Red Devils Compete at Mike Duroe Invitational
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Eureka men's and women's wrestling teams competed at the Mike Duroe Invitational on Saturday in Mount Vernon, Iowa.
On the men's side, Jake Jozwiak (125 pounds) won his first match by fall in 3:44 but struggled in his next two bouts, eventually falling 17-7 by major decision in the consolation bracket. Isaac Smith (133 pounds) opened with a loss by fall in 1:34 but bounced back with a win by fall in 1:20 before being pinned again in his final match. Gaige Owens (141 pounds) had a solid start, winning 7-5 by decision and 16-1 by technical fall. However, he lost 10-0 by major decision and ended his day with a medical forfeit. Alex Muhammad (165 pounds) advanced with a bye but lost by technical fall in his next match. He finished with a win by fall and a loss by major decision.
"Although we didn't have any placers on the men's side, the guys wrestled well, especially given the tough competition from some of the top teams in the nation," Head Coach Eric Biehl said after the meet.
On the women's side, Sofia Kawano (103 pounds), Kyley Bair (110 pounds), and Natallie Tobuk (131 pounds) all made impressive runs to the finals. Kawano earned a win by fall and a win by decision to advance to the final, where she finished in second place after a loss by fall. Bair also finished second after a win by fall in just 1:00, followed by a dominant 10-0 win by technical fall, before losing 10-0 by technical fall in the final. Tobuk claimed second place after two victories by decision and one by technical fall, before losing by fall in the final. Tayla Phillips (207 pounds) earned a fifth-place finish after going 2-1 in the consolation bracket, with a win by fall, a loss by fall, and a win by decision in the fifth-place match.
"The women had a fantastic showing, with three reaching the finals and one finishing fifth. I'm incredibly proud of how everyone competed today," Biehl added.
UP NEXT
The Red Devils will return to action at home on Thursday, Jan. 23, when they take on Joliet in a dual meet. The meet is set to begin at 6:00 p.m., with Eureka's senior class being honored prior to the match.