Highland wrestling club making steady progress as stretch drive of season approaches

Consecutive tri-meets on Wednesday and Thursday night gave Highland’s wrestling team plenty to feel good about and plenty to look forward to working on entering the final three weeks of the regular season.

On Wednesday night, the Bulldogs fell to East Alton-Wood River 34-33 and defeated Mt. Olive 54-12 in a home tri-match at Highland High School.

Against EAWR and Mt. Olive, Colby Davis lost to the Oilers at 160 but won his match against Mt. Olive by forfeit. Bryce Kirsch at 138 and Benny Mitchell at 145 claimed victories in their matches against Mt. Olive. Other winners against Mt. Olive included Alex Reed in the 195-pound class and Dustin Vogel in the 220-pound class with a pin in 19 seconds. Gage Pogue also won his match at 106 pounds.

“We needed a tech fall to win against Wood River and we would have won the match,” Highland coach Terry Ohren said. “Mount Olive really didn’t have much as we only wrestled six matches. The rest were all forfeits.”

In the Wood River match, Reed won at 195 and Vogel won at 232 with decisive first-period victories. Tanner Schranz won at 120 pounds, Kirsch won by pin at 132 pounds, and Mitchell (145 pounds) won a 4-1 decision.

“I was hoping we would win the last one (East Alton-Wood River), but I knew it was going to be close,” Ohren said. “The boys wrestled hard and they’re learning even though it’s a young team, so we’re looking for the future now.”

On Thursday, Highland took down Litchfield 48-30, as HHS only wrestled three matches.

“We only wrestled three times. The rest were all forfeits,” Ohren said.

Schranz won his match at 120 in just 68 seconds. Trevor Bowman at 152 pounds won by pin in his match. Highland then took on Vandalia, which handled the Bulldogs 69-6.

“Vandalia is a tough team and they’re really good,” Ohren said. “They like their wrestling over there.”

Only two wrestlers managed wins against a loaded Vandalia club.

Schranz won in the 120-pound bout, taking a 3-2 decision, and Mitchell prevailed in the 145-pound match with a 7-2 victory.

“I knew Vandalia was tough,” Ohren said. “They’re always tough and it’s a good wrestling program and they’re a good wrestling town. The boys wrestled hard. They’re (Vandalia) just a better team.”

Highland returns to action at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, with a tri-match at Hillsboro with Hillsboro and Roxana.