Quartet Still Alive for Mat Medals
DES MOINES – Wednesday’s opening round of the Class 1A wrestling tournament did not go as hoped for North Mahaska’s four wrestlers, but all four are still alive for a podium appearance on Saturday. Ryan Groom moved into the quarterfinals while Joel DeJong, Angello Wittenburg and Austin McMahan will work their way through the consolation bracket.
DeJong was the first NM wrestler to take the mats at Wells Fargo Arena. He faced freshman 132-pounder Max Wingert of Logan-Magnolia. DeJong got an early takedown and another in the second period. Wingert scored a takedown with 15 seconds left in the match, but DeJong was able to outlast Wingert to win 4-2.
DeJong moved to the next round to face fifth-seeded Brayden Scheffers of Southeast Warren/Melcher-Dallas. Scheffers scored a takedown just before the end of the first period and with taking the down position was able to earn a reversal. In the third period he scored a pair of takedowns sandwiching an escape by DeJong.
The loss sent DeJong into Thursday night’s consolation bracket. He will face Nodaway Valley’s Keyin Steeve, a sophomore with a 33-13 record. The winner will face the winner of Riverside’s Jordan Smith and Braxton Bormann of Central Community Elkader.
DeJong said Wingert threw a bit of a curve ball during their match.
“I wasn’t expecting him to do the carries like he did, but I reacted pretty good to that and stopped it,” said DeJong. “In my second match, he kept tying up my wrists. I got out once but that was about it.”
DeJong said there will be some simple preparations for Thursday’s matches.
“Watch some matches and go over with coaches and evaluate what we need to do,” said DeJong.
Senior Wittenburg said early in the week his opening match with Jackson Verschoor of Woodbury Central should be a good match. The two 157 pounders moved around the mat until Verschoor scored a takedown just before the end of the first period. In the second he was able to earn three near-fall points and was able to ride Wittenburg out for the 5-0 decision.
Wittenburg received a bye in the consolation and will face Conor Cassady, a senior from Martensdale-St. Marys, in Thursday’s consolation matches.
Wittenburg took responsibility for his opening round loss.
“The first period went pretty even for both of us then in second period I chose bottom and thought I could escape but he rode me out. In the third round he chose the top and rode me out again. I couldn’t do much. I should have wrestled better. It was a bad match but in the next match I’ll get him.”
Wittenburg likewise has a plan for preparation for the next round.
“Sleep well tonight, get some fluids and get my body ready for tomorrow,’ said Wittenburg.
North Mahaska’s other senior, McMahan faced a tough opponent in his 190 pound match with Tate Peach of Iowa Valley. The two had previously met in the finals of the South Iowa Cedar League tournament where Peach scored a late round pin. In Wednesday’s match, Peach scored a takedown in the second period and was able to pin McMahan in the third period at the 5:37 mark.
McMahan also received a bye in the consolation and meet junior Jacob Bishop of Hinton on Thursday. The winner will wrestle either Tate Frantz of West Branch or Underwood’s Hayden Heun.
“I had a strategy going in where I would him out and not get taken down,” said McMahan. “I let up and he took me down and he got to it before I did. Now I’ll watch my next guy’s matches and get prepared mentally.”
Groom, who is ranked sixth in the state, had an opening round bye at 132. He faced senior Brayden Burns of East Sac County, who had beaten Owen Becerra by fall. Groom came out firing with a takedown and five nearfall points in the first period. Burns took the down position and was able to score a reversal of Groom. Half a minute later Groom added more nearfall points and while he was able to get Burns to his back was able to secure the pin but scored a technical fall 17-2 to advance to the quarterfinal.
Third-seeded Brody Brisker is the opponent Thursday. The senior from Wilton is 49-2 while Groom improves to 46-3.
“I got in my offense and scored quick,” said Groom. “I tried to go for the pin and couldn’t do it, but a tech fall will work.
Coach Ryan Groom was pleased with the way his son performed on the mat.
“He came out aggressive and did what he knew how to do,” said Groom. “I know what he can do, he sees what he can do, and he just does it. This is wrestling in the off-season. Everyone should wrestle in the off-season, and this is what will happen.”
Class 1A second round and consolations begin Thursday night at 6 p.m.
