Last night the RBHS wrestling team traveled to Jefferson City hoping to extend their four dual win streak against district opponent Jefferson City and class four opponent Rockhurst. Coming into the match up the Bruins had four straight wins over Helias Catholic, crosstown rivals Hickman and Battle and Centralia.
In the first dual Jeff City bested Rockhurst 35-33 weathering the storm from Rockhurst who came storming back after an early deficit with pins at 106 and 113 pounds. Going into the final match at 120 pounds the Jays needed either a pin or a technical fall to win the dual and junior Corbin Howard delivered with a decisive pin to seal the dual for the Jays.
In the second dual the Bruins edged Rockhurst 42-40. The Bruins got off to a strong start jumping to an early 24-0 lead. At 132 pounds Quinn Smith took the open, followed by three consecutive pins from senior Jason Kiehne at 138 pounds, senior Sam Crane at 145 and junior Graham Ratermann at 152 pounds. The Bruins dropped the 160 and 170 pound matches before senior Cody Maly recorded a first period pin at 182 pounds. At 195 and 220 pounds the Bruins lost as well but junior heavyweight Joe Boettcher picked the Bruins back up as his opponent injury defaulted after Boettcher put on a dominating display through two periods.
In the 106 pound weight class freshman Brock Davis faced off against sixth ranked Cameron Valdiviez of Rockhurst in what would turn out to be the deciding match of the dual. With both teams neck in neck, Davis was able to avoid surrendering bonus points in the form of a pin or technical fall and went the distance with Valdiviez giving up only a major decision. At 113 pounds Rockhurst would record another pin and at 120 pounds sophomore Josiah Kline pinned his opponent to end the duel 42-40.
In the last duel of the evening Jefferson City defeated the Bruins 45-25. Starting off the action at 138 pounds Jason Kiehne recorded a technical fall. In the most anticipated match of the night sophomore Logan Moriarty currently ranked fourth in the state in class four for the Jays squared off against number one ranked Sam Crane. In a back and forth match Moriarty barely edged Crane 7-6. At 152 pounds Graham Ratermann recorded another technical fall for the Bruins putting the Bruins ahead 10-3 through three matches. At 160 and 170 pounds the Bruins dropped tough matches but yet again senior Cody Maly picked the team back up with a quick pin at 182 pounds.
Things would go south for the Bruins from that point losing five straight matches from 195-113. At 113 pounds freshman Bo Blomenkamp lost a hard fought match in overtime. In the 120 pound match Josiah Kline pinned the Jay’s Corbin Howard, at 126 the Bruins dropped another match before Quinn Smith recorded a 3-0 decision over Jeff City’s Jacob Brune to end the dual.
The loss to Jeff City snapped the Bruin’s dual win streak. The Bruin’s last duel loss occurred exactly a month ago in a 48-30 defeat against Eureka on their way to a fourth place finish at the Missouri Duals. The fifth ranked Bruin’s next see action this friday and saturday at the Saint Charles West Invitational which features two ranked class four teams, sixth ranked Seckman and third ranked Jackson, and out of state opponents Iowa City West, Edwardsville Illinois and Union County, Kentucky. The Bruins return to RBHS for the last home dual of the season Jan. 28 against Seckman and second ranked class three opponent Staley who finished third as a team in 2013 for classs three.
By Graham Ratmann
