By Fred Kroner
Wrestling at Mahomet-Seymour means opportunities for more than just the top grapplers to compete.
Thanks to an ambitious schedule, which would place individuals over their maximum number of matches allowed (45) during the regular season, Bulldog coach Rob Ledin is able to get varsity matches for a number of different squad members.
On Thursday (Dec. 9), eight Bulldogs made their season debuts at St. Thomas More on a night where M-S topped the host Sabers 48-12 and lost a narrow decision to Westville/Georgetown-Ridge Farm, 33-27.
In non-forfeited matches for the evening, M-S won 8 of 14 matches, going 5-5 against Westville/G-RF and 3-1 against St. Thomas More.
Leading the way for the Bulldogs was Mikane Didier, the entrant in the 285-pound class. He posted pins in 5 minutes and 19 seconds as well as in 1:07.
Camden Heinold (120 pounds) had the quickest M-S fall of the night, 25 seconds. Teammates Caleb Bundren (138 pounds) and Collin Woodward (182 pounds) each needed 40 seconds to register a pin.
Jack Jessup (126 pounds) earned a pin in 3:12 and Jacob Dobbins (160 pounds) collected a pin in 2:48.
The other Bulldog to win a non-forfeited match was Aiden Crull (170 pounds), who recorded a 5-2 decision.
On Saturday (Dec. 11), M-S beat four opponents in the Pekin Super Duals, besting Mascoutah, 54-21, Granite City, 41-17, Triad, 45-35, and Pekin, 46-27.
Ledin continued to shuffle his lineup so that numerous athletes are able to get varsity matches. Overall, 20 Bulldogs represented the school at Pekin and their cumulative record was 33-18 with 17 pins.
Leading the way were Camden Heinold (4-0 at 120 pounds with two pins), Braeden Heinold (3-0 at 152 pounds with three first-period pins), Tallen Pawlak (3-1 at 138 or 145 pounds with two pins) and Camden Harms (3-1 at 285 pounds with three pins).
Other Bulldogs with pins were Caden Hatton (2-0 at 106 pounds with two first-period falls), Gage Decker (1-1 at 132 pounds with one pin), Nicholas Demos (2-1 at 160 or 170 pounds with one pin), Brayden Lamb (2-1 at 195 pounds with one pin), and Colton Crowley (2-1 at 220 pounds with one pin).
Two other Bulldogs won non-forfeited matches during the day: Dobbins was 2-0 at 160 or 170 pounds, including a 17-2 technical fall victory and Mateo Casillas was 1-0 at 195 pounds, with a 12-6 triumph.
For the season, four M-S grapplers have at least 10 wins. The team leaders are: Casillas (13 wins), Braeden Heinold (13 wins), Brennan Houser (13 wins at 170 pounds) and Hatton (12 wins).
The Bulldogs (11-3) will host Clinton on Tuesday (Dec. 14). M-S was ranked No. 8 in the latest IWCOA Class 2A state poll.
Individually, three Bulldogs are rated among the top four in their respective weight classes: Hatton (No. 4 at 106), Houser (No. 2 at 170) and Casillas (No. 2 at 195).
