Perry entertained Carlisle and Coon Rapids-Bayard for a triangular Thursday, using the occasion for both Senior Night and the third annual Wrestle For A Cause event.
The hosts were 39-29 winners over Carlisle, lifting their Raccoon River Conference dual record to 1-5. They also topped CR-B — who had just two grapplers compete — by a 72-12 final. Carlisle and CR-B had only four contested matches, with the former posting a 78-4 victory.
Success was not limited to the mat for Perry, as the team was able to raise over $4,200 for the Jake Cavanaugh Foundation. The money will now be directed to the local Jacobson family, who has had the misfortune of having three members receive cancer diagnosis recently, including 2019 PHS graduate Roger.
“I think we wrestled with a ton of passion last night,” Perry head coach Mark Weber said. “It was a great team effort up and down the lineup, with everyone doing the best they could in every position. Every day we ask everyone to give everything they have, and tonight was a great example of that.”
The triangular also saw Perry salute 12 senior matmen, as well as a handful of wrestling cheerleaders and managers. A sizable crowd of supporters and fellow students helped create an encouraging atmosphere, Weber said.
“It helped to have a great crowd of fans who were cheering loudly,” he said. “It definitely helped motivate them in the tough matches, and it was awesome from our perspective as coaches.”
“The conference win was a testament to the work the team has been putting in the past few weeks,” Weber added. “We have been pushing them in practice and they are responding well.”
Cole Snyder was the second Bluejay on the mat against Carlisle and collected the first win for the hosts. The senior needed just 28 seconds to record a pin at 182 pounds.
Zach Darr won a 5-3 decision at 220, with junior Riece Graham — celebrating his 17th birthday — scored an 18-3 technical fall in four minutes at 113 pounds.
Eighth-ranked Cole Nelson followed with a pin, in 2:19, at 120 pounds, with Tanner Burgin earning an 8-4 decision at 126.
Perry trailed, 27-23, when Erick Funez pinned his 138-pound opponent in 1:04, with fellow senior Jacob Nelson helping push the score to 33-26 (Carlisle had been penalized a point) when he recorded a 20-6 major decision.
Ever Tobar helped cement the victory when he pinned his opponent in 2:56 at 152.
CR-B forfeited 12 of 14 matches to the hosts in their dual, with Taylor Atwell (106), Bryan Funez (132), Wilber Ramirez (160), Amos Barrios-Munoz (170) and Alan Gomez (285) joining Graham, Burgin, Tobar, Bryan and Erick Funez and Cole and Jacob Nelson in receiving uncontested wins.
Weber is in his fourth season at the helm of the program, with the current group of seniors the freshman class when he started.
“I want to thank the senior for their leadership this season and the work and effort they have given the past four years,” Weber said. “They are a group with great character and lead by example each day.”
Perry will compete Saturday at the Williamsburg Invitational, with Bluejay junior varsity members in action at Marshalltown.
