MONTEZUMA – Braves wrestlers Braxton Plants and Rett Pargeon won individual championships and the team placed third out of nine on Friday evening, Dec. 12, in a revival of the Montezuma Invitational wrestling meet.
Montezuma’s team had a tremendous evening of wrestling, with a total of 12 Braves placing in the top six of their individual weight class.
Plants won his championship in the 215-pound weight class. He remained unbeaten on the season.
Pargeon was the champ at 144 pounds.
At 215 pounds, Plants had a first round bye, then won on a 19-3 technical fall over Roger Kincaid of Baxter in the semifinals.
In the championship match, Plants pinned Zach Wonderlin of Bondurant-Farrar in 3:48. The Montezuma wrestler extended his record to 9-0 this season.
At 144, Rett Pargeon had a first round bye, scored a fall in 21 seconds in the semis, then secured a 19-3 technical fall in 3:52 over Jaydhen DeOliveira of Norwalk in the championship match.
157 – Owen DesRochers – 2nd place: His day included pinning two of his opponents in a round robin format because of the number of competitors.
138 – Ethan DesRochers – 2nd place. He pinned his first foe, then scored a fall in 21 seconds. In the finals, he lost a 19-3 technical fall in 3:52.
106 – Karson Ross – third place. He opened with a technical fall victory, before losing twice.
126 – Wesley Ross – third place. He had a busy day! He pinned his first opponent in just 16 seconds. He then lost a 15-0 technical fall in 4:59. In the wrestlebacks, he pinned a man in 1:03, then won the third place match with a 15-0 technical fall in 4:59.
132 – Wylie Walters – fourth place. He received as first round bye, then suffered a defeat. In the wrestlebacks, he pinned a man before falling in the match for tnird/fourth place.
150 – Kaden Baetsle – fourth place. He lost in the first round, but got a bye through the second. In the wrestlebacks, he pinned Zach Doug of Pekin, then was pinned by Berkley Dvorak of North Tama in the third/fourth place bout.
285 – Isaac Wedgewood – fourth place. He pinned his first foe, then lost by pinfall to Regan Roberts of Knoxville. In the wrestlebacks, he pinned an opponent in 25 seconds to secure his spot in the third place match.
Going for third, Wedgewood was pinned in 1:49 by Cooper Moore of Bondurant-Farrar, thus taking fourth place.
144 – Cade Lowry – fifth place. Cade lost in the first round, then had a pair of byes to wind up fifth.
165 – Connor Hervey – sixth place. He lost in the opening round, received a bye, and lost in his match for fifth/sixth place.
113 – Jaxson Young – sixth place. He advanced via a pair of byes, then lost, then fell on a 32-seconds pin in the match for fifth/sixth place.
175 pounds – Yudiel Gonzalez. Did not place.
120 and 190 – the Braves had no entries in these weight classes.
The Montezuma Invitational was retired for a year in 2024 before being revived as a Friday event this year. Previously it was a Saturday event. Activities Director Tim Burgess said this year’s format will be studied before Friday or Saturday will be decided on for next year.
Montezuma Wrestling Invitational
Team points – 1, Bondurant-Farrar, 305.5. 2, Norwalk JV 155. 3, Montezuma 146. 4, C.R. Washington 114. 5, Knoxville 108.5. 6, North Tama 88.5. 7, Baxter 64. 8, English Valleys 44. 9, Pekin 30.