Johnston wrestlers had an eventful weekend with varsity wrestling on Jan. 26 at the Central Iowa Metropolitan League Invitational at Southeast Polk, and junior varsity wrestling at the Indianola junior varsity dual tournament the next day.  The varsity wrestlers scored 145 points, coming in eighth place overall.  Both Zach Price ’18, wrestling at 132 lbs, and Jake Ryan ’18, wrestling at 285 lbs, took first place in their brackets, each scoring 25. points.  Collin Hushagen ’18 defeated Nic Leo from Ankeny Centennial by an 8-2 Decision to take third place in the 170 lb division, earning 17 team points.  Elliot Pohlmeyer ’18 placed fourth in the 145 lb bracket, earning 13 team points.  Wrestling at 120 lbs, Thomas Edwards ’20 won fifth place in his bracket.  Cole Moss ’20 also won fifth in his bracket, which was 152 lbs. Sterling Brunk ’18, at 138 lbs, and Noah Rogers, at 160 lbs, both placed fifth. Rheiner Stahlbaum’s ’21 win by Fall in the first period secured him a seventh-place spot in the 106 lb bracket. At 126, 195, and 220 lbs, Peter Erickson ’21, Javian Rolley ’19, and Ben Standish ’18 took eighth place.

The junior varsity team went to the Indianola Dual Tournament the next day, competing in duals against Des Moines Lincoln, Ankeny, Indianola, Urbandale, and Newton, winning all five duals. In the dual against Des Moines Lincoln, Johnston earned 40 team points compared to Lincoln’s 33 points. Next, Johnston defeated Ankeny with a final score of 41-30. Johnston won in a close dual against Indianola, scoring 38 team points to Indianola’s 34. After defeating Indianola, Johnston went on to defeat Urbandale with a 47-24 final score. Finally, Johnston earned more than double the team points of Newton, with a 54-24 final score.