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Trenton Handles Visitors In Home Triangular

One week ago a magnitude of open weights – some at very key spots in the lineup – cost the Trenton High School wrestling team a pair of Grand River Conference duals.
But the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t just targeting Trenton; its sights are set on everyone. Trenton went to battle with six open weights in its lineup on Tuesday night, but visitors Marceline and Lathrop were hit even harder. The Tigers came to town with seven open weights while Lathrop showed up with 10 holes in its lineup.
The result was two lopsided victories for Trenton, which defeated Lathrop 42-12 and Marceline 46-18.
“There were a lot of open weight classes as quarantine continues to pull kids out of the lineups around Missouri,” Trenton coach Charlie Bacon said.
Though Trenton was able to take advantage of a lot of its opponents’ open weights, the action on the mat belonged to the Bulldogs as well.
Trenton dominated the two matches wrestled on the mat in the opening dual against Lathrop. It helped that the two Bulldogs in action were returning state medalists.
Hunter McAtee (120), who placed third at state last year as a freshman, racked up three takedowns and a slew of back points before finally ending his match at the 1:20 mark with a pinfall. Caleb Johnson, a fifth-place medalist at state as a sophomore last year, moved up from his normal 220-pound weight class to 285 to get a match. He quickly pinned his Lathrop foe just 55 seconds into the bout, earning a victory. The match was Johnson’s first of the season after he missed last week’s triangular in Gallatin due to quarantine.
Both McAtee and Johnson earned wins by fall in the Marceline dual as well as the Bulldogs won all four matches contested on the mat in the final dual of the evening.
McAtee again built a big lead before putting the match away with a pin at the 2:40 mark. Johnson, wrestling at his normal 220 spot, went straight to a pin, winning in just 44 seconds.
“Hunter McAtee had two strong performances, winning both by pin,” Bacon said. “He looked great in every position, but especially on his feet. I was really happy with how Hunter took control of both matches. Caleb also had a great night earning two first-period pins. It was so nice having him back in the line up.”
Outside of that duo, Brice Gibler, who was honored prior to the triangular for Senior Night along with Kael Brock and manager Jaycie Griffin, picked up a win by fall at 138 not even a minute into the match. A 13-3 major decision victory by Coleman Griffin at 152 rounded out the action on the mat and gave Trenton a perfect night in matches that were actually wrestled.
“Brice got a great pin in front of the home crowd on Senior Night,” Bacon said. “I’m very happy with the way he wrestled tonight and am even happier that he is getting to wrestle his senior season. Coleman also had a solid night earning a major decision win.”
Trenton’s overall record on the season leveled itself at 2-2 with the wins. The Bulldogs will get their first taste of tournament action on Saturday, traveling to Lee’s Summit for the Guardians Classic.
GIRLS
The Trenton girls wrestling team was handed a pair of losses on the night, falling 36-6 to Lathrop and 30-0 to Marceline.
Mercy Schweizer won by forfeit against Lathrop while Kenzy Dolan took a loss by fall in the first period. Against Marceline. Schweizer and Dolan both lost by fall. Nautica Dowling, Allison Yoder and Makayla Hamilton are still out for the Bulldogs due to quarantine.
Trenton’s girls (1-3) will not be at the Guardians Classic and will return to the mat on Monday, hosting Albany and Palmyra in a triangular in Trenton. A boys triangular between those three schools will also be held in Trenton that night. First matches are set for 5:30 p.m.