The Trenton High School wrestling team’s first action of the 2018-2019 season went about as well as could be expected.
Trenton was at the Cameron Quad on Thursday night, jumping up a class size to take on traditional powerhouse Cameron before padding the win column with a couple of lopsided victories over short-handed Albany and Mid-Buchanan.
Trenton’s first dual was with the Dragons, who defeated Trenton 43-30. In matches contested on the mat, however, Trenton held the upper hand, winning five of nine matchups. It was the Bulldogs’ open weights at 106, 120 and 126 that yielded 18 points toward Cameron’s total that was the difference maker.
After the open weights and Trenton’s Thomas Lovell being pinned at 113, the Bulldogs were in a 24-0 hole right off the bat. But Brice Gibler picked up an 8-3 decision win at 132 that got the Bulldogs on the board. After Dakota Wendt lost by fall at 138 and Payden McCullough lost by a 13-2 major decision at 145, Trenton finally hit its stride at 152.
Freshman Kaden Owen scored a win by fall at 152 and the win was followed by a 3-0 decision win for Trenton’s Tyler Siemer at 160 and a win by fall from Noah Lewis at 170.
After Mark Trump lost by a slim 4-3 decision at 182 and Caleb Johnson was pinned at 195, Jadan Whitney scored a win by forfeit at 220 and Jarvis Collis pinned his opponent at 285 to give the Bulldogs a strong finish to the dual, though one that came up just short of springing an upset of the host Dragons.
“We had a great opening night in Cameron,” Trenton Head Coach Charlie Bacon said. “We ended up winning six matches while Cameron won five. Brice Gibler at 132 really got the ball rolling for us, picking up a huge win against a quality kid. After Brice, our freshmen stepped up in a big way. Kaden Owen went out and got the pin against Tristin Brown in the third period at 152 and Tyler Siemer went out at 160 and picked up a 3-0 victory against a quality opponent. I was super proud of the way these two freshmen handled themselves in their high school wrestling debut.
“At 170, Noah Lewis kept the ball rolling with a huge pin over Keegan Reynolds. Once Noah settled down and relaxed a little, he really stepped up to pick up a big win for us. Jarvis Collis also picked up a big win for us at heavyweight. It was a really exciting dual and if we would have had a few more spots filled in the lineup it would have been even better.”
Trenton picked up a 57-18 win over Albany, which had six open weights in its lineup, and a 54-18 win over Mid-Buchanan, which was dealing with nine open weights due to a state final four run in football.
Wendt (138) had Trenton’s first win on the mat against Albany and McCullough (145) followed with a pin in just 16 seconds. Owen (152), Whitney (220) and Collis (285) all won by fall against Albany while Lovell was pinned at 113 for the Bulldogs’ lone loss on the mat of the dual.
Against Mid-Buchanan, only four matches were contested on the mat. Lewis (170) and Siemer (160) each won by fall while Lovell (113) and Collis (285) were pinned.
“The other two duals were pretty short due to opens,” Bacon said. “But once again, Tyler Siemer and Noah Lewis picked up solid wins for us in the Mid-Buch dual. In the Albany dual, Payden McCullough looked really good picking up the fall in 16 seconds. Dakota Wendt also got his first varsity win as a Bulldog. Kaden Owen, Jadan Whitney, who only got one match tonight, and Jarvis Collis ended our night with three pins. It was a great night.”
Trenton established a 2-1 record to start the season at the quad.
Girls
Trenton’s girls team made its debut, with the three members seeing action in one dual at the quad and taking on a loaded Cameron team. With only three girls to Cameron’s nine, the Bulldogs didn’t stand a chance as a team, falling 42-12 officially. But Trenton did win two of the three matches contested on the mat.
Teresa Burkholder picked up a win by fall at 131, the first win for the first-year team. Libby Fewins would follow suit, winning by fall at 167. Ann Airey rounded out the Trenton contingent, losing by fall.
“The girls dual was just as good as the boys action,” Bacon said. “Senior Teresa Burkholder led the way, locking up a cradle against her opponent and securing the pin at 131. Teresa got the first victory for the Trenton girls wrestling team and she did it in tremendous fashion. Libby Fewins followed suit in the second match of the dual, picking up a pin over her opponent. Ann Airey was the third Lady Bulldog to take the mat for us and wrestled a really good match, but got caught in the end. I am so proud of all three of these young ladies and to see the excitement they had after their matches was priceless.”
Trenton’s wrestling team will travel to the Marceline Tournament on Saturday – an event that will have both a boys and girls division this year. Action at the tournament is set to begin at 8 a.m.
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