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On Saturday, Feb. 12, the Atlantic Trojans hosted 2A IHSAA District wrestling. Ten Trojan wrestlers compeated at Saturday’s districts. Of the ten, eight qualified for this week’s individual state championships, six finished the day district champions and two finished runner-up. According to AHS alum Al Al Wernimont, the Trojan wrestling program began in 1968. No individual team had sent more than five wrestlers to state–until this year. Wernimont was a member of AHS’s first team to send participants to the state championships in 1972.
The 2A first round including the eight Trojan wrestlers will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
At the 103 weight class, freshman Darrian Schwenke (40-5) defeated Broghan Kelly of Harlan, in a major decision, 11-2 to take home the 103 pound championship.
At 125 pounds, junior Rob Young (40-7) pinned Zac Goodrich of Creston in 3:11 to take home the district championship at 125 pounds. The win that took him to state was also his 100th career win.
At 130 pounds, senior Josh Perkins (35-8) pinned Peter Nagy of Creston in 5:11. Perkins has qualified for the individual state championships all four years of his wrestling career at Atlantic high school. Perkins is the first wrestler in Atlantic high school wrestling history to qualify for the state tournament all four years.
At 140 pounds, senior Brad Schwenke (41-4) squared off against number one ranked Josh Schaefer (41-1) of OA-BCIG in the championship match. At the Harlan sectionals, Schwenke was defeated by Schaefer by a mere two points. On Saturday, Schaefer pinned Schwenke in 49 seconds. “I started out in a bad position,” Schwenke said after the defeat. Schwenke qualified for the state championship with the second place finish.
After the quick 140 pound championship match, the 145 pound match finished in almost identical time. Junior Robert Nichols (42-5) took home the championship at 145 pounds after pinning Tyler Kenny of Ridge View, in less than a minute (52 seconds).
At 160 pounds, junior Derek Stork (39-6) defeated Cody Morris from Bedford/Lenox, 5-2 to qualify for state.
At 189 pounds, Tyler Doll (33-10) defeated Jacob Armstrong of Bedford/Lenox 10-7, in the semifinal round, but was defeated 9-2 by Colten Riley (38-1) of South Central Calhoun for the second time in as many meetings. There were no wrestle-backs at 189 pounds, so Doll qualified for the state tournament with the second place finish.
At 285 pounds, junior Austin Conrad (37-11) defeated Tanner Thompson from OA-BCIG, 8-5 to take home the district title at 285. The entire Atlantic gym was filled with the energy from the 285 pound championship match.
At 171 pounds sophomore Matt Williamson (31-13) was pinned by Seth Esias from Red Oak in 1:53 in the semifinal round. In the consolation match, Williamson defeated Mason Fah of Harlan, 7-1. There were wrestle backs at 171 pounds, giving the sophomore a chance to get second place and qualify for state. Williamson matched up against Keaton Hullet from Creston for second place. Williamson was never able to get gain advantage of his opponent, falling 4-1.
Senior Dylan Christensen was defeated by second-ranked Collin Bevins (45-4) of Creston in the 215 pound semifinal round. Christensen ended his senior with a 26-22 record after losing to Willie Lawrence from Bedford/Lenox, 10-6.
Atlantic also won the district with 147 points.
The State Wrestling Championships will take place Wednesday, Feb. 16-Saturday, Feb. 19 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA.
