With a number of solid results on Saturday, West Liberty’s boys’ wrestling team took home a fifth-place finish in the Mount Vernon Invitational.
While there were no champions, a handful of top three finishes helped propel the Comets to over 110 team points.
At the top of the lineup was Ryan Cassady in the 113-pound division. He used a 22-5 technical fall and a 5-0 decision win to get into the championship match but ultimately settled for a second-place finish.
Without the benefit of any bye’s, Briggs Collins went 4-1 and took home third place in the 132-pound bracket. He recorded four pins, three in the first period, and defeated Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Kale Leymaster in the bronze medal match.
The most resilient wrestler on Saturday was Kaden Wiele at 165. After falling in his first match, Wiele won his final three bouts of the day to end up in third. All three of his wins were second-period pins with the clincher coming against Carter Wilgenbusch of East Buchanan.
Isaac Aragon picked up four wins at Mount Vernon and claimed fifth place in the 126-pound bracket. All four wins came via fall, and the final one was over home favorite Mustang Drew Thurn in 53 seconds.
A handful of other Comets finished in sixth place including Gable Underbakke (144), Ryker Dengler (157) and Joe Akers (190).
Also participating at this tournament for West Liberty was Robinson Paredes Morado (120), Landon Wainwright (138), Tytan Griffith (175), Perry Lehman (215) and Julio Flores (285).
Mount Vernon defended their home mats and won their home invitational with 218 team points. Wapsie Valley took second with 164, Xavier took third with 145 and Lisbon (122) edged out West Liberty (110.5) for fourth place.
Next up for this Comets team is a triangular on Thursday, January 11 at Camanche High School against the Storm and the West Branch Bears.
Mount Vernon Invitational Results
113
Ryan Cassady (10-4) placed 2nd and scored 19.5 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 10-4 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 10-4 won by tech fall over CJ Martin (Mount Vernon) 1-5 (TF-1.5 4:51 (22-5)). Semifinal - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 10-4 won by decision over Sawyer Krall (Wapsie Valley) 5-6 (Dec 5-0). 1st Place Match - Jon Gonzalez (West Marshall) 8-2 won by fall over Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 10-4 (Fall 3:53).
120
Robinson Paredes Morado (4-5) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Brody Buhman (Assumption, Davenport) 11-2 won by tech fall over Robinson Paredes Morado (West Liberty) 4-5 (TF-1.5 3:52 (22-5)). Cons. Round 1 - Robinson Paredes Morado (West Liberty) 4-5 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Round 2 - Codder Malcom (Wapello) 9-5 won by decision over Robinson Paredes Morado (West Liberty) 4-5 (Dec 6-5).
126
Isaac Aragon (11-7) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 won by fall over Owon Meeker (Wapello) 6-8 (Fall 2:56). Quarterfinal - Caden Greiner (Washington) 10-2 won by fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 (Fall 1:35). Cons. Round 2 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 won by fall over Buxton Carlson (Burlington) 3-4 (Fall 1:38). Cons. Round 3 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 won by fall over Sean Kersten (Assumption, Davenport) 6-5 (Fall 1:24). Cons. Semi - Brody Kleitsch (Wapsie Valley) 8-2 won by tech fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 (TF-1.5 2:46 (16-0)). 5th Place Match - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 11-7 won by fall over Drew Thurn (Mount Vernon ) 4-7 (Fall 0:53).
132
Briggs Collins (13-4) placed 3rd and scored 22.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 13-4 won by fall over Kaleb Coon (Mount Vernon JV) 0-2 (Fall 1:49). Quarterfinal - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 13-4 won by fall over Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) 8-5 (Fall 1:32). Semifinal - Steele Diercks (Assumption, Davenport) 9-0 won by tech fall over Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 13-4 (TF-1.5 3:45 (20-3)). Cons. Semi - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 13-4 won by fall over Caleb Keegan (Mount Vernon) 5-6 (Fall 1:14). 3rd Place Match - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 13-4 won by fall over Kale Leymaster (Xavier) 9-3 (Fall 2:27).
138
Landon Wainwright (5-4) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 5-4 won by major decision over Cohen Johnson (Marion) 1-7 (MD 15-7). Quarterfinal - Jase Jaspers (Mount Vernon) 7-0 won by fall over Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 5-4 (Fall 1:04). Cons. Round 2 - Kelso Brueck (Xavier) 2-9 won by decision over Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 5-4 (Dec 15-8).
144
Gable Underbakke (10-8) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Kinnick Geers (West Marshall) 8-5 won by fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 (Fall 0:23). Cons. Round 2 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 won by fall over Brock Lansing (Assumption, Davenport) 2-7 (Fall 0:55). Cons. Round 3 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 won by fall over Lincoln Brookhart (Muscatine) 6-2 (Fall 1:53). Cons. Semi - Gaven Wade (Muscatine) 6-4 won by major decision over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 (MD 9-1). 5th Place Match - Kinnick Geers (West Marshall) 8-5 won by fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 10-8 (Fall 0:29).
157
Ryker Dengler (11-7) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 won by fall over Gauge Bowman (Assumption, Davenport) 3-7 (Fall 2:00). Quarterfinal - Kanen Decker (Wapsie Valley) 10-0 won by fall over Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 (Fall 2:24). Cons. Round 2 - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 won by decision over Germaine Ngoma (Xavier) 5-5 (Dec 1-0). Cons. Round 3 - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 won by decision over Dillon McMorran (West Marshall) 7-4 (Dec 8-2). Cons. Semi - Chale Lewis (Muscatine) 10-3 won by decision over Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 (Dec 11-4). 5th Place Match - Ty Frasher (Cascade) 10-7 won by fall over Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 11-7 (Fall 2:39).
165
Kaden Wiele (13-3) placed 3rd and scored 18.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Carter Wilgenbusch (East Buchanan) 7-3 won by tech fall over Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 (TF-1.5 4:07 (19-4)). Cons. Round 2 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Round 3 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 won by fall over Ben Gonzalez (West Marshall) 5-5 (Fall 2:03). Cons. Semi - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 won by fall over Jake Moore (Sigourney-Keota) 8-3 (Fall 2:38). 3rd Place Match - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 13-3 won by fall over Carter Wilgenbusch (East Buchanan) 7-3 (Fall 3:33).
175
Tytan Griffith (6-10) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 6-10 won by fall over Dawson Goodman (West Marshall) 1-8 (Fall 5:00). Quarterfinal - Ronan Thomas (Xavier) 10-2 won by fall over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 6-10 (Fall 4:34). Cons. Round 2 - Watson Krob (Mount Vernon JV) 3-2 won by fall over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 6-10 (Fall 0:33).
190
Joe Akers (9-7) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 9-7 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 9-7 won by fall over Blaine Rees (Washington) 10-4 (Fall 3:00). Semifinal - Salomon Cordero (Burlington) 7-0 won by fall over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 9-7 (Fall 0:56). Cons. Semi - Jake Schoer (Wapsie Valley) 8-5 won by fall over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 9-7 (Fall 1:26). 5th Place Match - Blaine Rees (Washington) 10-4 won in sudden victory - 1 over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 9-7 (SV-1 20-18).
215
Perry Lehman (8-6) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Perry Lehman 8-6 received a bye.