March 29, 2024

Roadrunners place sixth at Rich Gray Classic

TRURO — Interstate 35 finished sixth at the home Rich Gray Classic here Saturday, scoring 120 points. The Roadrunners finished ahead of Pride of Iowa Conference rival Southeast Warren, which placed seventh with 102 points.

Albia won the team competition, scoring 212 points. Norwalk finished second at 179 and Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont placed third with 175.5 points.

Seven Roadrunner wrestlers placed at the tournament, highlighted by three runner-up performances.

Austin Pontier (120), Lonnie Harper (195) and Bobby Heilman (285) all placed second for Interstate 35. Sal Arzani (152) finished third, while Paul Queck (132), Dante Arzani (170) and Garret Thompson (220) finished sixth.

Pontier pinned Newman Catholic's Spencer Pham in 3:25 in the quarterfinals, and then won a 6-4 decision in overtime against Central Springs' Matthew McDonough, advancing to the championship match.

Southeast Warren's Jonathon Hardy, 20-3 for the season, won a 5-0 decision over Pontier in the finals.

At 195, Harper pinned Van Buren's Mitch Garrels in 1:27 and then won by forfeit over Southeast Warren's Ty Schnieder in the semifinals. Carter Islay of Albia, 48-0 for the season, then pinned Harper in 1:47 in the championship match.

Heilman pinned Van Buren's Dalton Brambaugh in :46 in the 285 pound quarterfinals and then pinned West Marshall's Alex Schaper in 1:25 in the semifinals. Tommy Dalton of Central Springs pinned Heilman in 4:53 in the finals.

Sal Arzani placed third at 152 pounds. Arzani won a 6-2 decision Levi Nettleton of Central Springs in the quarterfinal before losing a 14-8 decision to Albia's Griffin Osing (28-4) in the semifinals. Arzani picked up a 5-1 decision over Southeast Warren's Jacob Hoch in the third-place match.

At 132 pounds, Queck placed sixth for the Roadrunners. After losing his quarterfinal match by a 6-1 decision to West Marshall's Chad Berrey, Queck received a bye in the consolation rounds and then pinned Newman Catholic's Ben Gribben in 1:04.

Queck lost a 4-2 decision to Tucker Patrick (31-4) of Guthrie Center in the fifth-place match.

Dante Arzani placed sixth at 170 pounds. Arzani lost an 8-0 major decision in the quarterfinals to Norwalk's Blake Hoover. He then pinned Martensdale-St. Mary's Lane Gehringer in 3:24 in the consolation rounds before winning by forfeit over Kuemper Catholic's Nathan Becker in the consolation semifinals.

Arzani lost a 6-4 decision to Central Springs' Cam Moorehead in the fifth-place match.

At 220 pounds, Thompson finished sixth. Thompson won his first match by fall in :37 over Gabe Tedrow of Van Buren, before losing by fall to Guthrie Center's Cale Crowder.

Thompson received a bye in the consolation rounds and then pinned Southeast Warren's Brian Jimenez in 1:29 in the consolation semifinals. He then lost an 8-2 decision to Tyler Casady of West Marshall in the fifth-place match.

The Roadrunners return to action today at Interstate 35.