Running a full girls wrestling team for the first season, Black Hills made a bit of program history Wednesday, welcoming both Shelton’s boys and girls teams for its first ever double dual.
The Wolves’ girls’ team marked the occasion with a 24-18 win across seven matches for a split on the day after the boys lost a tight dual 37-34.
“It was back and forth the whole time, with state-level kids beating each other,” Black Hills coach Jason Dick said. “Pretty exciting, I haven’t had one like this in a long time.”
Sloane Kruger (105), Nancy Nguyen (125), Maddie Mounts (130) , Izzy Steinebach (155) all won by pin to give the Wolves four wins to the Highclimbers’ three.
Just being able to run a full girls dual was a huge step not only for Black Hills, but for the 2A EvCo; Dick said that the long-term hopes are to have a full girls league by next season.
Then, with the boys’ team’s normal 106-pound wrestler out sick, Kruger moved over and earned the Wolves another win in that dual, winning by pin again in 1:07.
“I’m always proud of her,” Dick said. “She’s come a long ways.”
The boys also brought home pins from Anthony Estrada (165), Ammon Combs (175) and Roberto Rivera-Jesus (113).
Khristian Brant started the dual off with what Dick called “probably the best match of the night” at 144, beating Logan Peach, who placed at State at the last Mat Classic, by major decision 12-4. Aiden Labouff also won by decision at 120.
The dual was tied 31-31 going into the final two matches, but Shelton took the lead with a pin at 132. In the last match of the night, Connor Mounts came back to tie at 138 in the final seconds to force overtime and nearly got the necessary pin in the extra period, but had to settle for an 13-11 decision that gave the Highclimbers the team win.
“It came down to the last shot in the last match,” Dick said. “It was a pretty great dual to watch. I’m proud of all of them. They wrestled hard, it was awesome.”
Bearcats dominate Rochester on mat
By The Chronicle staff
The W.F. West boys wrestling team won eight of the 10 contested matches Wednesday against Rochester, running away with a 69-9 win in a 2A EvCo dual.
Jayce Ayers (106), Lewis Allen (126), Grayson Serl (150), Beau Guyette (157), Andrew Snyder (165), Kage Homan (175), Andrew Penland (215) and Talan Meredith (285) all won by pin for the Bearcats.
Rochester’s two wins came from Cameron Watson, who won by fall at 120, and Eli Salmanroch, who won by decision at 144.
