Setting a standard

RED OAK — Red Oak Head Wrestling Coach Tiegan Podliska describes Red Oak wrestling as getting up and fighting after getting knocked down by adversity.

The Tigers were able to do that last week.

The Tigers split their double dual meet last Thursday in front of a loud home crowd. Red Oak defeated Kuemper Catholic 46-32 and lost to Harlan 46-32.

“If I look at both of those duals, I think of them the same way,” Podliska said. “I think we wrestled better against Harlan, they’re a tough team. Kuemper’s a tough team, but they have some open weights.”

The Tigers came back from a 16-3 deficit against Harlan and took a 32-16 lead.

However, matches down the stretch were in favor of the Cyclones.

Tanner Mertz scored the early points for Red Oak, thanks to a 13-1 major decision.

Geoff Sellers started the rally with a technical fall victory in the third period.

Sellers, the described catalyst for the team, struggled to get the pin, but was able to get the points and help get Red Oak back in the dual.

“Sometimes you’ve got to get what they get you,” Podliska said about Sellers. “He’s a smart wrestler and that’s what he did. That’s what he needed to do.”

Austin Streicher followed up with a second period pinfall and cut the Harlan lead to two points.

Streicher led the match 5-2 after the first period, the only two points he gave up were on locked hands calls.

“It’s tough because of all the padding. As soon as I touch, I can’t feel it,” Streicher said.

Streicher injured his hand wrestling a couple weeks ago. He had to re-learn everything wrestling and use his left hand as the dominant hand for grappling.

“It’s expanding my arsenal, you know,” Streicher said.

Streicher looks forward to getting the cast off this week.

Podliska said he was looking for Streicher to either score some points or save some points.

“He took that and it motivates him,” Podliska said.

Bailey Akers, Tanner Allensworth and Colin Bruce followed up with pinfall wins and the Tigers lead was
Akers was able to score a pinfall at 1:01 against Garrett Erlbacher.

“I talked to Bailey after that match and I told him he’s got to stop trying to give me a heart attack,” Podliska said. “That second match [against Harlan] he came out fast and a little angry, ready to go, but he slowed it down and when he did slow it down, it was to his advantage.”

Allensworth scored the pin over Jacob Koke 43 seconds into the match.

“When he really gets fired up for a match, he goes out there and prevails,” Podliska said about Allensworth.

The Tigers were held winless in the last set of matches though.

In the dual against Kuemper Catholic, Red Oak jumped out to a lead and was able to hang on and clinch the dual thanks to a pinfall win by John Sands at 1:01.

Additionally, Mertz, as well as Tyler Terry, picked up pinfall victories against the Knights.

“We wanted to win two duals, we won one,” Podliska said. “We’re going to stay hungry and we’re going to work hard in the room.”

Central Decatur Tournament

Red Oak finished sixth at the Central Decatur Tournament Friday night, recording a team score of 116 points.
Mertz was the lone individual champion for Red Oak as he took first at 106-pound.

The win was Mertz’s second individual title this season.

Terry finished second for Red Oak at 195-pounds.

Terry went 2-1 during the tournament. Sellers and Petty both finished third at Central Decatur.

Sellers was third at 126-pounds, losing his first match of the season at the tournament.

Petty was third at 113-pounds, going 2-1 at the tournament and picking up two pinfalls.

Caleb Orme and Nick Leinen were fourth at the tournament.

Orme finished fourth at 120-pounds, while Leinen was fourth at 182-pounds.

Mitch Hilder was the other top finisher for Red Oak, taking sixth at 285-pounds.

Red Oak will be on the road next week.

The action kicks off Tuesday when they head to Clarinda Academy to take part in a double-dual against them, as well as Riverside.

Red Oak won both duals against Riverside and Clarinda Academy last season.

Saturday, Red Oak heads to Shenandoah to take part in the Shenandoah Tournament. The action starts at 9 a.m.