State wrestling Day 1: Triumphant impact

Staff Report

Victories were plentiful for the local grapplers yesterday as the Greene County wrestling team enjoyed a successful first outing at the state tournament in Des Moines.
Each of the four Rams in attendance picked up a win, with No. 1 Kale Petersen (132 pounds) and top-ranked McKinley Robbins (138 pounds) advancing to today's 2A quarterfinals with ease.

Robbins - in search of his second state title and now 45-0 overall - pinned Clarion-Goldfield-Dows' Kaden Hansen 46 seconds into their second round match.
Petersen - in pursuit of his third state title - manhandled Sioux Center's Kade Bauer to the tune of a 15-5 major decision for his 58th straight win as a Greene County Ram, improving to 39-0 on the season.
Both Robbins and Petersen received first round byes. Between the two of them, they have won 84 consecutive matches this winter.
Sophomore Brent Dennhardt (145 pounds) and junior Gavin Scheuermann (160 pounds) each won their first round matches as well, pinning their opponents.

The 12th-seeded Dennhardt pinned West Marshall's Caden Vellinga in the third period of their first round match after building a big lead.

Eleventh-seeded Scheuermann - quick and strong on his feet - pinned Columbus' Cole Storm 57 seconds into the second period.

Dennhardt was later knocked to the consolation bracket, losing to fifth-seeded Michael Macias of Assumption, 7-2.
Scheuermann was mere moments from his first-ever trip to the quarterfinals, leading 8-2 in the third over sixth-seeded Independence's Carter Shaw before surrendering his advantage and losing in overtime on a takedown, 11-9.
All four Greene County wrestlers are in action this afternoon with the 2A session beginning at 1:30 p.m.