WACO wrestling team wins home dual meet

On a night when the seniors were recognized, the WACO wrestling team held a dual against Lone Tree and Pekin Thursday, Jan. 19, where the Warriors won both of their matches.

WACO had a final score of 51-12 over Lone Tree and had a 42-33 victory over Pekin.

The first match against Lone Tree was Cody Crawford (285) against Payton Lorack. Crawford won by fall in 0:53.

Jaden Williams (120) lost by fall in 1:39 to Aaron Slaughter. Jalen Collins (126) won by an 11-4 decision over Zack Madoerin. Chase Hesseltine (132) lost by fall in 1:40 to Levi Tripses. Adrian Unternahrer (160) pinned Dylan Tripses in 4:50.

Coach Seth Pugh said in the Lone Tree match, ?there was a match there we were really looking to win that we had a game plan for. That fell through.

?Our heavyweight went out and attacked during that dual and we had some other guys step us as well. Adrian Undernahrer, on Senior Night, came out and got a big pin. That really brought the team up which helped us get ready for the next dual.?

All other wrestlers for WACO won by forfeit: Scott Christofferson (113), Christian Tennant (138), Joey Collier (145), Hunter Donaldson (152), Isaiah Johnson (182), and Kade McKinney (220).

Before the dual with WACO the team?s two seniors were recognized. Pugh said the recognition of them means a lot.

?They were here last year and helping build up the program. They will be leaving a lot behind and are great seniors for the team. We will definitely miss them.?

Taking to the mat first for WACO against Pekin was Collins (126), who pinned Elijah Sieren in 0:50. Tennant (138) lost by fall in 2:40 to Isaiah Wittrock.

Collier (145) lost by fall in 1:48 to Drake Harbison. Donaldson (152) lost by a 5-0 decision to Kaden Baker and Unternahrer lost by fall in 0:47 to Keaton Baayen.

Christofferson (113), Williams (120), Hesseltine (132), Johnson (182), McKinney (220) and Crawford (285) each won by forfeit. Winning by forfeit from Pekin were Jordan Hixson (170) and Ethan Cooksey (195).

?In the Pekin dual,? Pugh said, ?Jalen Collins went out there and set the tone. He took down his opponent and pinned him right away.

?The way he practices, he?s 100 percent and 100 miles per hour all the time and it?s starting to pay off for him.?

As far as the other Pekin matches, they could have gone either way, Pugh noted. ?That?s something we can build on later in the season. These guys are goal-oriented and they will stay focused throughout the rest of the season.?

WACO?s next time on the mats was Saturday, at Louisa-Muscatine. What will the team be working on today to get ready?

?We work on our feet a lot and will work on keeping our elbows in on our feet, stand tough and finish our shots,? Pugh said.

That will continue as the team gets ready for the post-season. ?We will work on our feet and work on the bottom to get hand control and battle through each position.?