Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Hawk wrestlers finish 3-3 at Battle of Waterloo, place 11th among 32 teams

by

Ankeny’s Ben Hansen works for a fall against Elijah Blewitt of Indianola during a 144-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Friday. Hansen got the pin in 5 minutes 20 seconds, but the Indians posted a 46-19 victory and went on to win the tournament. Hansen went 6-0 with four falls in the two-day event, leading the Hawks to an 11th-place finish. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

The Ankeny wrestling team earned an 11th-place finish among 32 squads in the Battle of Waterloo on Friday and Saturday at Young Arena.

The Hawks went 2-1 and placed third in Pool D on Friday, then went 1-2 in Pool 3 on Saturday to determine ninth through 12th places. They are now 4-5 overall heading into Thursday’s non-conference dual meet at 10th-ranked Carlisle.

“We just need some time to develop,” said Ankeny senior Ben Hansen. “We’ve had some struggles as we lack some experience with so many new guys in the lineup. We just need to get comfortable and keep improving so that we can peak at the right time.”

Ankeny’s Aiden Winkie gets a takedown against Cade Happel of Lisbon during a 120-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Friday. Winkie eventually got a fall in 5 minutes 31 seconds, helping the Hawks to a 51-24 win in the opening round of the tournament. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

Ankeny opened the tournament on Friday with a 51-24 victory over Lisbon. After dropping a 46-19 decision to eventual champion Indianola in the semifinals, the Hawks then rebounded with a 40-31 win over New Hampton/Turkey Valley in the third-place match, allowing them to move into Pool 3.

Ankeny overcame an early 28-0 deficit against New Hampton/Turkey Valley. Hayden Fontana ignited the Hawks’ rally by pinning Quinlan Mahoney in just 10 seconds at 106 pounds, then ninth-ranked Teagen Peiffer later sealed the win by pinning Jax Shekleton in 3 minutes at 157.

Ankeny’s Teagen Peiffer works for a fall against Justin Snyder of Lisbon during a 157-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Friday. Peiffer got the pin in 1 minute 16 seconds. He went 5-1 with three falls in the tournament. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

Ankeny lost to Lake Mills, 36-34, in its opening match on Saturday. Lake Mills built a 36-22 lead after 11 matches, then held off the Hawks’ rally.

The No. 2 Hansen recorded a fall over Austin Stene in just 14 seconds at 150 to close the gap to 36-28. Kash Johnson at 157 and Peiffer at 165 then posted 4-3 and 6-4 decisions, respectively, but the Bulldogs escaped with the win by not giving up any bonus points in those two matches.

Ankeny bounced back with a 53-24 triumph over Nashua-Plainfield in its next match. The Hawks then closed out the tournament with a 38-24 loss to West Delaware (Manchester).

Ankeny’s Ben Walsh takes Ty Moudry of New Hampton/Turkey Valley to his back during a 113-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Friday. Walsh got a fall in 5 minutes 28 seconds to help the Hawks to a 40-31 triumph in the third-place match of Pool D. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

Six Ankeny wrestlers won at least four matches in the two-day event. Hansen led the way, going 6-0 with four falls.

“Personally, I was pretty happy with my performance,” Hansen said. “I thought I wrestled with a good pace and wrestled tough on top, which was something I struggled with a little bit last year.”

Perez Perez at 132/138 and Peiffer each went 5-1 with three pins. No. 5 Truman Folkers went 5-1 with two falls and two major decisions at 126/132.

No. 3 Ben Walsh went 4-2 with three pins at 106/113. Fontana went 4-2 with two falls.