Both of the Ste. Genevieve Dragons Wrestling teams have been on a roll lately. The boys team has continued to be successful, winning their most recent dual. Meanwhile, the girls team turned in a great showing in the Union tournament.
On Thursday, December 10, the boys team dominated the Central (Cape Girardeau) Tigers by the score of 54-12. Of the six matches, Ste. Gen won five, all by way of pin.
Dalton McNeal started the night off for the Dragons with a win at the 126 lb. weight class. He pinned his opponent at 1:37 of the match. At 132, Gavin Gross kept it going with a pin at 3:52. Then at 145, Nathan Selby pinned his opponent at 3:08. Levi Wiegand, wrestling at 152, won with a pin at 5:33, and last but not least, at 285, Ryan Schmelzle won by pin at 1:43. In an exhibition match Dalton McBride, wrestling at 160, pinned his opponent in 1:31.
On Friday, December 11, the Ste. Genevieve Lady Dragons Wrestling team competed in the Union Tournament. Of the 18 teams competing, Ste. Gen finished a respectable 8th place. With only five girls on the roster, the team still scored 91 points, had one gold medal winner and two bronze medal winners.
At the 107 lb. weight class, Paityn Basler won three of five matches, with two wins by pin. She placed third in the class, and earned her team 22 points. Basler said, “It felt amazing to win third in just my first year of wrestling. It made me feel a sense of accomplishment.”
Brynna Wehner wrestled at 117 and finished in 7th place, winning one match. She earned the team six points. Wehner said, “I’m just glad to have learned something new from every match! I progressed and I’m thankful for the learning experience. I can’t wait to see where I end up at the end of the season!”
Wrestling at 122, Dakotah Medows also placed 7th, winning one match by pin, tallying six team points. Isabel Basler placed third at 127, scoring 23 team points. She went four for five on the day with all her wins coming by way of pin.
Lastly, at 195, Maggie Myracle racked up 34 team points, finishing first in her weight class, going five for five, pinning all of her opponents, three of which were state qualifiers the year before. She also captured the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award. Myracle was excited to get the gold medal and said, “It felt so good to finish first! I had a few tougher matches which made the victories more satisfying! I can’t wait to wrestle at the next tournament.”
The wrestling season is long and arduous, especially on tournament days. However, the Ste. Gen Dragons continue to see each match as an opportunity to prove they belong on the mat. Both teams will continue to practice hard and stay prepared for the next competition.
