MHS started the day with a 48-25 win over North Polk, then took some lumps in a 65-2 loss to Southeast Polk and a 63-10 loss to Johnston before ending the tournament with a 45-33 win over Cedar Falls for third place out of seven teams.

“After Thursday’s meet where we wrestled, in my opinion, very poorly, I told the guys in practice yesterday and this morning that it’s all about effort,” Cross said. “Effort in all your positions but also general effort, and if you give good effort, the results will show up. And today, even in our losses, our kids were out there doing everything they could.”

Even with two open weights in the varsity lineup, the Bobcats handled the opening dual with North Polk, with seven pinfall victories and two decisions. Carson Wright, Xayvion Anderson, Dalton Zednichek, Johan Gomez, Jaxson Hinkle, Jose Corral Coronado and Nick Wise all won by fall; Kager Kremer and Lucas Bantz had their arms raised after decisions.

The dual with Class 3A’s top-ranked Southeast Polk was not as smooth; Gomez scored a major decision victory at 190 pounds and while Marshalltown went the distance in four other matches, the Bobcats couldn’t find any additional victories in a testy dual that saw Marshalltown get hit with two unsportsmanlike conducts as well as one on a Southeast Polk coach.

T-R PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER - Marshalltown’s Dalton Zednichek closes in on the pin against Kael Moore of Cedar Falls during the final round of wrestling at the Allie Morrison Duals on Saturday at the Roundhouse.

The final score was not as important to Cross as the overall energy from the Bobcats to take the fight to one of the best wrestling teams in the state.

“Even when we’re not winning those matches, we’re hanging with them in many capacities,” Cross said. “It’s a ‘Why not us?’ mentality.”

However, Cross was disappointed in the performance against Johnston immediately after that dual; Gomez and Wise scored tech falls to score points for MHS, but only two other matches went the full six minutes, with the Bobcats dropping four matches by fall as well as three technical falls.

“We were flat,” Cross said. “You’ve got to be more resilient in those situations because when it comes time for state, you’re going to have all the top-tier guys back-to-back — if you take a loss, you have to bounce back and try to find that consistency.”

The Bobcats found their stride again against Cedar Falls to end on a positive note. Zednichek, JJ Schoenfelder, Jaxson Hinkle, Kremer and Anderson all won by fall while Gomez, Bantz and Wise won their matches by tech fall.

Kremer’s win effectively clinched the dual. He was trailing in the match, 13-6, before scoring a third-period takedown and turning Cedar Falls’ Ayden Williams for the fall.

“He could’ve said that he wasn’t going to win this match but instead he showed that extra effort,” Cross said. “And whether it’s not giving up big bonus points or coming from behind like Kager did, that extra effort wins matches, and wins duals.”

Johan Gomez was the only Bobcat to go 4-0 on the day, improving his record this season to 21-3.

“His neutral position work is as good as anyone in the state right now,” Cross said. “Where he needs to work the most is on top, so we’re having him take guys down and once they start getting tired he can work on his top moves, kind of a catch-and-release until he can find the opportunity to pin them.”

MHS is back on the mats at Mason City on Monday, then heads to Bettendorf for the Midwest Shootout on Friday and Saturday.

Allie Morrison Duals

Team Standings — 1. Southeast Polk, 2. Johnston, 3. Marshalltown, 4. Cedar Falls, 5. North Polk, 6. Webster City, 7. Sioux City East.

Round 1

Johnston 81, Sioux City East 0

Cedar Falls 47, Webster City 21

Marshalltown 48, North Polk 25

Round 2

Johnston 80, Webster City 0

Cedar Falls 60, Sioux City East 21

Southeast Polk 62, North Polk 11

Round 3

Johnston 58, Cedar Falls 17

Webster City 51, Sioux City East 26

Southeast Polk 65, Marshalltown 2

Round 4

Johnston 63, Marshalltown 10

Southeast Polk 68, Cedar Falls 9

North Polk 64, Sioux City East 12

Round 5

Southeast Polk 84, Johnston 0

Marshalltown 45, Cedar Falls 33

North Polk 57, Webster City 12

——

Marshalltown 48, North Polk 25

144–Augustin Schaffer (NP) dec. Colby Cross, 14-8; 150–Kager Kremer (MHS) dec. Evan Kelsick, 7-5; 157–Carson Wright (MHS) pinned Luke Engebretson, 2:55; 165–Xayvion Anderson (MHS) pinned Sam Adams, :13; 175–Dalton Zednichek (MHS) pinned Mason Ackerman, 2:34; 190–Johan Gomez (MHS) pinned Gabe Visalden, 3:21; 215–Henry Christensen (NP) tech. falled John Schoenfelder, 17-2; 285–Jaxson Hinkle (MHSpinned over Beckett Anderson, 1:52; 106–Charlie Boelman (NP) tech. falled Nicholas Million, 15-0; 113–Jose Corral Coronado (MHS) pinned Preston Dowd, 3:41; 120–Noah Francis (NP) won by forfeit; 126–Andrew Reed (NP) won by forfeit; 132–Lucas Bantz (MHS) dec. Cael Cotter, 5-3; 138–Nicholas Wise (MHS) pinned Sawyer Smeltzer, 2:23

Southeast Polk 65, Marshalltown 2

157–Dokken Biladeau (SEP) tech. falled Wright, 19-3; 165–Abraham Bushong (SEP) dec. Anderson, 8-7; 175–Wyatt Gibson (SEP) pinned Zednichek, 5:12; 190–Gomez (MHS) major dec. Oaklee Keomala, 17-7; 215–Hansen Holden (SEP) pinned Tyler Johnson, :52; 285–Cooper Martinson (SEP) pinned Hinkle, 1:25; 106–Jaxsen Vestal (SEP) dec. Million, 8-1; 113–Eddie Woody (SEP) pinned Coronado, 1:27; 120–Mat Prine (SEP) won by forfeit; 126–Max Riggins (SEP) won by forfeit; 132–Carter Pearson (SEP) pinned Bantz, 3:25; 138–Wil Oberbroeckling (SEP) dec. Wise, 4-3; 144–Wylie Johnson (SEP) major dec. Anthony Chavez, 21-8; 150–Logan Trenary (SEP) pinned Jordan Haynes, 2:12

Southeast Polk’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Unsportmanship Conduct-Coach

Marshalltown’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Unsprtsmanlike Conduct

Marshalltown’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Johnston 63, Marshalltown 10

165–Caden Leonard (JHN) dec. Anderson, 4-0; 175–Jacob Helgeson (JHN) tech. falled Zednichek, 17-0; 190–Gomez (MHS) tech. falled Owen Frisk, 21-5; 215–Kolby Gibbons (JHN) pinned Schoenfelder, :27; 285–Cohen Vannausdle (JHN) major dec. Hinkle, 12-3; 106–Isaac Beirman (JHN) tech. falled Million, 20-4; 113–Michael Dyett (JHN) pinned Coronado, 2:54; 120–Shandrel Thompson (JHN) won by forfeit; 126–Gus Kirwan (JHN) won by forfeit; 132–Jashua Anglo (JHN) tech. falled Bantz, 17-2; 138–Wise (MHS) tech. falled Peyton Winter, 18-0; 144–Isaiah Madison (JHN) tech. falled Cross, 15-0; 150–Parker Casey (JHN) pinned Kremer, :30; 157–Owen Gilbert (JHN) pinned Wright, 3:16

Marshalltown 45, Cedar Falls 33

175–Zednichek (MHS) pinned Kael Moore, 2:29; 190–Gomez (MHS) tech. falled Maddox Wilkinson, 19-3; 215–Schoenfelder (MHS) pinned Andrew Harrington, 1:34; 285–Hinkle (MHS) pinned Ian Reilly, 2:58; 106–Chase Miller (CF) pinned Million, :20; 113–Nolan Schaul (CF) major dec. Coronado, 15-4; 120–Caiden Lounsberry (CF) won by forfeit; 126–Evan Simpson (CF) won by forfeit; 132–Bantz (MHS) tech. falled Keegan Schmit, 17-0; 138–Wise (MHS) tech. falled Eric Malaise, 15-0; 144–Jeremiah Tamayo (CF) tech. falled Cross, 21-6; 150–Kremer (MHS) pinned Ayden Williams, 4:37; 157–Ben Backes (CF) pinned Wright, 4:23; 165–Anderson (MHS) pinned Levi Mayfield, 1:44.