The Capital City Cavaliers came into the Missouri Duals with a couple of goals in mind.
“We were focused on attitude and effort,” Capital City coach Mitch Werdehausen said. “We wanted to fight battles and maybe win the war.”
The Cavaliers opened the Duals by going 1-2 on Friday night in action at Rackers Fieldhouse.
Capital City opened against perennial Duals team champion Neosho. The Cavaliers fell into an early hole before winning the final four matches in a 51-18 loss to the Wildcats.
“We had a lot of kids wrestle well into the third period against a lot of their better kids,” Werdehausen said.
Capital City then posted a 38-34 victory against North Point.
“That was the best we wrestled as a team today,” Werdehausen said. “We were tough throughout the lineup, it was a true team effort. It took everybody to win that one.”
The Cavaliers closed the night with a 45-30 loss to the Eureka Wildcats.
“We came out flat, we gave up four pins in the first four matches and that makes it tough to win a dual,” Werdehausen said. “It doesn’t matter what time of night it is, we have to wrestle every dual tough every time we go out there.
“That’s what was the most disappointing thing to me, our effort just wasn’t there.”
Four Cavaliers finished 3-0 on the opening day.
At 175 pounds, Cohen Davis won once by fall, once by decision and once by forfeit. Matthew Wiegand won his three matches at 190 by second-period falls. At 215, Landon McNeil won twice by fall and once by decision. Reyce Turner captured two wins by decision and one by fall.
“We are very strong up top,” Werdehausen said. “Those guys are leading the team, showing up every day ready to work. I couldn’t ask for more from those guys.”
Capital City will wrap up pool action this morning with duals against Lebanon and Helias. Action begins at 9 a.m.
The Cavaliers will then wrestle two final duals in bracket action in the afternoon.
III
The Capital City junior varsity wrestled as a team in the other pool in the Helias Gym.
“They asked us if we wanted to do it and we said yes,” Werdehausen said.
The Cavaliers didn’t hesitate in making the decision.
“We wanted to get them here to get them some varsity experience,” Werdehausen said. “The only way to do that is to wrestle in varsity tournaments and this is a tough tournament to do it.”
The Cavaliers JV stepped up to the competition by finishing 2-1 on Friday night. Capital City defeated Marshall (43-31) and Blair Oaks (57-18), while falling to Hannibal (57-18).
“We have some very good wrestlers on the JV side,” Werdehausen said. “They didn’t back away from the competition, they went after it.”
Finishing 2-1 for the Cavaliers JV were Landon Holleman at 113 pounds, Ashton Hynson at 120, Matthew Huffman at 126, Jeremiah Austin at 144, Gage Fine at 175, Stephen Willis at 190, Aden Jackson at 215 and O’Mar Thomas at 285.
The Capital City JV will wrestle Jefferson City and Father Tolton this morning to wrap up pool play. Action begins at 9 a.m. The Cavaliers JV will then wrestle two duals in bracket play.