Three wrestlers will represent North Mahaska in the Class 1A District tournament in Pleasantville next Saturday. Trace Goemaat advanced as champion while Matt German and Paul DeJong earned runnerup spots.
Goemaat, a sophomore wrestling at 285, improved his season mark to 33-3 in pinning his way to the title. He had an opening round bye then pinned Isaac Cox of Cardinal in 2 minutes 25 seconds to advance to the title bout. Goemaat met Chad Kent of WACO and maneuvered him around the mat before taking him down in 30 seconds and putting him on his back for a pin at the 51 second mark to go atop the podium.
Another sophomore, Matt German, battled in the four-person 106 weight class. New London’s Mavy Pope, also a sophomore, found the going tough as German scored a 21-8 major decision to advance to the title match. He faced Moravia’s Dalton Ervin and lost by fall in 1:04. German went into the consolation bracket but advanced having already defeating Pope. German improved his season mark to 25-13.
North Mahaska’s third sophomore, Paul DeJong advanced to the second round of the 120 weight class with a bye and scored a major decision over Sigourney-Keota’s D.J Hammes, 18-5. Marcel Lopez of New London was his opponent in the title match. DeJong was the defensive much of the match as Lopez scored 11 takedowns and allowed DeJong to escape. In the second period Lopez had a near fall but DeJong’s tenacity kept him from the pin. Three takedowns in the final period gave Lopez the title and sent DeJong to the consolation bracket. DeJong was to meet Hammes again and advanced on his previous win.
North Mahaska had three wrestlers on the podium in third place. Michael DeJong, a junior, at 138 pounds pinned Manny Watts of New London in 3:09 to advance to the semifinals. He faced WACO’s Trent Terrill and lost by fall to head to the consolation bracket and a chance at a wrestleback. He pinned Jacob Moore of Sigourney-Keota in 53 seconds to earn a shot at second but since Terrell did not win the title, he advanced based on his previous win. DeJong ends the season at 29-9.
Another sophomore, Wyatt VanWeelden picked up third y 145. He decisioned Sigourney-Keota wrestler Evan Dawson 10-7 and lost by fall in the semifinals to New London’s Dominic Lopez. In the consolation wrestleback, VanWeelden decisioned Bailey Frescoln of Pekin, 8-7 and in the second place match, lost to WACO’s Jakson Cobb by fall in 2:29.
North Mahaska’s third wrestler was Hayden Jones at 195. He had an exciting match in his opener winning a 16-10 decision over Pekin’s Ryan Doud. He met top-seed Currey Jacobs of New London losing an 11-4 decision. Jones, a junior, scored a 13-6 decision over Cardinal’s Donovan Babcock but fell to Sigourney-Keota’s Cade Striegle in 3 minutes. Jones ends his season 17-11.
Sophomore Jalayna Shipley finished fourth at 126 with a record of 8-19. North Mahaska had three fifth place finishers on the day. Lauren Bascillio at 132 lost her only match on the day by fall. The freshman ends the season 6-15. Austin McMahan, another freshman wrestling at 152 lost his opened by pin. He finishes 4-19. Senior Noah Jedlicka was the final fifth place finisher. He lost by fall in his opener. In the fifth place match, he pinned Cardinal’s Braden Ballard in 17 seconds. He ends the season 19-15.
Competing but not placing was sophomore Libby Groom at 160 and Jakob Clark at 220.
North Mahaska will send its three wrestlers to districts Saturday, Feb. 13 at Pleasantville. The top two in each weight class will advance to the state wrestling meet at Wells Fargo Feb. 18-20.