Since racing season ended for me at the Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa on October 7th & 8th despite wanting to attend a few more races before the winter season came but that did not happen. I have however been spending my time following Marshalltown High School Football and Wrestling along with attending a few Marshalltown Community College Basketball games since then.
Speaking of Football, the Bobcats went 2-5 up to the that point so there was only two games left to finish the season at home against Southeast Polk and road game at #1 ranked West Des Moines Valley. The 'Cats managed to lose both 41-13 and 49-0 to finish the season at 2-7 and last place in district play.
Since football season was over the wait until the Wrestling season began in the end of November and early December was on. The first meet for Marshalltown was on December 1st at Ankeny Centennial, in which the Jaguars defeated the Bobcats 57-15. Senior 152 1bs Reese Hageman won by fall at 4:31, at 182 lbs Decker Mann won by fall at 4:00 and Jordan Fox won by decision 6-0 at 195 lbs was the only wins by the Bobcats on the night.
Then it was off to the Montezuma Invitational on December 3rd. Hageman took 1st place by fall at 2:41 over Dalton Roberts. Zach Bitker (106 lbs) and Fox (195 lbs) finished 2nd place. Jay Drummer (113 lbs) finished 3rd place and Keygan Hansen (126 lbs) got 4th place.
Des Moines Roosevelt was next up for the Bobcats on Decmeber 8th and the Bobcats went on to win the dual 39-34. Wyatt Himes, Hageman,Fox and Luis Ortiz, all received forfeit wins at 145, 152, 195 and 220 respectively. Zach Bitker won by fall 106 lbs meanwhile Wyatt DeMeyer (138 lbs), Brian Trowbridge (160 lbs) and Chayton French (182 lbs) all took wins by way of a decision.
The Bobcats then headed to the Saydel Invitational on December 10th again it was SR 152 pounder Reese Hageman taking 1st place. The next best finishes was by Brian Trowbridge (160 lbs) and Jordan Fox (195 lbs). Carlos Gomez (138 lbs) took 5th, Decker Mann (170 lbs) took 6th, Zach Bitker (106 lbs) took 7th and Chayton French (182 lbs) took 8th place.
Bobcats took another Dual lost on December 15th at host Dowling Catholic 51-15 despite getting four wins. Andy Bitker (220 lbs) got a win by decision, Hageman (152 lbs) got a win by decision, Trowbridge (160 lbs) got a win by decision and French got a win by pinfall at 182 lbs.
Next up was originally suppose to be December 17th at Iowa City Regina for the Regina Invitational but because of the weather the day/night before the decision was made by school system to not make the trip because of possible terrible road conditions in the morning.
Bobcats returned to the mat on Tuesday December 20th for what was originally scheduled to be the last dual of the 2016 part of the season, this would be the first home dual of the season against Mason City. Mohawks would take the dual over Marshalltown by 46-27 score. Bobcats won the first five matches: Carlos Gomez (138 lbs) by pinfall, Wyatt Himes (145 lbs) by a decision, Reese Hageman (152 lbs) by a decision, Brian Trowbridge (160 lbs) by pinfall and Decker Mann (170 lbs) by pinfall. Mason City then won the next eight matches before the Bobcats took the final match at 132 lbs when Tristen Traylor took a 10-4 decision.
Eagle Grove called and the the decision was made the Bobcats would take part in the Eagle Invitational on Thursday December 22nd giving the wrestlers one more chance to wrestle before they take a two week hiatus. Bobcats won three of four duals, Saint Ansgar (43-34), Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (60-19) and St. Edmond, Fort Dodge (66-12). The lone loss for the Bobcats was against host Eagle Grove 43-30. Zach Bitker, Hageman, Mann and Fox all took four wins on the night. Keygan Hansen, Gomez and French all win 3-1 on the night.
Bobcats returned to action on Januray 5th for a home dual against the Johnston Dragons. Dragons took the win 59-18 moving the Bobcats to 4-5 in duals. Bobcats opened the dual with Zach Bitker (106 lbs) with a forfeit victory. Dragons took the next six matches by pinfall or forfeit before Reese Hageman got 8-5 decision win at 152 lbs over Elliott Pohlmeyer. Johnston then took 160 lbs and 170 lbs by pinfall before the Bobcats took a pair of wins. French with a 9-5 win at 182 lbs and then Fox with a pinfall victory over Bobby Piagentini at 195 lbs. Dragons took the remaining bouts by pinfall making it 60-18 but after the 182 lbs match, the dragons was call for unsportmanlike so loss one point.
On Saturday January 7th, the Bobcats hosted the "Allie Morrison" Duals at the MHS Roundhouse. Bobcats lost the opening dual against Creston Orient-Macksburg 57-15, Hageman (152) and Trowbridge (160) won by pinfall and Zach Bitker (106) won by a decision. Bobcats won the second dual by 54-18. After the Dragons and Bobcats split forfeit wins, Tristen Traylor won by pinfall at 132 lbs. Hageman (152), French (182), Fox (195), Andy Bitker (220) and Ortiz (285) won by pinfall before the Bobcats received two forfeit wins at 106 and 113 by Zach Bitker and Jay Drummer. Third dual of the day, Norwalk defeated the Bobcats 52-18. Gomez (138) and Ortiz (285) each took pinfall wins meanwhile Trowbridge (160) and Fox (195) took decision victories. The Cross-Over dual saw Marshalltown take down East Marshall/GMG 41-28. Wyatt Himes (145) got a win by Technical Fall, Hageman (152) got a win by pinfall, French (182) got a win by forfeit, Fox (195) got a pinfall win, Andy Bitker (220) took a forfeit win as did Zach Bitker at 106 lbs. The final dual of the day was for placing and that meant the Bobcats faced off against Webster City Lynx. Lynx out dualed the Bobcats and took the win 42-34. Gomez (138), Hageman (152) and Trowbridge (160) got pinfall wins. French (182) and Drummer (113) got forfeit wins and Fox (195) won by a 9-0 major decision.
Thursday January 12th saw the Bobcats take to the mat against the Fort Dodge Dodgers. The Dodgers won 13 of 14 matches taking the dual 64-6. The only win by the Bobcats came at 220 lbs when Andy Bitker won by pinfall over Lazaro Lerma.
It was then off to Cedar Rapids Jefferson for the J-Hawk Invitational. The event staff did an amazing job and made sure my handicap sister could watch the wrestling action specially watching our brother Jordan wrestle so kudos to the event staff. The day however did not go very well as only two of ten Bobcats placed in the top six. Hageman finished second at 152 lbs losing to Cayd Lara in the final. Luis Ortiz finished 6th at 285 lbs losing to Kaleb Zeiser in the 5th place match.
On Tuesday January 17th, Marshalltown headed to Urbandale to face the J-Hawks in a dual meet in the North Gym. J-Hawks took the dual 57-21. Hageman (152) won by pinfall, French (182) won by decision, Fox (195) won by pinfall and Andy Bitker (220) won by a forfeit. J-Hawks took all other matches on the night.
Saturday January 21st, The Bobcats headed to Ankeny for the Ankeny Duals which begining next year will be renamed "Dave Ewing" Duals honoring former Ankeny Hawks Wrestling Coach who has retired from coaching. Marshalltown ended up losing all five duals. Ankeny (69-9), Ottumwa (48-28), Sioux City North (40-27), Bondurant-Farrar (42-24) and Spencer (42-29). Hageman (152) won all five of his matches on the day. Andy Bitker (220 lbs) won four matches by pinfall after losing the first match of the day. Himes (145) and Trowbridge (160) both went 3-2 on the day. Fox (195) went 2-2 on the day after having to sit out the first dual against Ankeny.
All Central Iowa Metropolitian League Teams was off until Friday January 27th for the CIML Invitational that took place at Southeast Polk High School. Hageman (152) went 4-1 on the day with his only lost in the quarterfinals to Des Moines Lincoln's Shawn Brown, Hageman won three times on the backside to take fifth place. Only other Bobcat to place was Carlos Gomez at 138 lbs with at 8th place finish. Five Bobcat went 1-2 but did not place: Keygan
Hansen (126), Brian Trowbridge (160), Jordan Fox (195), Andy Bitker
(220) and Luis Ortiz (285).
Next Up for the Bobcats is a Double Dual on Thursday February 2nd against Ottumwa and Waukee before they take nine days to get ready for the District Wrestling Tournament at Waverly-Shell Rock against Cedar Falls, Dubuque Senior, Epworth (Western Dubuque), Mason City, Waterloo East, Waterloo West and host Waverly-Shell Rock.
This season at the home duals, I have been very busy as I was asked to do Track Wrestling by Bobcat's head coach Mike Mann which I have had a blast doing all season it will be sad to see the season come to an end but that means Racing season is right around the corner. To follow along with the duals on Thursday, district meets or the state wrestling tournament check out http://www.trackwrestling.com/
Besides following the Bobcats, I have also been following Marshalltown Community College Tiger Basketball teams. After opening the conference play with at win at Southeastern Blackhawks, the Tigers have lost three straight conference games against league leaders Indian Hills Warriors (at Home), Iowa Western Reivers (at Home) and Northeast Hawks from Norfolk, Nebraska (on the road). The Tigers look to go in to the second stretch of Conference games on Wednesday Night against Southeastern. To follow all of Iowa Community Colleges Sports check out http://www.iccac.com/
As of right now it appears my first race will be World Nationals at the Marshalltown Speedway, March 30th through April 1st which will be completely IMCA sanctioned for the Modifieds. I would like to go to Beatrice Spring Nationals but doubt I can both days however I hear a rumor that the Boone Speedway will have a 50th Anniversary Celebration on March 24th through 26th so that may end up being the first race for me instead.
