Hounds lose four on Day 2

DES MOINES –  It was a rougher second day of wrestling for the Fort Madison Bloodhounds at the IHSAA State Wrestling meet in Des Moines.
After going 4-2 on Day 1 wrestling, the Hounds were just 1-4 on Thursday where two of the four Hounds were eliminated.
Junior Cory Arnett made easy work of 24th seed Andy Crawford of Carlisle in his first match of the day in 2nd round consolation wrestling at 285 lbs.
After about 20 seconds of hand fighting, Arnett shoved Crawford to the circle for a restart and then grabbed him around the shoulders with an arm pinned back and twisted him to the mat for a pinfall 45 seconds into the bout to advance to third round wrestlebacks.
But his last match of the day didn’t go as planned against Zach Conlon of Dubuque Hempstead. Conlon came into the tournament seeded 15th to Arnett’s 10th seeding.
The two engaged in the typical pushing and shoving, and hand-fighting to start the match, but Conlon would record a takedown with 30 seconds left in the first period.  Conlon would take the down start and record a quick escape. The two measured each other up again for another minute before Arnett tried a toss on Conlon that backfired with Conlon landing on top for another 2-point takedown. He would work that into a near fall at the left side of the mat, but the horn saved Arnett from a potential pin, saddling him with a 7-0 deficit which would hold up through the third period.
Arnett finished his junior season with a 26-12 record and his first ever trip to Wells-Fargo.
Joe Hartman left everything he had on the mat in his consolation loss to Pella’s Logan Bruxvoort. Hartman had several opportunities to wrench the Dutch to the mat but Bruxvoort was always able to muscle out of Hartman’s grasp. The Fort Madison senior battled through the match without giving up the pin, but fell 12-2 to end his Bloodhound career with a 29-20 season.
Nolan Riddle, wrestling at 157, got through his first two matches on Wednesday only to be rewarded with a bout against Linn-Mar’s Grant Kress, the No. 2 ranked wrestler in 3A at 157 and the top-seed coming into the tournament. Riddle held his own with Kress appearing to wear down the senior. Kress was able to grab Riddle’s leg about 40 seconds into the bout and was able to twist his way to a takedown, but Riddle got an escape after 30 seconds of rolling and twisting out of Kress’ grasp. Kress would score a reversal halfway through the second period, after Riddle had him compromised several times in the tussel off the second period whistle. But no points were awarded because the Hound started the period in the top spot. There was little action in the third period as both wrestlers took a passive approach to the final period.
Ike Thacher (190) got a bye in the first round of wrestling Wednesday, then won his second round match, and then found himself up against 2nd-seed Danarii Michel. The two battled to a 0-0 tie after the first period. Michel started the second down and was able to escape in eight seconds for a 1-point lead. Thacher was cautioned for stalling on two different occasions in the second period and then Michel was awarded a 1-point penalty when Thacher dodged a shot at the circle and went out of bounds, prompting the penalty point. The match would end with Thacher getting a penalty point after Michel shoved him for a second time after the whistle. Michel also gave Thacher a shove at the head after the second period horn had sounded.
Both Riddle and Thacher moved to consolation wrestling starting tomorrow. The best they can do now is third place, but a win tomorrow afternoon in their first match will put them on the podium with at least an 8th place finish.
Thacher will take on Wyatt Young of Cedar Rapids Washington (11th seed, 29-8) with the winner advancing and securing a minimum 8th-place finish and the losing wrestler being eliminated. Riddle will take on Dominic Tigner of Norwalk (12th-seed, 33-10) with the winner advancing and the loser being eliminated.
Wrestling Friday again is in the afternoon session. All place wrestling will take place Saturday with consolation finals in the morning session and finals in the evening after the Grand March.