CC wrestlers thwart Waukon, get edged out by Decorah
Press Correspondent
The Comets came out strong Thursday night in their first duel against Waukon, but sputtered against Decorah in their second duel of the night, and a late surge would come up just short. The Comets looked unstoppable as the team swept every match against Waukon, whose only points of the duel came from a forfeit at the 106 weight-class. After forfeits in the 285 and 106 weight-classes by Waukon and Charles City, respectively, the first match of the evening featured junior Dakota Hewitt squaring off against senior Miles Howe of Waukon in an extremely close bout that ended up going the full three periods, but in the end Hewitt hung on for the 3-2 victory and gave the Comets an early lead.
Nate Lasher came up next for the Comets and really got things going for his team, as the junior came away with the 16-0 technical fall over freshman Levi McGeough, and it would be all downhill for Waukon after that. Charles City captured every match of the duel, which was highlighted by pins by seniors Austin Staudt, Max Forsythe, Aaron White, Nick Jacobs and freshman Dylan Koresh. The final tally of the night’s opening duel came to be 65-5 in favor of Charles City.
In the second duel of the evening, Waukon faced Decorah. The score remained close throughout, but Decorah end up coming away with the narrow victory over Waukon.
Things got interesting in the third and final duel of the night between Decorah and Charles City. Despite having to endure forfeits at the 106 and 113 weight-classes, things looked positive early for the Comets after Hewitt easily defeated Sophomore Rowley, 17-1, and was awarded a technical fall.
However, Lasher and freshman Cole Reams were both bested by their opponents. The overall score stood at 18-5 in favor of the Vikings, but Staudt and Forsyth both recorded their second pins of the night to bring the Comets to within a point of Decorah.
Next up, sophomore Dawson Holkesvik defeated Koresh 6-3, but an 11-2 victory of Brandon Childs over junior Isaiah Mitchell died the score up at 21 with five matches to go.
Next bout featured senior Brandon Hothaus matching up against Austin Keck, and this is where the tides began to turn in favor of Decorah, as Keck scored a fall to put Decorah up by six. The Vikings would capture the next to matches as well to make their lead insurmountable for the Comets, despite impressive wins from sophomore AJ Maloy and senior Brody Tupy. Ultimately, the Vikings would escape with the 33-28 win.
“It went from extremes,” said Comets Head coach Kevin Wedeking after the duels. “It went from elation in the first duel against Waukon, and then it turned around the other extreme against Decorah. We are a better team than Decorah, but we just didn’t show it. I guess that means they were the better team tonight.”
Coach Wedeking noted the overall significance of the loss to Decorah in regard to the team’s eventual conference seeding when it comes time for the conference tournament, conceding that the loss forces them into “an uphill battle”.
The Comets’ next outing will be at the Clear Lake tournament, which starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9.
By Andrew Larson
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