It was a developmental night for the Helias Crusaders.
"We saw a lot of good stuff from the JV tonight," Helias coach Weston Keleher said Monday night after the Crusaders defeated the Battle Spartans 54-20 in the varsity dual at Rackers Fieldhouse.
"We had guys getting their first wins, heck we had guys getting their first matches. It was a good night for those guys to be able to go out there and compete."
There were a total of nine JV matches Monday, while the varsity wrestled just five. Helias swept the nine junior varsity matches, winning eight times by fall and once by a 15-4 decision.
The Crusaders won two of the five varsity bouts against the Spartans in the Central Missouri Activities Conference dual.
Wyatt Forck jumped out to a quick 4-1 advantage in his match at 145 pounds before winning by fall in 1:56.
"Wyatt looked good," Keleher said.
Tanner Nappier got the other Crusader win, turning an early takedown into a win by fall in 1:27 at 195.
"Tanner's been coming along," Keleher said.
Losing on the mat for Helias were Nick Schnieders at 170 (10-8), Blake Luebbering at 182 (LBTF) and Jack Klebba at 285 (LBF).
"That was a good match for Nick," Keleher said.
Klebba was injured when he went to the mat and after a few minutes, was carried to the training room by Keleher and assistant coach Bryant Gaines.
"We just want him to be OK," Keleher said.
Seven Crusaders - Gage Lock at 106, Carter Prenger at 113, Jack Lage at 126, Jacob Schrimpf at 132, Carson Hayes at 138, Nikolai Careaga at 152 and Lincoln Mertens at 160 - won by forfeit. Mertens actually wrestled, but in a mistake, it was against Battle's 170-pounder. After the match at 285, Mertens came out and had his hand raised for the forfeit and then Schnieders wrestled the official match at 170.
Both teams were open at 120, while the Crusaders were open at 220.
Helias is scheduled to return to the mat Thursday night in a CMAC dual against Hickman at Rackers Fieldhouse.