In the two weeks before the district meet hosted at Mexico High School, the Bulldogs were on their home mats Saturday in a five-team dual event.

Mexico at home dual meet Photo Gallery

Mexico split the day by defeating Macon 50-12 and California 48-30 but lost to Blair Oaks 39-34 and North Callaway 46-22. It was the Bulldogs’ final chance to tune up before they welcome even more schools in districts.

Head coach Gayle Adams said the team is still nursing injuries, which he is confident will all be fine for districts, and has many he thinks could qualify for state. He said Keegan Koons and Watson Azdell will be back from injuries to add to the group of Grant Van Horn, Gavyn Martin and Evan Wilson, and there could be young guys who could surprise people.

“I like all my guys’ chances,” Adams said. “We’ve got a lot of young kids. We’re going to see where we’re at on (Peyton) Hoover’s injury. Grant Walker has a really good chance at 190. A lot of kids he’s wrestled, he’s split with.”

The reigning state medalist Van Horn finished 4-0 with a pin, two major decisions and a technical fall. Martin won by pin three times before being pinned by reigning third-place state medalist Lane Kimbley, of North Callaway. Evan Wilson went 2-2, winning by a 19-4 technical fall and pin in 30 seconds.
Martin is the team’s only senior as he competed not for the last time at Mexico High School but in his final home meet.

“Gavyn as a senior, can't thank him enough,” Adams said. “He had a great senior year, and hopefully, we can cap it off with a state medal. He’s been great for the program.”

Freshman Jesus Garcia pinned three opponents while being pinned in his other match by Blair Oaks’ Whit Nichols, a reigning state qualifier. Adams said he is among the impressive younger or inexperienced wrestlers Mexico is molding, including the freshman Walker, junior Jacob Johnson, sophomore Quaid Grubb, freshman Mac Haag, freshman Jayden Hodge, and sophomores Dalton Arndt and Dom Watson

“(Garcia’s) a first-year wrestler,” Adams said. “It’s nice to see kids are working hard and getting to that position.”

Arndt had a scare in his match with Blair Oaks’ Brady Kerperin as Arndt was slammed to the mat, stopping the match in its tracks so the trainer could look at him. He couldn’t continue but was awarded the victory due to Kerperin being disqualified.

“They went to get him checked out. I’m hoping he gets the clear,” Adams said. “It’s scary anytime you get slammed like that. They’re high school kids so they’re learning how to wrestle. It wasn’t intentional, but it was scary for his mom, scary for us, the trainer so we hope everything’s good. He’s a tough kid so he’ll bounce back.”

Two Lady Bulldogs place in JV Wonder Woman

In their final tournament before the district meet Friday and Saturday at North Point in Wentzville, the Mexico girls competed in their final regular season tournament.

The Lady Bulldogs had four compete at Saturday’s JV Wonder Woman tournament in St. Charles. Abby Bowen and Karisa Hayden each placed third in their respective weight class.

Bowen won by pin twice and lost by pin once prior to pinning Jackson’s Mollie Metzger in the 125-pound third-place match. At 170 pounds, Hayden went 2-1 in three matches that all ended in pins prior to pinning Northwest’s (Cedar Hill) Kaylee Jernigan.