‘I feel like we’re getting better’: Hawks romp past Urbandale on Senior Night

Ankeny’s Isaac Wignall tries for a pin against Urbandale’s Caleb Arroyo during the 113-pound match in Thursday’s dual meet at Ankeny. Wignall posted a 13-5 major decision to help the Hawks to a 57-15 victory on their Senior Night. (Photo by Dan Holm)

It was a memorable Senior Night for Ben Hansen and the Ankeny wrestlers.

The fourth-ranked Hansen won by a technical fall at 144 pounds to help the Hawks to a 57-15 victory over visiting Urbandale on Thursday. He was honored after his match for earning his 100th career win earlier this season.

“It was especially nice doing it in the home gym,” said Hansen. “I know we kind of forgot about (the milestone), but it was fun to do it here.”

Hansen was recognized along with the other seniors before the meet. Ankeny bounced back from last week’s 42-17 loss at Ankeny Centennial.

**Ankeny’s Teagen Peiffer works for a fall against Urbandale’s Aiden Forinash during the 157-pound match at Thursday’s meet. Peiffer got the pin in 3 minutes 14 seconds. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

The Hawks raised their records to 2-4 in the CIML Conference and 6-7 overall.

“It’s always nice to get a win. The kids wrestled pretty well tonight,” said Ankeny coach Jack Wignall. “We’ve been beaten pretty good by a couple teams. We just haven’t won the matches we should, but I feel like we’re getting better. We won some matches that were close tonight. We’re starting to head in the right direction.”

Ankeny had six falls, including one by 11th-ranked Teagen Peiffer at 157. Peiffer, Hansen and Evan Shepard were the lone seniors in the Hawks’ lineup.

“I feel like everybody’s a lot closer now, and that leads to better wrestling,” Hansen said. “I just think overall as a team we’re wrestling a lot better.”

Ankeny’s Ben Hansen was honored on Thursday for earning his 100th career victory earlier this season. Hansen won by a technical fall over Urbandale’s Jack Brown, 21-6, at 144 pounds. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Hansen was coming off a 13-6 loss in overtime to No. 5 Max Dhabolt of Centennial. He racked up several takedowns in the first period to build a 20-6 lead against Jack Brown, then got an escape 16 seconds into the second period to end the match.

“It felt good to get a win, especially coming off my last loss. It’s nice to get back winning,” said Hansen, who now has 111 career victories. “Regardless of who (the opponent) is, I’m going to try to get as many takedowns as possible there. I got to my offense well.”

No. 6 Ben Walsh opened the meet with a fall at 106. The Hawks also got pins from Aiden Winkie at 120, No. 6 Truman Folkers at 126, Kash Johnson at 150 and Jacob Schlee at 175.

No. 10 Isaac Wignall won by a major decision at 113. Perez Perez at 132 and Jack Dorfler at 285 also had wins for Ankeny, while Andrew Haase won by forfeit at 215.

**Ankeny’s Jack Dorfler escapes from Urbandale’s Elias Pardon during the 285-pound match at Thursday’s meet. Dorfler posted a 3-2 decision to close out the Hawks’ win. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

Urbandale got pins from No. 2 Gabe Carver at 165 and No. 6 Cain Tigges at 190.

“Even in our losses, the kids were fighting,” Wignall said. “And we haven’t had that the whole year. We’re starting to solidify a lineup, and the kids are wrestling the way that we need them to.”

The Hawks will host the Dave Ewing Duals on Saturday.

Here are the match-by-match results from Thursday’s meet:

Ankeny 57, Urbandale 15

106: Walsh pinned Vue, 1:37; 113: Wignall beat Arroyo, 13-5; 120: Winkie pinned Bonilla, 2:17; 126: T. Folkers pinned Twombly, :39; 132: Perez beat Hensley, 6-0; 138: Rew (U) beat Claeys, 8-2; 144: Hansen won by technical fall over Brown, 21-6; 150: Johnson pinned Gray, 5:00; 157: Peiffer pinned Forinash, 3:14; 165: Carver (U) pinned Egeberg, 1:40; 175: Schlee pinned Miller, :54; 190: Tigges (U) pinned Shepard, 2:17; 215: Haase won by forfeit; 285: Dorfler beat Pardon, 3-2.