By Corey Meints, The Times Citizen
Nine Ellsworth Community College sophomores, four women and five men, were honored Wednesday between a pair of dual losses to Iowa Western in the Martin Dittmer Gymnasium. It was their final home duals as the grind continues to the district meet Feb. 14 and 15 in Council Bluffs.
The Reivers gave the Panthers a taste of what to expect at those district meets happen in their hometown. The ECC women fell 48-1 to their sixth-ranked opponent. The Panther men then dropped a 35-24 decision to the 20th-ranked IW squad.
Only Julia Kanne went the distance for the Panthers, falling 13-4 to Hailey Medina. The Reivers' eighth-ranked Paityn Covolo started the rout with a pin at 145. IW followed with falls at 160, 103 and 110.
"I thought we looked tired and unprepared and that's my fault," said head coach Blake Walker. "But I would like to see us wrestle with a little more toughness. That's one thing we lacked tonight and it's where we got beat at. We just need to wrestle a little bit tougher and a little bit meaner."
The men were tied at 12-12 before the nightcap dual even started. Panthers' Nick Needham (125) and Richard Barillas (141) each received forfeits, while the Reivers picked up two free wins at 157 and 197. Josh Berlin (165) and sophomore Giles Cowell (174) were also winners, both picking up pins.
Head men's coach Kaden Karns said it was a good night for his sophomores regardless of the outcome.
"I liked the effort they came out with tonight," Karns said. "I think there was a little more behind it tonight. These guys – Nick Needham, Tyler Roper, Caiden Rentz, Giles Cowell, Kaleb Homan - went through a lot in the last year. Anybody who knows, knows there was a lot of adversity. Just the fact that they came back this year was huge."
For more photos from the match, click here: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fgallery%2f1-29-25-ecc-vs-iowa-western%2fcollection_e37fa0f4-deb4-11ef-b98d-4fdd7e03fd1a.html%231&c=E,1,bZmSWBAnanzvJD9VLdZDuMjPtFkRqB3StKrYVLyXNSDFnz1jEKeWwHX10GViqiywnnKkDsEa5s8J8iliFmR6g4ohe0jSDFugNfPQSNpDdg-qOiOvt9hPbA,,&typo=1
ICCAC Wrestling
Wednesday at Iowa Falls
IWCC 48, ECC 1
145: Paityn Covolo (I) pin Meridian Snitker 2:13; 160: Jocelyn Ambriz (I) pin Cambree Howe 2:04; 180: Ayana Fletcher (I) FF; 207: Jada Bohm (I) FF; 235: Yoseline Perez (I) FF; 103: Savannah Siqueiros (I) pin Melonie Barrilas 5:08; 110: Baillee Cash (I) pin Audrie Felkins 3:34; 117: No Match; 124: Hailey Medina (I) dec. Julia Kanne 13-4; 131: Josie McCunn (I) FF; 138: Emily Kesterson (I) FF.
IWCC 35, ECC 24
125: Nick Needham (E) FF; 133: Aaron Ohnoutka (I) pin Tyler Roper 1:42; 141: Richard Barillas (E) FF; 149: Braxton Peacher (I) pin Caiden Rentz 3:00; 157: Justin Lee (I) FF; 165: Joshua Berlin (E) pin Dawson Bond 2:08; 174: Giles Cowell (E) pin Josiah Taylor 2:55; 184: Omar Palmer (I) pin Kaleb Homan 3:40; 197: Kolby Scott (I) FF; 285: Orion Parker (I) TF Aiden McFadden 22-3 5:53.