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The Pittsburg High School wrestling team moved two steps closer to defending its Southeast Kansas League title with a Thursday night sweep of Coffeyville and Chanute at Pittsburg High School.
“This was the big one tonight, our big hurdle we had to get over because Chanute year-in year-out comes in with a good team,” Pittsburg head coach Scott Rieck said. “Again, we can’t overlook those two teams (Labette County and Parsons on Feb. 9 at home). We have to stay focused like we are and I’ll continue to dial it up on them because athletic skill wise, we’re not the greatest but we try to get in really good shape and out-shape people.”
Pittsburg smaller weights Levi Kester (106 pounds), Parker Fields (120) and Brett Cobb (126) provided a fast start — a 18-6 lead — on three pinfall victories and during their long matches, Jason Wools (152) and Brendan Maxwell (171) demonstrated what Rieck felt separated Pittsburg from Chanute on Thursday.
“Tonight, I felt like we won a lot of close matches because we’re in better shape than our opponent,” Rieck said. “That’s why I thought we ended up on top tonight. It takes a special person to do what we do day-in and day-out. I’m proud of them because they’ve stuck it out and they work hard and they give it everything they have.”
Pittsburg junior Jeremiah Jones (ranked No. 6 at 113 pounds) lost a tough match to Chanute freshman Adam Cole and Fields pinned freshman Chase Cole with only 9 seconds remaining in regulation of their match.
“The brothers are tough and they’ve wrestled their whole lives,” Rieck said. “I’ve watched them growing up wrestling and Jeremiah got out of position. It cost him a match. He got up toe-to-toe with that big kid (Adam Cole), but he shouldn’t have been there. He should have pushed off, got a fresh start and stayed at his low-level stuff because he’s quicker than all get-out, but he got up high with the guy and it cost him the match.”
The Blue Comets grappled their way back into the dual, after Karter Krokstrom pinned Juan Cornelio and Josh Smeed pinned Skyler McGuire. With two matches remaining, Chanute trailed 39-27.
However, Pittsburg junior Gershom Avalos (220) and senior Broc Bennett (285) showed why they are both ranked top 5 in Class 4A.
Avalos pinned Cody Howell with 20 seconds remaining in the first period.
The Pittsburg High School wrestling team moved two steps closer to defending its Southeast Kansas League title with a Thursday night sweep of Coffeyville and Chanute at Pittsburg High School.
“This was the big one tonight, our big hurdle we had to get over because Chanute year-in year-out comes in with a good team,” Pittsburg head coach Scott Rieck said. “Again, we can’t overlook those two teams (Labette County and Parsons on Feb. 9 at home). We have to stay focused like we are and I’ll continue to dial it up on them because athletic skill wise, we’re not the greatest but we try to get in really good shape and out-shape people.”
Pittsburg smaller weights Levi Kester (106 pounds), Parker Fields (120) and Brett Cobb (126) provided a fast start — a 18-6 lead — on three pinfall victories and during their long matches, Jason Wools (152) and Brendan Maxwell (171) demonstrated what Rieck felt separated Pittsburg from Chanute on Thursday.
“Tonight, I felt like we won a lot of close matches because we’re in better shape than our opponent,” Rieck said. “That’s why I thought we ended up on top tonight. It takes a special person to do what we do day-in and day-out. I’m proud of them because they’ve stuck it out and they work hard and they give it everything they have.”
Pittsburg junior Jeremiah Jones (ranked No. 6 at 113 pounds) lost a tough match to Chanute freshman Adam Cole and Fields pinned freshman Chase Cole with only 9 seconds remaining in regulation of their match.
“The brothers are tough and they’ve wrestled their whole lives,” Rieck said. “I’ve watched them growing up wrestling and Jeremiah got out of position. It cost him a match. He got up toe-to-toe with that big kid (Adam Cole), but he shouldn’t have been there. He should have pushed off, got a fresh start and stayed at his low-level stuff because he’s quicker than all get-out, but he got up high with the guy and it cost him the match.”
The Blue Comets grappled their way back into the dual, after Karter Krokstrom pinned Juan Cornelio and Josh Smeed pinned Skyler McGuire. With two matches remaining, Chanute trailed 39-27.
However, Pittsburg junior Gershom Avalos (220) and senior Broc Bennett (285) showed why they are both ranked top 5 in Class 4A.
Avalos pinned Cody Howell with 20 seconds remaining in the first period.
Bennett struggled for a brief spell but quickly turned it around and pinned William Divine 1:03 into their grand finale.
“Gershom’s coming into his own,” Rieck said. “He looks great right now. He’s ranked in Class 4A. Him and Broc look really good. Broc got put on his back side tonight because he was forcing something on a kid that he shouldn’t have been forcing anything. He should have went out there and wrestled clean and put him away instead of putting a scare in himself. But he fought off and got the fall in good fashion.”
Wools and Maxwell returned to the Pittsburg lineup on Thursday and Rieck said one more key component of the PHS wrestling team will make his return appearance in the near future.
“We’ll get Brent Koehn back in the lineup in a week,” Rieck said. “He got his foot taken care of and we’ll get him back at 182. He’ll be fresh and it’s similar to last year when we got him back at this time.”
Pittsburg (6-0 in SEK duals) hosts Labette County and Parsons on Feb. 9 and Rieck called the PHS crowd “pretty good” on Thursday night but disappointing for a night featuring a nightcap dual between state-ranked teams.
“Still, we didn’t fill the bleachers,” Rieck said. “We’re the No. 3-ranked team in the state of Kansas in 4A and ranked in the top 10 of all classes. And still, the community needs to come and support these young men more. Even people within our own school need to come and support these young men more because they work extremely hard and they’re producing for this town. They’re representing their community well by winning and in return, they need to get some respect and have people get off the couch and come and watch them and support them.”
Rieck said that his focus will now shift to Saturday and the Southeast Kansas Invitational in Chanute featuring SEK League schools Chanute, Coffeyville, Columbus and Independence, as well as wrestling powers Andover Central, Bishop Carroll, Goddard and Topeka Seaman.
PITTSBURG 51, CHANUTE 27
106: Levi Kester (PHS) pinned Jayson Ports, :50. PHS 6-0.
113: Adam Cole (CHS) pinned Jeremiah Jones, 2:40. 6-6.
120: Parker Fields (PHS) pinned Chase Cole, 5:51. PHS 12-6.
126: Brett Cobb (PHS) pinned Lane Umbarger, :45. PHS 18-6.
132: Kevin Barker (PHS) won by forfeit. PHS 24-6.
138: Jared Fiscus (CHS) def. Jacob Wools, 1-0. PHS 24-9.
145: Aaron Seybold (PHS) pinned Dallas Joyce, :20. PHS 30-9.
152: Jason Wools (PHS) def. Alex Son, 3-2. PHS 33-9.
160: Sam Son (CHS) won by forfeit. PHS 33-15.
170: Brendan Maxwell (PHS) pinned Skylar McGinnis, 4:49. PHS 39-15.
182: Karter Krokstrom (CHS) pinned Juan Cornelio, 3:33. PHS 39-21.
195: Josh Smeed (CHS) pinned Skyler McGuire, 3:02. PHS 39-27.
220: Gershom Avalos (PHS) pinned Cody Howell, 1:40. PHS 45-27.
285: Broc Bennett (PHS) pinned William Divine, 1:03. PHS 51-27.
PITTSBURG 48, COFFEYVILLE 24
CHANUTE 60, COFFEYVILLE 16
