Sokolik kickstarts Hounds win at BHS

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - Things were iffy for Bloodhound junior Daniel Sokolik in the first match of the night at a rowdy, packed Clark Field House Thursday night.

Sokolik trailed 4-0 after a couple takedowns by Burlington's Julian Perez-Hall. But the junior was able to work an escape with about a minute left in the first period. The two then bellied up and Sokolik executed a vertical throw to get Perez-Hall on his back and smothered him for the pin to give Fort Madison a quick 6-0 lead and bring the crowd immediately into the match.

"That's one of their better kids at 220. Daniel wrestled him Saturday in Fairfield and came out on fire and didn't get in any danger. Tonight he got in some danger and dug a hole, but went back to his stuff and was aggressive and got the pin," Smith said.

Bloodhound junior Daniel Sokolik lands on top of Julian Perez-Hall after a throw in the first period. Sokolik would convert the move into a pin to start the Burlington-Fort Madison dual with a 6-0 win. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC
SMITH

"And that was important because it was kind of the heart of their lineup and we knew we had some tough matches coming and we didn't want to have to dig out of hole. That hole would have been much bigger."

The Hounds and BHS were playing for a newly crafted "Top Dog" traveling trophy that Burlington students built with a plaque that shows the winner of the annual dual meet.

Head Coach Ryan Smith said Burlington created a "fun" environment by holding the event in the smaller field house and by creating the new traveling trophy. BHS even brought the prep band to the event and two referees for each match.

"That's definitely louder than the other gym. It was fun with the band and it was something different, gets the crowd excited and the kids excited."

After Sokolik's win, Fort Madison lost three straight at heavyweight, 106, and 113 before Ayshan Mammadova won by forfeit at 120 for the Bloodhounds to make the score 16-12 BHS.

Seniors Gavin Wiseman and Jakob McGowan hold the new Top Dog trophy created at Burlington High School for the winner of the annual dual meet between the two schools, as Ike Thacher, right, looks on. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Emmett Kruse then battled to a 7-2 decision over Titus Counterman to close the gap to one at 16-15. Kruse scored a takedown in each of the first two periods and a near fall in the third for the win.

Nolan Riddle then put Fort Madison up with a first period fall over Burlington's Blaze Dochterman at 1:05. After a Grayhound forfeit at 138, the Hounds recorded falls in the next four matches, highlighted by Teague Smith's 25-second pin at 160. Jakob McGowan worked a 9-1 decision at 182 and Ike Thacher wrapped things up with a 1:38 pin over Moise Cordero at 195.

The win gives Fort Madison its fourth straight Southeast Conference title.

"The conference championship is something that we strive for as a team. It's a team goal."

Fort Madison is off now until Class 3A District 4 action at Iowa City High February 12th. The top two wrestlers at each weight class advance to the state wrestling tournament in Des Moines.

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