Central wrestling squad wins eight straight matches in dual win
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA — Facing an early deficit, the Central College wrestling team used bonus-point victories to rally for a 42-8 win over the University of the Ozarks (Ark.) on Friday night.
The victory moves Central to 8-1 overall on the season while the Ozarks slipped to 4-7. The final eight matches of the night were wins for Central, counting five pins and a technical fall.
“It was good to back out on the mat,” coach Eric Van Kley said. “That was a fun way to kick off the second half of our season with a big win.”
Finishing the dual with flair, Central’s final three wrestlers picked up falls, including two in the first period. Jeremy Schuermann (senior, Jefferson, Greene County HS) got it started at 174 pounds before Griffen McBride (sophomore, Pleasantville) and Gavin Babcock (sophomore, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) finished the match off at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively.
Daniel Radcliffe (junior, Lockport, Ill., Lockport Township HS) and Rob Areyano (Selma, Calif.) also bagged pins at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively.
Earning the team’s only technical fall of the night, 165-pounder Jeremy Vester (senior, Oak Harbor, Wash.) piled up points in a 20-1 win.
“Our guys were really attacking and fought hard for pins and technical falls,” Van Kley said.
Collin Groleau (junior, Peru, Ill., LaSalle-Peru Township HS) chipped in with a 15-2 major decision at 157 pounds. Chase Petty’s (senior, 133 pounds, Pella) 14-12 overtime decision against Nathan Rankin was the only Central win to not count for bonus points.
Tomorrow, Central’s H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse will host over 200 wrestlers from 14 different schools across Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri at the Under Armour Invitational. Wrestlers will hit the mats starting at 10 a.m.
