CHS grapplers setting up for a successful season on the mats

By Julie Clark - Sports editor

Things are looking good for the Centerville wrestling team this season.

On Thursday they competed in Bloomfield against Keokuk and Fairfield.

The Big Reds fell to Keokuk 50-18, but juniors Mikey England and Ethan Moorman each picked up wins. The duo are ranked fourth in their weight classes. England pinned Keokuk’s Frank Waisath in 3:26 while Moorman also pinned his opponent in 3:26 at 160 pounds.

In the second match Moorman won by fall over Fairfield’s Jac Pilcher in 3:27 while England won by technical fall over Fairfield’s Jeff Guttry 25-10.

Sophomore, Kyler Risher, who is ranked fifth at 130 pounds, decisioned Derek Rose 5-1 in the first match and picked up a pin over Fairfield’s Dakota Simmons in 3:00.

Garrett White is off to a good start this season improving to 4-0 after two victories. White decisioned Dakota Riddle 8-6 and Logan Metcalf 4-3.

Also winning matches against Fairfield were Ryan Sales at 135 pounds won by fall over Ryan Brewington in 1:41, Tyler Burge won by decision over Jack Giberson 15-12, Blake McPherren earned an open match and Schyler Morgan major decisioned Mike Hammes 14-5.

The Big Reds defeated Fairfield 39-21.

On Saturday Centerville competed at the Harlan Invite, finishing fifth with 128 points.

Moorman, England and Risher all finished second at the invite while Sales took third, Erik Repasz and Morgan were fourth, McPherren, White and Garrett Brown all finished fifth and Burge was sixth for the Big Reds.

“Overall we were pleased with our teams performance. We did some good things at every weight and our young wrestlers showed some improvement. We would have liked to have done better in the finals,” said coach Matt Johnson.

“Risher lost to a quality opponent from Winterset in the 130 pound final, but it was a match we felt we should have won,” commented Johnson. Risher will compete at 125 this weekend at the Mediapolis tournament.

The 160-pound match was the match of the tournament. Moorman wrestled the nationally ranked class 3A runner-up, Mike Moreno. Moreno defeated Moorman in a 6-5 decision. “We feel if he would have had another 20 seconds left in the match we would have won. We will hopefully get to match up with him in January at the Urbandale tournament,” said Johnson.

Another note worthy match was England’s loss to Riverside’s Quinn Wilson. Wilson decisioned England 16-13. “Mikey wrestled well, but got to rolling around and got caught in two, five-point moves. He is still learning how to wrestle at a heavier weight class. He will learn from this loss and continue to improve,” said Johnson.

The Big Reds will be at Corydon tonight against Corydon and Davis County and will travel to Mediapolis this weekend.