Morningside wrestlers shine in home tournament

SIOUX CITY – Nine Morningside grapplers, highlighted by champions Benjamin Schmitz and Jakob Jerabek, placed at the Dave Edmonds Open Saturday inside the Hindman-Hobbs Center in Sioux City. 

Benjamin Schmitz, Brock Bolling, Abraham Dirkx, Caleb Connor, Alex Vandyke, Samuel Moore, Sendeska Kalskett, Jakob Jerabek, and Forrest Hyson all placed on the day. Schmitz earned a major decision in the championship in the 133-pound weight class. Jerabek won in a tiebreaker in the heavyweight championship.

Schmitz picked up a pair of falls to get to the championship match, where he earned a 12-3 major decision.

Jerabek won via fall in the first two rounds, followed by a 6-0 decision in the semifinals and a 3-2 tiebreaker win in the championship. Forrest Hyson placed sixth, earning two wins by fall in the consolation bracket.

In the 141-pound class, Bolling earned a fall in the quarterfinals and a 16-6 major decision in the semifinals. Bolling fell in a decision in the championship. Connor made the championship match at 165. His route included a 20-2 technical fall, a 5-0 decision, and a fall in the semifinals.

Two wrestlers placed in the 174-pound class for the Mustangs. Vandyke earned a fall, 10-7 decision and 3-1 decision to make the championship and place second. Moore earned an 11-2 major decision, a fall in the round of 16, and a 10-3 decision to make the quarterfinals. Moore placed sixth.

At 157, Dirkx earned a 17-2 technical fall in the first round and a 3-1 decision in the quarterfinals. After losing in the semifinals, he picked up a 6-2 decision to get into the third place match. Dirkx finished fourth in the weight class.

Kalskett earned a fourth-place finish at 197, picking up wins by 13-3 major decision, fall, and 14-4 major decision in the consolation bracket.