Helias shows improvement at Kickoff Classic

Crusaders stay competitive in some of their wrestling matches

It's a day-by-day process for the Helias Crusaders.

And Saturday was better than Friday.

"We're on a positive note now, we were on one all day long," Helias coach Jacob Wadley said after the Crusaders wrestled five duals Saturday in the Kickoff Classic at Rackers Fieldhouse.

Helias, which dropped a 68-4 decision Friday to Warrensburg, went 0-5 in Saturday's duals. But the Crusaders did put out some better efforts, including one against the Kirksville Tigers. KIrksville won 60-21, but several of the matches were very competitive.

"We turn around and put a good showing against a top-three caliber team like Kirksville," Wadley said. "Things like that a positive and give us perspective that we're getting better."

Two Crusaders went 5-0 in their matches Saturday.

At 106 pounds, freshman Nick Gaines was undefeated, including three wins by fall.

"He's a fighter," Wadley said. "He keeps his composure in the tough matches. As young as he is, he's shown great maturity."

At 145, Jacob Schulte continued his outstanding starting to the season with five victories, three coming via falls.

"Jacob goes out there and believes in himself and expects nothing but the best in himself," Wadley said.

Three Crusaders - Slater Schrimpf at 113, Nate Jones at 195 and Nick Feely at 220 - finished 3-2. Kyle Pickett won a pair of matches at 160.

"We're all buying into the program, into the system," Wadley, in his first year at the helm, said. "Everybody believes in what we're teaching them. They realize they're young and inexperienced, a lot of them are just first- or second-year wrestlers getting tossed out there against some very good kids who have been around for a long time."

Despite a lack of team success, don't look for the Crusaders to have anything put a positive attitude this season.

"No, we all believe," Wadley said. "I'm going to keep encouraging them and keep maintaining that good attitude, we're going to continue to progress, progress and progress.

"We're going to keep doing what we've been doing and success will come."

Helias is back in action Tuesday against Moberly and Hickman at Hickman. The Crusaders then will host the Missouri Duals on Friday and Saturday

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Here are the results from the Kickoff Classic, held Saturday at Rackers Fieldhouse:

Team Scores

Blue Pool: Camdenton (3-2) 244 points; Carthage (3-2) 196; Rolla (1-4) 150; Helias (0-5) 123.

Gold Pool: Kirksville (5-0) 278 points; Warrensburg (4-1) 218; Hannibal (3-2) 201; St. Charles (1-4) 92.

Helias Duals

Camdenton 60, Helias 14; Rolla 54, Helias 30; Kirksville 60, Helias 21; Carthage 58, Helias 21; St. Charles 48, Helias 30.

Helias Individuals

106 - Nick Gaines 5-0 (WBF, won by forfeit, WBF, WBF, won by forfeit)

113 - Slater Schrimpf 3-2 (lost 8-5, WBF, won 11-4, lost 14-6, won by forfeit)

120 - Jacob Frank 0-5 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

126 - Ty Luebbering 0-5 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

132 - Grant Stokes 0-5 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

138 - Will Farmer 1-4 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, won by forfeit)

145 - Jacob Schulte 5-0 (won 8-2, WBF, WBF, won 9-7, WBF)

152 - Austin Schnieders 0-5 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

160 - Kyle Pickett 2-3 (LBF, LBF, WBF, LBF, WBF)

170 - Logan Distler 0-5 (LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

182 - Cole Czarnecki 0-5 (lost 5-4, LBF, LBF, LBF, LBF)

195 - Nate Jones 3-2 (LBF, WBF, LBF, won by forfeit, won by forfeit)

220 - Nick Feely 3-2 (WBF, won by forfeit, LBF, won by forfeit, LBF)

285 - Christian Dusenberg 0-3 (LBF, LBF, LBF)