Washington wrestling team continues winning season

The Washington wrestling team took to the mats Thursday, Dec. 15, where they faced the Keokuk Chiefs.

The 10th-ranked Demons won over their opponents 64-10. The team is now 12-0 as they prepare for a tournament in Waukee tomorrow.

Kyle Anderson (132) took to the mat first for Washington as he faced Brant O?Shea. O?Shea won by a 4-2 decision giving Keokuk an early lead.

However, that lead would be the only time they would have it as Andrew Waite (138) was challenged by Matt Wyatt which would end in a pin after 2:26.

Austin Hazelett (145) wouldn?t see action on Senior Night as he won his weight class by forfeit. Trey Van Weelden (152) would have a 9-1 major decision over Dylan Jeffers. Tristin Westphal-Edwards (160) was able to pin Shane Reid in 1:09.

Logan Escher (170), Collin Murphy (182) and Karlton Skubal (195) would each win by forfeit before Tanner Murphy (220) faced Jerry Glenn. Glenn would win by a 3-1 decision.

Aftter Mitchell Huisenga (285) would win by a forfeit, Matt Collett (106) took on Joel Johnston. Collett would end up winning by fall in 3:36.

Walker Ikerd (113) also earned points for the Demons as he pinned Tres Merydith in 1:41.

Brandon Dickel won the 120 weight class by forfeit and Alex Latcham (126) was the last for Washington to see action, losing to Ashton Meyers by a 9-0 major decision.

?Getting the win is nice,? says coach Brent Van Weelden, ?especially on Senior Night. Unfortunately Keokuk didn?t have a full lineup so some of our seniors didn?t get matches, but the ones that were able to compete did a nice job.

?The dual wasn?t close because of the open classes. I?m proud of the guys like I always am. If they go out there and wrestle hard, that?s all I ever ask of them.?

The win helps the team gain steam as they get ready to travel to Waukee. ?As long as you win you continue to build momentum,? Van Weelden says.

?Saturday will be a whole different ballgame. There will be a lot of big schools, like Ankeny, Johnston, Waukee and Urbandale. There won?t be too many teams that don?t have full lineups, so our guys will have to be prepared.

?What we will do today is come in and roll around, make sure our weight is where it?s supposed to be and load up tonight to head to Des Moines. It?s a fun time for the kids to spend the night in a hotel.

?We?re fortunate enough that our Matbackers pay for our rooms so we don?t have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to be there for weigh-ins at 7:30. We will get up at 6:30 now and see how we compete.?

Van Weelden says facing the larger schools isn?t going to be a problem. ?I don?t even know what those guys do,? he says.

?We do what we do. We are going to worry about ourselves. Whatever teams we face we won?t have to worry about again. They?re not in our sectionals or districts and many of them aren?t even in Class 2A. It?s just a time to go out there and have fun and see how good we are.?

All of the seniors as well as the managers were honored before the start of the dual as well. What is that like for Van Weelden not only as a parent but as a coach?

?It is pretty emotional. I?ve been around these guys a long time. I can remember when they were just pipsqueaks running around in second grade where they really didn?t know what the sport was about.

?It?s been a fun year and hopefully there?s more fun to come. The parents have been around each other for a long time as well. We know each other inside and out. It?s a good time.?