~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
A quartet of Greene County wrestlers traveled to Atlantic for district tournament action Saturday, Feb. 15.
Freshman McKinley Robbins secured a trip to the state tournament as a first place winner in Atlantic. The 106-pound wrestler posted a 52-second pin in the first round. He defeated the second opponent by a 10-4 decision. Robbins is ranked number two in Class 2A.
Advancing to state by virtue of a second place finish at 113-pounds is sophomore Brenner Gallagher. He won his first match with a 7-0 decision, but lost by fall to the ninth ranked man at 113 in the second match.
“The guys wrestled tough,” commended coach Zach Beekman. “It’s always bitter-sweet when you get to see some guys continue on, while others see the end to their season. I couldn’t be happier for McKinley and Brenner. They have been practice partners all season, so seeing the both of them qualify for the state tournament is a testament to the work they have put in.”
Robbins will meet fifth-ranked sophomore Carter Anderson of Albia in his first round match on Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.
Gallagher has drawn sophomore Carter Fousek of Crestwood, the number one ranked wrestler at 113-pounds.
Senior Will Hansen (160) and junior Sawyer Schiltz (220) also competed. Hansen was pinned in the first round by the #3 wrestler, then won the second by fall. In the wrestle-back, Hansen lost a 9-3 decision and placed third.
Schiltz was pinned in his first match by the fifth-ranked wrestler in 2A and lost a 6-4 decision in the second to place fourth.
Red Oak won the team title. The four Rams tallied 40 points for eighth place among 12 teams.
District results from Atlantic:
106 – McKinley Robbins (34-1) pinned Sammy Schmitz (Harlan) :52; won by decision over Easton O’Brien (Atlantic) 10-4, first place
113 – Brenner Gallagher (33-13) won by decision over Chase Sandholm (Red Oak) 7-0; lost by fall to Aybren Moore (Atlantic) 3:22, second place
160 – Will Hansen (29-14) lost by fall to Justin McCunn (Red Oak) 1:06; pinned Zane Bendorf (Harlan) 3:13; lost by decision to Brady Barringer (Winterset) 3-9, third place
220 – Sawyer Schiltz (26-13) lost by fall to Crew Howard (Clarinda) 1:27; lost by decision to Cal Wanninger (Kuemper Catholic) 4-6, fourth place
Team standings: 1) Red Oak 98; 2) Winterset 86; 3) Atlantic 75; 4) Creston 50.5; 5) Harlan 49; 6) Glenwood 44; 7) Clarinda 41; 8) Greene County 40; 9) Kuemper 33; 9) Panorama 33; 11) ADM 19; 12) SW Iowa 10
