Published February 2021
Seniors in wrestling pose for a picture: Reece Eakins, Hunter Berry, Riley Goche, Evan Deal, Grant Meints, and Spencer Long.
Written by: Emma Zabka
As the final weeks of wrestling come to an end, the Dogs are working hard to get ready for their best wrestling ever. The week of January 25th, the Dogs hosted two home duals.
The first dual, on January 25, which was also Senior Night, was against West Hancock and Belmond-Klemme. Against Belmond, the Dogs won 66-18. Reece Eakins, Brandon Harris, Hunter Berry, Jagger O’Neall, and Spencer Long all led the team with pins while Hayden Thompson, Dane Kitzinger, Jake Zabka, Ian Fehr, Hunter Penton, and Sam Tiili all won by forfeits. In the second dual that night, against West Hancock, the Dogs fell short, 27-47. Berry, Zabka, and Fehr all gained the team six points each with either a pin or forfeit. Harris scored the team five points with a technical fall with a score of 21-2, and Penton scored the team four points with a major decision, 9-0.
The last and final dual of the 2020-2021 regular season was against Hampton-Dumont-CAL and Central Springs. The Dogs lost the first dual against Hampton with a close score of 36-37. The Dogs were led by Zabka, Thompson, and Harris with forfeits while Berry, Colby Jennings, and Eakins scored four points each for the Dogs and Logan Meendering scored with a pin. The last dual of the season was against Central Springs, which the Dogs won 51-21. Leading the Dogs with six points each was pins by Cohen Reffer and Riley Goche. Berry, Meendering, Zabka, and Fehr all got forfeits, which gave the Dogs six points each. Long, Harris, and Penton all got major decisions, which gave the Dogs four points each while Thompson scored three more points for the Dogs.
As the postseason began, the Dogs wrestled at Spirit Lake for Sectionals. To become a District qualifier, they needed to place 1st or 2nd. The team ended with seven boys on the podium. Jacob Zabka placed first while Logan Meendering, Brandon Harris, and Reece Eakins all placed 2nd. All four of these move on to Districts. The Dogs also placed 4th as a team and qualified for Regional Duals on Tuesday, February 9th.
On Tuesday, February 10th, the Dogs traveled to Crestwood for District Duals. The Dogs wrestled New Hampton/Turkey Valley and lost 19-55. The Dogs were led by Zabka, Thompson, Harris, and Eakins.
On Saturday, February 6th, the four District qualifiers will travel to Humboldt with a start time of 12:00. Here they have a chance to place 1st or 2nd to go to the State Tournament, which will be held February 18 through the 20th at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Good luck to the wrestlers as they take on post-season play.