Victories different from wins for Washington

WASHINGTON - With only six wrestlers available to hit the mat for a dual meet, Washington looks for victories in other ways than who wins the team score.

Tuesday Williamsburg defeated the Demons 72-9 and Oskaloosa won 60-18.

'It's an individual sport for us this year,” Demons head coach Brent Van Weelden said. 'There is no way to win a dual so each kid needs to go out and take care of himself and not worry about the team.”

Of the six matches Washington can wrestle four were wins against Oskaloosa, but two were wins against Williamsburg, so it could be called a one win, one loss night for the team.

Chase Greiner was pinned in the first round at 160 pounds against Williamsburg. Demon teammates Curtis Stender at 195, Jack Kleese at 106 and Lane Schrock at 120 were pinned in the second round. Jacob Miller scored a rout with a 14-6 major decision at 138 before Ayden Frazier recorded a 17-2 technical fall in 3 minutes, 29 seconds at 182.

Fraser was dominant in his matches despite the fact he hadn't had a match since Dec. 19.

'Just back from quarantine, I feel like it's a good deal to get a workout and a W,” Frazer said. 'My conditioning is getting better and I feel like that's important going into the postseason.”

Against Oskaloosa, Frazer got a pin within 30 seconds of the beginning of the second round. 'On my feet, I was neutral with him but once I got the first takedown, I felt pretty confident that there was no way I wasn't going to get the W. Confidence is the key thing. If you think you have a chance to lose, you probably will lose.”

Frazer had been losing a different battle through the years - trying to get Miller to wrestle. 'I don't know what the key was to finally getting him. We saw potential in him and for his first year, he's doing tremendous.”

'I don't know what convinced me to come out except I wanted to try something new,” Miller said. 'I am kind of liking it so far.”

Miller was in a tough bout against Osky but pulled out a 9-7 decision.

'Jacob makes some mistakes,” Van Weelden said. 'He used to be good at grabbing the near ankle, cross facing, and going behind but we're going to have to review that. Being new, it's easy for him to forget something if we don't review it.”

Kleese moved up to 113 for his Osky match and came out with a 5-1 win. Stender received a forfeit. Schrock and Greiner were both pinned in the third round.

Miller has a 20-14 varsity record and competed at the junior varsity level to start the season and won a couple tournaments.

'He's done well but all of his experience is just from Dec. 1,” Van Weelden said.

'I'm doing well because the coaches are doing a lot for me,” Miller said. 'I didn't know anything starting out, so the coaches and all the guys have helped me a lot.”

Football is the sport Miller loves and he is an excellent sprinter in track so he has had his share of tough practices but he has learned something about wrestling.

'I didn't know how gruesome the sport was and how much it takes out of you,” Miller said. 'Practices are tough, tough that I have never experienced before.”

Miller's success on the mat has been bolstered by his talent and a simple philosophy.

'I don't know that much, so I just try to stick to what I know.”