The Helias Crusaders wanted to be the ones in control.
In Friday night's opening rounds of the Missouri Duals at Rackers Fieldhouse, the Crusaders did that.
"This team is good at pushing the pace," Crusaders coach Weston Keleher said after Helias defeated Blair Oaks and Bolivar. "I don't know that we scare people with that, but I do think we put some fear into them with it."
Helias opened with a 53-24 victory against Blair Oaks. The Crusaders won the first nine matches to take a 47-0 lead against the Falcons.
"We competed well, we wrestled with a lot of intensity," Keleher said. "But that's what we expect against a rival like Blair Oaks."
That big lead came with the dual starting in the lower weights. Helias won four of the matches by fall.
"That's our formula for winning," Keleher said. "It's been that way since I got here last season.
"We pride ourselves on getting falls and I think that showed today."
Helias then won 53-21 against Bolivar, who finished second in Class 2 last season.
"I think they wrestled us pretty tough, but we were ready for them," Keleher said. "We came out there with a very good pace, we were on the attack the whole time."
Eight Crusaders - Carter Prenger at 106 pounds, Gavin Adams at 113, Jack Lage at 120, Aleksey Salaz at 138m Wyatt Forck at 145, Nikolai Careaga at 152, Alex Tesreau at 160 and Tanner Nappier at 195 - were all 2-0. Jace Duemmel and Carson Hayes both were 1-0 at 126 for Helias.
Jacob Schrimpf at 132 and Hayden Payne at 182 were both 1-1. Curtis Rockers at 170 and Michael Sanner at 285 were 0-2. Helias was open at 220.
Helias will wrestle four addition Blue Division duals today against Oak Grove, Grain Valley, Neosho and Lebanon before taking on a Gold Division team in a trophy match.
"We just want to wrestle hard," Keleher said. "This tournament is so darned tough, when you look across the floor and see so many good wrestlers, it should inspire you to wrestle better."
Action will begin at 9 a.m. today
"Everything is going well right now, I'm proud of this team," Keleher said.