The West Liberty Comet Wrestling team limped into the holiday break with several key members out with illnesses and injuries. Seven of the 14 starters were out at one point during the home stretch of the 2021 portion of the season.
The team wrestled in a non conference triangular on Monday, Dec. 13 at Muscatine High School against the Muskies and the Highland Huskies. Opening with Highland, each team surrendered four forfeits against the other.
Of the six contested bouts, the Comets came out on top of all but one. Earning pins were Ryan Cassady, Colin Cassady, Ryker Dengler and Felipe Molina. Tytan Griffith picked up a nice 7-4 victory as the Comets won the dual handily, 51-6.
The Muskies, wrestling with a lineup of all but one weight, were recipients of four Comet forfeits, which all but buried the Comets in the scoring column. Both Cassadys again earned pins, along with Molina and Quintyn Rocha. Dengler won a 10-4 decision and Drake Collins gutted out a 5-2 victory. At the end of the dual, the Muskies prevailed, 37-30 over the Comets.
Girls battle in first tourney
The Comet girls team was also in action on Dec. 13. Eight members of the team competed in the inaugural City High Girls Tournament in Iowa City.
Going undefeated for the Comets were Nellie Stagg, Dionni Garcia Vasquez and Alissa Sanchez. All three were 2-0 and won all of their matches by pin.
Ava Morrison and Laney Esmoil were both 1-1 with both winning their matches by fall. Crystal Ledezma, Vayda Bryant and Addison Beaver also competed for the Comets.
On Saturday, Dec. 18, the boys team participated in the Doug Philipp Duals at Cedar Rapids Xavier.
The Comets won one dual over the course of the day, a 56-21 triumph over River Valley Conference foe Anamosa. The team was tripped up by Xavier (45-36), Marion (45-28) and Williamsburg (48-23).
Leading the way for the Comets were Colin Cassady (4-0) with two falls and two technical falls and Joshua Zeman (4-0) with a pin, a tech fall, a major decision and regular decision. Collins was 3-0 with a pin and two tech falls and Rocha was also 3-0 with three pins.
Jahsiah Galvan notched two pins and a victory by injury default to end 3-1 on the day. Joe Barten won his only match by pin and Bryson Garcia went into overtime to win a 6-4 tilt.
That same day, the girls team stayed a bit closer to home and competed in the Wilton Girls Tournament. Pacing the Comets were first place finishers Silvia Garcia Vasquez, Morrison and Dionni Garcia Vasquez. Sanchez and Bryant placed second and Evans, Ledezma and Esmoil earned third place finishes. Beaver, Angela Lozano, Stagg and Maelyn Wainwright all ended up with fourth place.
Heading into the holiday break, Head Coach Ian Alke said the teams will welcome the time to regroup and learn as much as possible. He looks forward to getting the boys team some time to rest, recover and learn from all of the matches they have had the opportunity to wrestle thus far.
Considering the coach has yet to have all 14 starters available and in the lineup together this season, he is hopeful that all will come together for the second and most important half of the season.
Alke said he is extremely proud of the boys for wrestling hard with up to seven starters out sick or injured as of late and is thankful for the wrestlers that have been able to step up in their absence. He also praised the girls team for a successful showing at Wilton and the improvements they are showing every day.
The Comets return to competition Thursday, Jan. 6, when the make the trek to North Cedar High School for a River Valley Conference triangular along with Monticello.