Morrison High School Varsity Wrestling Coach Tony Wright submitted this report. Scores follow the report.
The wrestlers have a had a busy couple of weeks. After finishing a record team-high of tenth place at the infamous Princeton, IL, tournament the weekend of January 8 and 9, 2016, the Mustang wrestlers had four dual meets the next week. On Wednesday, January 13, they faced #5 State ranked Mercer County and Rockridge. The grapplers handled Rockridge on their crowded Senior Night scoring 47-30. Morrison’s Cody Vanderlaan, Dylan Keller, and Brandon Meier all collected pins for the team on their way to victory.
Later in the evening the wrestlers squared off against a stout Mercer County team (who placed second in team State a year ago.) There were some crazy back-and-forth matches and some really tense situations, as would be expected by two of the State’s best teams. In the end, the Mustangs were unable to capitalize in a couple of matches and lost 30-39. Despite the loss there were some outstanding performances. Augustus Linke avenged a weekend loss in exciting fashion. Down by four points with seconds left, Linke won a scramble and score and takedown and two near fall points. In overtime he scored a takedown to win the match. Reilly Dolan, Tyler Todd, and Brandon Meier all earned pins for the team.
On Thursday, January 14, the Mustangs traveled to Fulton, IL, to face Kewanee, IL, and Fulton. They took it to the Kewanee Boilermakers in dominating fashion, winning 68-6. The highlight of the matchup was Joe Eads, who, with his pin, earned his 100th career victory. He is now the fastest Mustang wrestler to reach the milestone.
The wrestlers faced Fulton last, in what has become a fun, heated, and sometimes chippy rivalry the past few seasons. A year ago the Steamers came into MHS and upset the Mustangs, defeating them on a blood time disqualification. On the Steamer “Black Out” evening, the Mustang wrestlers went into the night with a chip on their shoulder. The dual featured Fulton as the #16 ranked team in the State with Morrison ranked #17. Senior Eric Mulnix got the evening started at 138 lbs with a pin, after giving up the first takedown and some backpoints. Fulton would earn a pin in the 145 lbs The Mustangs sent out #10 Dylan Keller to face Fulton’s #6 ranked Cole Grant. After some initial scrambles in the first period Keller enforced his will, scoring when he wanted and eventually pinned Grant. At 160 lbs John Anderson gutted out a crucial 7-5 victory to give the Mustangs a 15-6 after four matches. Fulton rallied and put 18 points on the board in the next four bouts, making the score 15-24 going into the 285 lb. match. At 285 lbs Brandon Meier continued his tear through the heavyweight ranks, earning his fourth pin in two nights. The 106 lb. bout featured two of the State’s best in Augustus Linke and Tyler Fleetwood. Fleetwood proved why he was a State medalist a year ago, defeating Linke 12-0. Clemens Oberweger earned a forfeit for the Mustangs at 113 lbs Anthony McCartney bumped up a weight class and earned a pivotal victory and 120 lbs McCartney had to grind out a 4-0 victory, giving Morrison a 30-28 they would not relinquish. Cody Vanderlaan scored a pin at 126 lbs, and Joe Eads closed the evening with a hard earned 5-0 win over State ranked Tony Heinitz.
The Mustang wrestlers improve to 14-3 on the season losing narrowly to the #4, #6, and #7 teams, respectively.
MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS ROCKRIDGE
106 TYLER ELIFRITZ (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (RR)
113 AUGUSTUS LINKE (MORRIS) TF 4:00 DAHL (RR)
120 ANTHONY MACCARTNEY (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (RR)
126 CODY VANDERLAAN (MORRIS) F 5:08 SWAILES (RR)
132 JOE EADS (MORRIS) DEC 6-3 SINGELTON (RR)
138 CLEVENGER (RR) F 3:15 ERIC MULNIX (MORRIS)
145 REILLY DOLAN (MORRIS) DEC 10-5 SIMMONS (RR)
152 DYLAN KELLER (MORRIS) F 1:50 JONES (RR)
160 BOWMAN (RR) FFT 2:30 JOHN ANDERSON (MORRIS)
170 THOMAS OTTENS (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (RR)
182 PETREIKIS (RR) F 1:52 THOMAS DYKEMA (MORRIS)
195 CRAWFORD (RR) F 1:18 BRANDON ENGELKENS (MORRIS)
220 SCHMIDT (RR) F 1:48 TYLER TODD (MORRIS)
285 BRANDON MEIER (MORRIS) F 1:48 HARDY (RR)
FINAL SCORE: MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL 47, ROCKRIDGE 30
MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS MERCER COUNTY
106 AUGUSTUS LINKE (MORRIS) DEC 6-4 BLASER (MC)
113 ANTHONY MACCARTNEY (MORRIS) MD 16-7 WHITNACK (MC)
120 ENGLE (MC) F 1:28 CLEMENS OBERWEGER (MORRIS)
126 MURPHY (MC) DEC 1-4 CODY VANDERLAAN (MORRIS)
132 JOE EADS (MORRIS) F 4:18 BAKER (MC)
138 ADOLPHSON (MC) FFT 0-0 FORFEIT FFT (MORRIS)
145 BARNHOUSE (MC) DEC 6-8 ERIC MULNIX (MORRIS)
152 REILLY DOLAN (MORRIS) F 3:13 STECKMAN (MC)
160 TACEY (MC) DEC 2-9 DYLAN KELLER (MORRIS)
170 SPEAKER (MC) F :42 JOHN ANDERSON (MORRIS)
182 CAREY (MC) F 2:47 THOMAS DYKEMA (MORRIS)
195 CAREY (MC) F :40 BRANDON ENGELKENS (MORRIS)
220 TYLER TODD (MORRIS) F 2:21 KISNER (MC)
285 BRANDON MEIER (MORRIS) F :06 CHAMBERLAIN? (MC)
FINAL SCORE: MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL 31, MERCER COUNTY 39
MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS KEWANEE
106 TYLER ELIFRITZ (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (KEW)
113 AUGUSTUS LINKE (MORRIS) TF 5:49 HAND (KEW)
120 ANTHONY MACCARTNEY (MORRIS) F :34 EDDINGTON (KEW)
126 CODY VANDERLAAN (MORRIS) F 1:06 GROMM (KEW)
138 JOE EADS (MORRIS) F :40 INCE (KEW)
145 REILLY DOLAN (MORRIS) DEC 12-10 ROBINSON (KEW)
152 DYLAN KELLER (MORRIS) F :51 PURDY (KEW)
160 JOHN ANDERSON (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (KEW)
170 THOMAS OTTENS (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (KEW)
182 BREEDLOVE (KEW) F 1:55 BRANDON ENGELKENS (MORRIS)
195 THOMAS DYKEMA (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (KEW)
220 TYLER TODD (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (KEW)
285 BRANDON MEIER (MORRIS) F 3:51 PADILLA (KEW)
FINAL SCORE: MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL 68, KEWANEE 6
MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS FULTON
106 FLEETWOOD (FUL) MD 0-12 AUGUSTUS LINKE (MORRIS)
113 CLEMENS OBERWEGER (MORRIS) FFT 0-0 FFT (FUL)
120 ANTHONY MACCARTNEY (MORRIS) DEC 4-0 KAEKER (FUL)
126 CODY VANDERLAAN (MORRIS) F 3:09 VANZUIDEN (FUL)
132 JOE EADS (MORRIS) F 5-0 HEINITZ (FUL)
138 ERIC MULNIX (MORRIS) F 2:59 SCHMIDT (FUL)
145 PANNEL (FUL) F 1:35 REILLY DOLAN (MORRIS)
152 DYLAN KELLER (MORRIS) F 4:55 GRANT (FUL)
160 JOHN ANDERSON (MORRIS) DEC 7-5 MARTIN (FUL)
170 GRANT (FUL) F 3:34 THOMAS OTTENS (MORRIS)
182 PIDDE (FUL) F :40 BRANDON ENGELKENS (MORRIS)
195 LENZ (FUL) DEC 8-12 THOMAS DYKEMA (MORRIS)
220 FLEETWOOD (FUL) DEC 3-7 TYLER TODD (MORRIS)
285 BRANDON MEIER (MORRIS) F 1:17 ZENDELI (FUL)
FINAL SCORE: MORRISON HIGH SCHOOL 39, FULTON 28