Wildcat wrestlers start the season perfect, 3-0

MARION - With 12 wrestlers returning from last season, the Marion High School team is looking for another good season on the mat.

The Wildcats finished with a 25-12 dual meet record last season and were ranked as a team throughout by the Illinois Coach and Official Association.

Head coach Darren Lindsey will have five seniors among the dozen returning wrestlers, led by Gaige Owens, a state qualifier who went 42-12 last season, along with River Flute, who went 44-4.

Both were regional champs as well as All-South 7 Conference selections and were named to the All-South team.

Also returning is junior Jade Nappier, the only female on the squad. Nappier placed third at the Girls State Wrestling Championships last year.

Sophomore Nate Dampier will also return to the mat for the Wildcats. Dampier is a returning state qualifier and regional champ who owned a 44-4 record last season, when he was named All-Conference and All-South.

The expectations have panned out so far, for Lindsey and his team, who have started off the season with three wins.

Wildcats down East St. Louis, 39-24

The matched started at 285 with Marion freshman Kayne Gunn winning with a second period pin in 2:45 against Rizean Williams.

Gage Kent followed against a powerful foe in Jaymz Young. Young won by disqualification to pull the match to a 6-6 tie. Marion forfeited to Melvin Rogers giving E St. Louis a 12-6 lead.

The next match was Gaige Owens, one of Marion's top returning wrestlers. Owens wrestled a tough senior Zion Wilhite, winning a tough 7-3 decision.

Then the match of the day at 132 had Marion senior Landon White and Kendrionte Lindsey battle for six hard minutes. White held on for a 23-20 decision, tying up the match scoring at 12.

Kaden Barber was next at 138 against Demetrius Golliday, Barber won by pin in 2:15, giving Marion an 18-12 lead.

At 145 Nate Dampier made short work of Cody Powell with a 20-second pin.

Aden White received a forfeit at 152 increasing Marion's lead to 30-12.

Malakei Weatherly lost by pin to Jabron Grissom in the 170 match.

In the 182 class, Flute won a 7-1 decision against James Young, increasing the Wildcats lead to 39-18.

Eli Wirthes lost by pin to Fred Morris in the 220 class, but the Wildcats held on to win the dual meet, 39-24.

Wildcats double up Highland

The Wildcats never looked back in this match.

Kent dominated Jaiden Thole by pin in 30 seconds.

Marion forfeited the 120 class but Wildcats Owens and Barber both took forfeits to give Marion the lead, 18-6.

Landon White then won with a quick 18-second pin of Bryce Kirsch followed by Dampier's narrow decision victory over Ben Mitchell, increasing the Wildcat lead to 27-6.

Aiden White followed with a 24-second pin of Cole Reed before Marion forfeited to Trevor Bowman at 160.

Malikei Weatherly and Clayton Tanner won by forfeits at 170 and 182 increasing the lead to 45-12. At 195 River Flute fought hard against senior Alex Reed and Flute won a 11-3 decision.

Marion sent out freshmen Eli Wirthes and Garret Berendson in the 220 and 285 classes, but both lost by pin.

Marion hung on to win 49-24.

Wildcats win thriller over powerhouse Cape Central Missouri.

After forfeiting the 113 and 120 classes, Marion quickly fell behind until Owens won by tech fall, 18-1 in 3:13.

Landon White was in a 6-5 match with Tyles Sikes when he got caught in a bad position and was pinned at 4:49.

Kaden Barber was dominated by Dawson Bevers in a 13-0 loss at 138.

Then, the Wildcats began their comeback with Aden White in a back and forth match with Jeremiah Johnson. White won by pin in 1:51.

Senior Allen Abernathy got a surprise pin, cutting Cape's lead to 22-17.

Marion forfeited 160 to Dylan Jordan, following by freshman Malakei Weatherly's loss by pin, allowing Cape to stretch the lead, 34-17.

River Flute got a pin at 182, cutting the lead to 34-23.

Marion then bumped up 182 wrestler Clayton Tanner to 195 to battle a muscled-up Anthony Robinson.

Tanner was giving up 25 pounds to Robinson but came at him aggressively and scored two quick takedown before securing the pin at 1:36, cutting the Cape lead to five.

Freshman Eli Wirthes was pinned quickly in the 220 class, giving Cape a 40-29 lead with only two matches left.

Freshman Kayne Gunn pinned Tanner Mendoza in 30 second in the 285 class, cutting the lead to only six, with only the 106 match left to decide the match.

Marion sent out senior Gage Kent and Cape couldn't counter, deciding to forfeit, giving Marion the thriller win, 41-40.