Mustangs topple Ottumwa in season opener

By KELLY TERPSTRA, Courier sports writer

OTTUMWA — Davis County’s Jim Nelson is finally thankful for a full lineup.

The cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie consumed last week by the Mustang wrestling coach also sends its regards.

Maroon and yellow grappling fans from in and around Bloomfield will probably be sending their well wishes to Nelson as well.

The treat for Nelson is well-deserved after his Mustangs knocked off Ottumwa, 43-29 in the prep wrestling season opener on Monday night at Evans Middle School.

Clear-cut, concise and no doubt about it — unlike last year, when Ottumwa squeaked out a tiebreaker win on criteria.

“This is the first time in five years I’ve been able to fill my lineup,” said Nelson, in his fifth year at DHS.

That win versus Davis County was Ottumwa’s only victory last year as it went 1-11 in duals.

Bulldog injuries gave Davis County an upper hand right off the bat Monday.

Ottumwa had three open spots, handing the Mustangs a quick 18 points in advantage. Davis County needed all those points as it fell behind 13-0.

The meet started with a competitive match at 130 between two good wrestlers in Ottumwa junior Angelo Kelly and DC junior Chase Houston.

Kelly’s offense was limited, but he pulled out an 11-4 decision in spite of that lack of firing punch.

“The thing that I was disappointed in him tonight was he didn’t open up his offense. He let Houston do all the offense and we scored off of that,” said Ottumwa head coach Kevin Cochran, in his second year with the Bulldogs.

Kelly is still the sort of wrestler Cochran likes on his team — the type that never gives up and is relentless.

“He’s just a battler,” said Cochran. “He’s a hard-nosed kid. He’s going to keep coming at you and keep coming at you.”

Sophomore Cody Strode stuck the Mustangs’ Clint Foster at 135 in just 1:00. The Bulldog wrestled for Pella last season.

Ottumwa’s much-talked about 140-pounder, Josh Greiner, got up early on sophomore Jeremiah Garber at 140. Greiner is the hammer for Cochran this year and is ranked fourth at 125 pounds by the Predicament Web Site. He went 39-7 last year and was a state qualifier.

That didn’t seem to intimidate Garber during a first period that saw six Greiner takedowns after the Bulldog’s constant cutting of the Mustang grappler.

With Greiner up 12-5, Garber put Greiner on his back with a reversal and almost scored near-fall points on the edge of the mat. The two-time state qualifier quickly regrouped after the misfired throw and closed out Garber by major — 19-10.

“It would have been nice to be in the middle of the mat,” said Nelson.

Cochran wasn’t too concerned about the tense action that saw Greiner in an extremely uncharacteristic position — on his back.

“At districts last year, he got thrown twice against Iowa City High. That’s how you learn. I’d rather have it happen now than never happen,” said Cochran.

Junior Zach Fligg, a state qualifier as a freshman for DC, got the Mustangs on the board at 145 with a quick pin over Alex Stephens.

Barry Harsch (152), a senior, stuck OHS sophomore Kyle Himes in 1:03.

Those two Mustang wins, followed by a forfeit and a 13-1 major decision by Dylan Nelson, Jim’s son, over Colton Sumner at 171, gave Davis County a 22-13 lead at that point.

Tanner Pilkington, one of Ottumwa’s best wrestlers, stopped the run at 189 as he was all over Willy Bremer from the start. The match ended in Pilkington’s favor by pin at exactly 1:00.

Zach Hale wrapped up the match for Mustang fans at 215 with a pin over Ronald Forney in 2:12. With two forfeits still yet to be put on the board at 103 and 112, the math would not allow an Ottumwa victory.

Ottumwa’s Andy Orona fought hard at heavyweight but could not pull out his match versus Taylor Soliday. Soliday won with a takedown and near-fall points in overtime — 8-4. Two stalling points and an illegal full nelson added to the extra session.

One of Ottumwa’s future stars got his first win as a Bulldog. Freshman Karsten VanVelsor stuck Dillon Newton in 2:40 at 119.

VanVelsor has all the makings of wrestler that could turn the Bulldog program around.

“I told him, ‘hey, you go out and get your first win in to what I would call, a very successful career ahead as an Ottumwa Bulldog,’” said Cochran.

Richie Sosa ended the evening on a high note for Ottumwa with a 21-13 win over Sam Johnson at 125.

Ottumwa wrestles Waukee at home Thursday.



Davis County 43, Ottumwa 29

103 — Jaden Brady (D) forfeit. 112 — Kolt Hamburg (D) forfeit. 119 — Karsten VanVelsor (O) won by fall over Dillon Newton 2:40. 125 — Richie Sosa (O) maj. dec. 21-13 over Sam Johnson. 130 — Angelo Kelly (O) dec. 11-4 over Chase Houston. 135 — Cody Strode (O) won by fall over Clint Foster 1:00. 140 — Josh Greiner (O) maj. dec. 19-10 over Jeremiah Garber. 145 — Zach Fligg (D) won by fall over Alex Stephens 1:40. 152 — Barry Harsch (D) won by fall over Kyle Himes 1:03. 160 — Jacob Jones (D) forfeit. 171 — Dylan Nelson (D) maj. dec. 13-1 over Colton Sumner. 189 — Tanner Pilkington (O) won by fall over Willy Bremer 1:00. 215 — Zach Hale (D) won by fall over Ronald Forney 2:12. HWT — Taylor Soliday (D) dec. 8-4 (OT) over Andy Orona.

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