O'FALLON, Ill. • The O'Fallon wrestling team picked up a pair of lopsided victories Tuesday, pinning a 61-12 loss on Mascoutah and a 63-15 setback on Althoff.
O'Fallon was helped along by a combined 10 forfeits by Mascoutah and Althoff.
O'Fallon coach Glenn Exton said he can relate to the troubles the Indians and Crusaders faced Tuesday. He's had to scramble to keep fresh bodies in the Panthers' lineup.
"We've had as many as seven starters out," Exton said. "Every team seems to have those problems."
Tuesday, the Panthers had five varsity wrestlers sidelined, but filled most of the absences with call-ups from the junior varsity while boosting their dual record to 13-6.
O'Fallon still was nursing a few bruises from its weekend outing to the Genesco Invitational. Paced by champ Bryon Pierson (160 pounds) and second-place finisher Drew Wise (138), the Panthers were fifth in a tough 16-team field. Granite City finished third behind Cedar Rapids Prairie and Waverly Shell Rock of Iowa.
"This is the first high school tournament I've ever won and I just hope I keep it going," Pierson said. "I don't have that much stress anymore. I'm a captain this year and I feel like it's my duty to be good."
Pierson (27-8) wrestled only once on Tuesday, earning a 17-1 technical fall victory over Althoff's Broc Jennings at 170.
"I'm hoping not to lose anymore," Pierson said. "I want to get to state, and I think that's a reachable goal. Last year I was out for a month and a half and got fourth place in the regional when I lost in double overtime, but this year that's not going to happen."
Tuesday, five O'Fallon wrestlers won by pin against Althoff: Eli Blecha (145), Keajion Jennings (152), Austin Metz (160), Sean Lowry (195) and Kody Weymouth (220).
Althoff (4-7) got pins from Cody Harris (113) and Michael Harrison (126).
"We finished strong and I thought some of the kids wrestled well," Althoff assistant coach Dave Harris said. "We just came back from the Quincy Tournament, and it was a grinder. All of these kids had anywhere from three to eight matches over the last few days, and this is always a hard meet for us”
Against Mascoutah, O'Fallon got pins from Lowry and Tyler Sexton (182) and tech falls from Devon McConnell (126) and Paxton Edgar (132).
Mascoutah forfeited six matches, though coach Chris Lindsay said he was counting on having a full lineup as the Indians head toward the state tournament.
"None of the injuries are season-ending, and we'll have everybody back by Monday,” he said. “Hopefully by the regional we'll be very healthy and ready to make a good run at the end."
