The Ballard men's wrestling team had a busy night on Thursday, splitting a double dual against Des Moines Lincoln and Carlisle. Ballard dominated Des Moines Lincoln with a commanding 77-6 victory, showcasing their depth and strength across all weight classes. The Bombers secured eight wins by forfeit and added five pins, with standout performances from Easton Enyeart at 120 pounds, who pinned Chris Vyagusenge in just 1:03, and Jaxon Shafer at 175 pounds, who made quick work of Patrick Johnson with a pin in just 20 seconds. Rhett Hedrick delivered the fastest pin of the dual, defeating Anthony Macareno in only 16 seconds. Tucker Vitzthum added to the team's success with a technical fall victory over Erik Alvarado, winning 18-3 in 4:52. The lone setback in the dual came at 150 pounds, where Des Moines Lincoln earned their only points with a forfeit win.
In their second dual of the night, Ballard faced a tough opponent in Carlisle, falling 56-16. The Bombers fought hard, with Easton Enyeart continuing his stellar evening by pinning Connor Sutton in 1:12. Owen Davidson earned a forfeit victory at 113 pounds, and Jace Cory battled to a major decision over Mario Hamm at 157 pounds, winning 14-6. Despite these strong performances, Carlisle's depth and dominance in several key weight classes proved too much. Highlights for Carlisle included Noah Noland's technical fall over Jaxon Shafer at 175 pounds and Andy Crowder's major decision win over Daniel Campbell at heavyweight.
Despite the split results, Ballard continues to show resilience and growth as the season progresses. "Our wrestlers put in a strong effort tonight," said Coach Dillon Combs. "We had some excellent individual performances, and we'll use this as an opportunity to improve heading into the Rich Gray Tournament." With a record of 14-4 overall and 5-3 in conference duals, the Bombers will look to build on their success at the Rich Gray Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, January 25, at I-35 High School. The tournament begins at 9:30 AM, and Ballard hopes to make a strong showing as they continue their season.
DES MOINES LINCOLN RESULTS
106 lb Gabe Rhiner (Ballard) - OPEN
113 lb Owen Davidson (Ballard) - OPEN
120 lb Easton Enyeart (Ballard) over Chris Vyagusenge (Des Moines Lincoln) (Fall 1:03)
126 lb Grayson Hedrick (Ballard) - OPEN
132 lb Tony Horness (Ballard) - OPEN
138 lb Jacob Harrison (Ballard) - OPEN
144 lb Carter Jeffs (Ballard) - OPEN
150 lb Gabe Kruse (Des Moines Lincoln) - OPEN
157 lb Jace Cory (Ballard) - OPEN
165 lb Tucker Vitzthum (Ballard) over Erik Alvarado (Des Moines Lincoln) (TF 18-3 4:52)
175 lb Jaxon Shafer (Ballard) over Patrick Johnson (Des Moines Lincoln) (Fall 0:20)
190 lb Rhett Hedrick (Ballard) over Anthony Macareno (Des Moines Lincoln) (Fall 0:16)
215 lb Jackson Wacha (Ballard) - OPEN
285 lb Daniel Campbell (Ballard) over Dylan Klier (Des Moines Lincoln) (Fall 1:59)
CARLISLE RESULTS
106 lb Braxton Hummel (Carlisle) over Nolan Adams (Ballard) (Fall 1:46)
113 lb Owen Davidson (Ballard) - OPEN
120 lb Easton Enyeart (Ballard) over Connor Sutton (Carlisle) (Fall 1:12)
126 lb Sullivan Baccam (Carlisle) over Grayson Hedrick (Ballard) (TF 19-1 6:00)
132 lb Aiden Serrano (Carlisle) over Tony Horness (Ballard) (TF 20-5 1:28)
138 lb Ryan Rider (Carlisle) over Jacob Harrison (Ballard) (MD 11-1)
144 lb Sevastian Soto (Carlisle) over Carter Jeffs (Ballard) (Fall 1:00)
150 lb Mason Lucas (Carlisle) - OPEN
157 lb Jace Cory (Ballard) over Mario Hamm (Carlisle) (MD 14-6)
165 lb Jaxon Miller (Carlisle) over Tucker Vitzthum (Ballard) (Dec 11-5)
175 lb Noah Noland (Carlisle) over Jaxon Shafer (Ballard) (TF 16-1 5:03)
190 lb Asa Hemsted (Carlisle) over Rhett Hedrick (Ballard) (Fall 1:38)
215 lb Reichen Lopez (Carlisle) over Jackson Wacha (Ballard) (Fall 3:41)
285 lb Andy Crowder (Carlisle) over Daniel Campbell (Ballard) (MD 18-4)
Photo Credit: Davidson Photography