Open weight divisions doom Wellington wrestling team against Pratt in dual opener
Mackenzie Heacock pins Pratt’s Riley Prosser to get her first wrestling victory in her high school career.
by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The Wellington High School varsity wrestling team opened its dual season Tuesday night losing to Pratt 54-18 at Crusader gymnasium. “Open” was Wellington’s worst wrestler Tuesday, giving up six points in every match he/she wrestled.
Wellington had no one to wrestle at 106, 113, 120, 160, 170, and 285, giving up 36 points from the onset. Subtract the points from the actual varsity matches, and Wellington held its own, wrestling to an 18-18 tie.
Wellington head wrestling coach Mitch McComb elected to put a lot of wrestlers in the junior varsity level. There were 10 JV wrestling matches to the varsity’s eight. Pratt came to Wellington with a full roster.
The Crusaders have 21 wrestlers out as of Dec. 5. Of those 21 wrestlers, three of them are girls – an increasing number as the KSHSAA gravitates toward sanctioning a girls wrestling sport.
The high school program was hit hard last year from graduation. In 2017-18 Wellington had nine seniors, including all three of its state qualifiers. Wellington has just three upperclassmen returning from last year’s roster.
This year is definitely going to be a work in progress.
Kanden Young (top) was in a tussle with Pratt’s Caden Balnkenship losing in the final seconds.
Wellington had four varsity victories, and the best match of the night was a battle at 182 between Pratt’s Caden Blankenship and Wellington’s Kanden Young. The two were tied at 1-all near the end of regulation before Blankenship scored a takedown at the buzzer.
Quinton Redford saw a 7-5 victory at 132 while Montana Heacock pulled off the varsity night’s first pin over Cody James, right before the second period buzzer. Peyton Smith and Kenny Fehrman then picked up two victories at 195 and 220 pounds.
In the junior varsity ranks, there was great interest in the growing girls ranks. There were three girls matches with Pratt going 2-1. Wellington’s Mackenzie Heacock pinned Riley Prosser at :36 in the second. On the other side, Pratt’s Isabella Barker won over Alexi Patee at 132 and Livia Swift pinned Mikeah Rodriguez.
Pratt 54 Wellington 18
106 – Pratt open.
113 – Pratt open.
120 – Pratt open.
126 – P- Dipman pins Austin Harriger.
132 – W- Quinton Redford dec. Dylan Cox 7-5.
138 – W- Montana Heacock pins Cody James :01, second.
145 – P- Hogan Thompson dec. Trystan Johnson 7-1.
152 – P- Kadence Riner pins DeVontr’e Parker :40, second.
160 – Pratt open.
170 – Pratt open.
182 – P- Caden Blankenship dec. Kanden Young 3-1.
195 – W- Peyton Smith pins Donovan McAbee, :26, first.
220 – W- Kenny Fehrman dec. Hunter Huber, 3-0.
285 – Pratt open.
Wellington’s Mikeah Rodriguez loses to Isaiah Cook in a junior varsity match.
Junior Varsity
106 – P- Dalton Weber pins Laken Smith
132 – P- Isabella Barker over Alexi Patee.
138 – P-Zachary Lamatsch over Colin Green.
152 – P- Isaiah Cook pins Mikeah Rodriguez.
182 – P- Colby Barrades pins Bari Taylor
106- W- Mackenzie Heacock pins Riley Prosser.
106 – P- Lucas Baker over Laken Smith.
132 – P. Livia Swift over Rodriguez.
138 – W- Green over Tyler Reimer.
152 – Brett Husliq pins Adrian Young.
