A quintet of Bluejay wrestlers turned their performances Saturday into spots on the medal podium at the Perry Invitational.
“I am very pleased to see the kind of fight and the steady improvement I am seeing all through our lineup,” Perry head coach Mark Weber said. “I know I probably sound like a broken record, but I guess it is a good thing I am saying these things so often.”
“We lost some more close matches, and I would like to see us turn those into wins, but many of those were matches that a month ago we would not have been competitive in, and that is one way of seeing improvement,” he added. “We had several matches today where our guys avenged earlier losses and others where we might not have won but were far more competitive than the first time against the same guy, and that, too, is a way of seeing that you are improving.”
Weber said he has been gratified by the work ethic the team has been showing in practices.
“We try to make adjustments and mix it up a bit but still remain focused on the right things and having things in the right perspective and I am seeing guys doing that,” he said. “Again today I saw guys overcome adversity with a great attitude. Sometimes it didn’t result in a win, but it is going about it the right way and that will lead to success in the end.”
A total of 17 opponents were to join Perry for the event, but Des Moines East had to bow out with a rash of illnesses. Class 2A No. 2 West Delaware, 2A No. 8 Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Spencer all came down Friday and stayed overnight, while squads from Logan-Magnolia, Eagle Grove and West Marshall all made long early-morning drives through the snow to participate.
“I greatly appreciate their efforts in being here,” Weber said. “What this shows is how well our tourney is run and the way Perry makes the other teams feel welcome, and all of that is because of the many volunteers who work so hard to make it happen. They are the ones who deserve credit for how well things worked.”
West Delaware ran off with the team crown after scoring 271 points, with SB-L second at 196.5 while 1A No. 10 Lo-Ma was third at 161. Dowling Catholic (148.5), Van Meter/Earlham (135.5), Carlisle (132.5), Woodward-Granger (121), Carroll (112.5), Webster City (98) and Perry (96.5) completed the top 10. Eagle Grove (79), Panorama (74), Spencer (63.5), Des Moines North/Hoover (40.5), South Hamilton (30.5), West Marshall (27) and Saydel (18) filled spots 11-17.
Senior Kaleb Olejniczak led the hosts by winning the top spot at 138 pounds, where he is ranked second in 2A. He scored a technical fall and a major decision before winning in sudden victory I in the finals against West Delaware freshman Jaden Payton (23-2), who is ranked seventh. The wins pushed Olejniczak to 32-1 for the season and 165-20 and counting in his career. He was named “Outstanding Wrestler” of the invitational after a vote by the 17 head coaches.
Cole Nelson (27-9) was 4-1 in placing third at 106 pounds for Perry. Nelson won three times by fall and once by decision, with his loss a close 5-4 decision against Lo-Ma’s Sean Thompson.
Jacob Nelson (23-10) was 3-2 with two pins and a win in tiebreaker I as he placed fourth at 132. His losses were by fall to West Delaware No. 4 Ryan Phillips and by a 7-2 decision to Michael Moore of Des Moines North/Hoover who is rated ninth in 3A.
Also fourth for Perry was Cole Snyder, who was 3-2 at 182. All three wins for Snyder came by fall.
Senior Justin Stammer also secured a podium position. Now 26-10 at 152, Stammer was 3-2 with a pin, a decision and win in sudden victory I. One of his losses was in semifinal round to West Delaware’s Mitchel Mangold (22-2), who is ranked fifth.
Bryan Funez (145) was 2-2 with a pin and a win by medical forfeit, with Erick Funez 1-3 with a win by decision at 160.
Junior varsity grapplers Chris Simmons (126) and Leonard Jacobson (170) saw varsity action for the first time, but neither could collect a win in either of their matches. Also blanked in two matches were Riece Graham (113), Tanner Burgin (120), Carlos Gonzalez (220) and Emanuel Soto (285), the later two of whom were also stepping up to varsity competition. Perry left the 195-pound weight class uncontested.
Perry will return to action Thursday when they are joined by Coon Rapids-Bayard for a triangular at Carlisle. The Perry varsity will then make their annual visit to the Williamsburg Invitational Saturday, with the JV Jays visiting Marshalltown Saturday.
