brandon McKeag (O) over Curtis Stender (W) (Fall 2:39) 106: Jasmine Luedtke (O) over Jack Kleese (W) (Dec 2-0) 120: Chris Luedtke (O) over Lane Schrock (W) (Fall 0:20)