Wrestling in the 220-pound weight class, Bitburg's Jakub Jackowski gets leverage over Wiesbaden's Andrew Tiedke in a tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. Jackowski won the match. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
Wrestling in the 220-pound weight class, Bitburg's Jakub Jackowski gets leverage over Wiesbaden's Andrew Tiedke in a tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. Jackowski won the match. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
In the 145-pound weight class, Tigers' Alex McReady gains control over Barons' Andrew Bailey for a pin in a wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. McReady pinned Bailey in 1 minute and 28 seconds. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH's Anthony Doerfer wrestles Wiesbaden's Henry Etheridge in the 113-pound weight class at a wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. Doerfer beat Etheridge and went on to take first place in his weight division. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
220-pound champ Hunter Lunasin from Wiesbaden prepares Jakub Jackowski for a pin, which he accomplished in 27 seconds at a wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
Warriors' Caleb Magowan is inverted by Buccaneers' Terence Wilson in the 132-pound weight class at a wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden. Magowan defeated Wilson but was eventually stopped by Barons' Brandon Beaumont for tops in the weight division. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
Ansbach's Kelly McKaskill gets the better of Wiesbaden's Jordan Reed in the 132-pound weight class at a wrestling tournament Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 in Wiesbaden, Germany. McKaskill eventually won the match in a major 21-7 decision. (Eric A. Brown/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany — The next time the Wiesbaden Warriors entertain fellow wrestlers from around Europe, it’ll be for places in the DODDS European championships.
But Feb. 13-14 is a long ways away.
And some of those wrestling Saturday in a six-team meet were only competing in their second high school event. Others were trying to regain the form they displayed with strong showings last year.
The home team has one of the stronger programs in Europe.
The Warriors finished a distant second to defending European champion Patch in the season opener last week. But many of its wrestlers looked like they could eventually be contenders Saturday. And sometimes, their toughest competition came in the form of fellow Warriors.
Returning DODDS-Europe champion Hunter Lunasin remained tops in his 220-pound weight class. Matthew Hall defeated fellow Warrior Alfred Freed to take first at 152 pounds.
Warriors’ head coach Chris Evans explained that Hall’s match against his fellow teammate was the hardest of the day for him, but “for the most part he controlled it.”
Top wrestlers from the other teams present, though perhaps fewer in number than Wiesbaden’s corps, made their mark as well.
Bitburg’s Brandon Beaumont, who ended up beating Wiesbaden’s Caleb Magowan to take first-place at 132, is wrestling at a higher weight than a year ago.
Coach Brent Bent said his wrestler took third at 126 pounds a year ago and hopes to at least duplicate that feat at the heavier class.
But most wrestlers in the Barons’ lineup are fairly new to the sport, though they “show improvement each week,” Bent said. AFNORTH’s Anthony Doerfer was impressive as he pinned both of his opponents for the top spot in the 113-pound weight class.
“He will be one of the favorites in the 113-pound weight class at the European Championship,” Lions head coach Gregory Blankenship said. “He is a hard working senior who benches 235 pounds in the weight room and continues to improve his wrestling technique each week on the mat.”
N’ton Shiers took the 126-pound class, following a 47-second pin of fellow Warrior Charity Lindsey.
Other top finishers included Baumholder’s Michael Holliday in the 120-pound weight class, Wiesbaden’s Zachary Krapf at 160, Wiesbaden's Matthew Hall at 152, Ian Hughes at 182, Markus Buzbee at 195, and David Hemhill at 285.
Hohenfels’ Jade Masterson came in first at 138 and teammate Alex McReady succumbed to the Warriors’ Montgomery Smith in a tight 7-6 decision for first at 145.
Baumholder’s Justin Valdez secured the 170-pound weight class after he pinned AFNORTH’s Evan Pryga in just over three minutes. Lunasin remained on top of the crowded weight class after pinning Bitburg’s Jakub Jackowski in 27 seconds.
