The Monmouth-Roseville Titans wrestling team competed on Saturday for the first time since breaking for the holidays. The Titans traveled to Pekin for the Pekin Invite taking 13 participants. Picking up wins for the Titans, at 106 pounds Bawi Thang won three matches all by pinfall, going undefeated on the day and taking 1st place. At 126 pounds Liam Spears went two and two on the day with both wins coming by way of decision, one by a score of 8-1 and the other by a score of 9-0. At 132 pounds Alejandro Morales went 4-0 on the day winning his matches all by way of pinfall and placing 1st. At 138 pounds Jekxel Rivera went 4-0 on the day winning all by decisions with scores of 3-2, 9-7, 6-1, and 5-1. Jekxel took 1st place as well. At 157 pounds Gabe Ortiz-Mora also went 4-0 on the day with all four wins coming by pinfall and taking first place. At 165 pounds Moises Martinez picked up a victory by way of pinfall going 1-2 on the day. At 175 pounds Landon Montroy went 4-0 on the day with one victory by pinfall, one by tech fall with a score of 17-1, and two by decision with scores of 13-2 and 7-0. Landon also took 1st place. At 190 Pounds Nikoli Snyder went 1-2 on the day with a victory coming by pinfall. Also at 190 pounds, Alex Gandarilla went 3-0 on the day with two wins by pinfall and one by decision with a score of 14-2, Alex also placed 1st. At 215 pounds Jaylyn Mendoza went 1-2 on the day with his one victory by pinfall and placed 4th. At 285 pounds Gavin Bell went 3-1 on the day winning all three by pinfall and placing 2nd place.
The Titans were one of 18 teams at Pekin, with a few 1A schools and a majority of 2A and 3A schools. Going into the finals in second place behind Galesburg by 7 points it was back and forth race to the very end that saw Galesburg victorious with a team score of 214 while Monmouth-Roseville took second with a score of 211. At the end of the day the Titans placed 8 wrestlers, 6 champions, a second-place finisher, and a fourth-place finisher. The Titans look to keep up their success next Wednesday as they travel to Erie for a triangular with Erie-Prophetstown and Mendota.
***Story courtesy of Michelle Prior and Monmouth-Roseville Sports Boosters***
