The Pekin boys wrestling team competed in their first competition of the season at the Bill Rex Invitational on Saturday, December 6th, finishing 12th out of 12 teams with 41 points. North Mahaska claimed the team title with 206.5 points.
Team Standings
North Mahaska led the field with 206.5 points, followed by Albia (173), Montezuma (149), Chariton (123), Wayne (110), Moravia (106), Davis County (104), Lynnville-Sully (96), BGM (89), Van Buren County (86.5), Cardinal (44.5), and Pekin (41).
Pekin Results
The Panthers, competing without a full roster, earned two medals on the day.
Brantyn Sieren (285) took second place after receiving a first-round bye. He dominated his next two matches with an 11-0 victory and a 12-0 win to reach the final. In the championship match, Sieren led 3-2 before being pinned by Ben Squires of Lynnville-Sully.
Zachary Doud (150) earned fifth place. After receiving a bye, Doud won by fall in his second match with a reversal after trailing 3-2. He lost his next two matches, including one where he held a 7-0 lead, before bouncing back to win 7-0 in the fifth-place bout.
Landon Crow (165) went 2-2 on the day, winning his opening match before dropping his second. He rebounded with a victory in his third match but fell in his fourth.
Hunter Chapman (175) competed in three matches, losing two and receiving a bye.
Gabe Gentry (132) and Reed Lauderman (138) each received two byes but fell in both of their contested matches.
Coach’s Perspective
Pekin head coach Aaron Deutsch saw positives in his team’s first competition despite the results.
“The team wrestled well for this being our first competition. You could also tell this was our first competition, but it gives us something to go off of for next week,” Deutsch said. “We have three competitions next week, so we will continue to drill on the things we need to get better at. All of our wrestlers were a move or two away from potentially winning the matches they lost.”
Deutsch emphasized that his team’s practice efforts are starting to show on the mat.
“Our team has been putting in the work during practice. Right now we just need that mat time. They all wrestled well,” Deutsch said. “Zach Doud placed fifth, and Brantyn Sieren placed second but wrestled a good finals match against Squires from Lynnville.”
The Panthers will have plenty of opportunities to gain that needed mat time, with three competitions scheduled for next week—including the Ottumwa Triangular against Ottumwa and Davis County on Tuesday, December 9th at 5:30 p.m., a double dual at Mediapolis with Mediapolis and Van Buren County on Thursday, December 11th at 6:45 p.m., and the Montezuma Wrestling Tournament on Friday, December 12th beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Photography courtesy of Rylie Nelson.
