WELLMAN

Entering the foray of a 17-team tournament, the Highland boys wrestling team went on the road to compete in the North Cedar Invitational on Dec. 9. 

Taking first place with 218.5 team points was Solon. Central Springs and Durant placed second and third with 161 and 128 team points respectively. 

Highland ended the tourney with 47.5 points, placing 10th in the team standings. 

Highland’s top finish came from Tyler Pierson. Pierson won two of his three matches to place second in the 120 lbs bracket. 

He won his first match by tech fall and his second match by decision, 6-2. In the first-place match Pierson lost by fall to Central Springs’ Dawson Jacobsen in 29 seconds. 

In the 175 lbs. bracket Isaac Kleese gave Highland a third-place finish. Kleese won his first two matches by fall, in 22 seconds and in 52 seconds, but he faced a setback in his semifinal match, losing by fall in 1:34. 

With third place on the line Kleese wrestled his longest match on the tourney, defeating North Linn’s Reilly Peyton by fall in 4:22. 

Rounding out Highland’s top finishers of the tourney, Brock Thomann won three matches to place fifth at 132. 

After Thomann lost his opening contest by major decision, he rattled off three straight wins to take fifth place. He won by fall in 27 seconds, by fall in 2:50, and by fall again in 2:59. 

Home Triangular 

Hosting two schools for a varsity triangular, Highland battled Columbus/WMU and Burlington Notre Dame on Dec. 7.

Highland ended the triangular losing both duals, falling to Burlington ND, 68-4, and Columbus/WMU, 69-12. 

Burlington ND won 12 matches against Highland, five by forfeit, five by fall, one by decision, and one by tech fall. 

Highland’s lone win in this dual came from Isaac Kleese. Kleese, in the 175 lbs bracket, won by major decision, 8-0. 

Columbus/WMU also won 12 matches against Highland, seven by forfeit, four by fall, and one by decision. Highland won two matches in this dual. 

Tyler Pierson, at 120, won by fall in 4:38 and Remington Fields, at 150, won by fall in 2:45.  

Home Quad

Hosting a varsity quadrangular, Highland ended the night with two dual wins and one loss on Dec. 5. 

Highland’s first win came against Cardinal, 40-36, and its second win came against Moravia, 42-30. Coming up just a bit short, Highland lost to English Valleys, 39-36. 

Luke Guseman, a Highland senior at 126, won all three of his matches. Against Moravia he won by fall in 1:56, against English Valleys he won by fall in 1:44, and against Cardinal he won by major decision, 12-3. 

Also winning all three of his matches was Tyler Pierson at 120. Against Moravia he won by fall in 1:00, against English Valleys he won by fall in 41 seconds, and against Cardinal he won by fall in 46 seconds. 

Brock Thomann, at 132, also went undefeated. He was awarded a win by forfeit against Moravia. Against English Valleys he won by fall in 46 seconds. Against Cardinal he won by fall in 5:16. 

Also having a winning night was Isaac Kleese at 175. Kleese did not have a match that reached the two minute mark. Against Moravia he won by fall in 36 seconds, against English Valleys he won by fall in 1:55, and against Cardinal he won by fall in 12 seconds.