The Ballard men's wrestling team made a powerful statement in their first meet after the winter break, delivering a record-setting performance to defeat the Knoxville Panthers 78-5.  The victory marked the Bombers' highest-ever team score in a dual meet and showcased their dominance, as they claimed 13 wins out of 14 matches.

Gabe Rhiner opened the night at 106 pounds with a decisive pin in 1:52 over Dawson Guillion, setting the tone for Ballard's commanding performance.  The momentum continued with Owen Davidson (113 pounds) pinning Grant Garrison in 4:29, followed by Easton Enyeart (120 pounds), Grayson Hedrick (126), and Tony Horness (132), all securing falls in under two minutes.  The Bombers' relentless pace didn't let up, as Jacob Harrison (138 pounds) and Carter Jeffs (144) each earned first-period pins, while Jayden Leland (150) added another dominant fall in 1:29.

One of the highlights of the meet came from Tucker Vitzthum at 165 pounds, who recorded the fastest pin of the night, taking down Cutter Smith in just nine seconds.  Forfeits at 175 and 215 pounds gave additional points to the Bombers, with Jaxon Shafer and Jackson Wacha benefiting from Knoxville's unfilled roster spots.  Rhett Hedrick added an exclamation point at 190 pounds, pinning Christian Braida in a lightning-fast 16 seconds.  The Panthers' lone victory came at 285 pounds, where Regan Roberts defeated Daniel Campbell via technical fall, scoring 17-2 in 3:07.

The Bombers, now 8-3 on the season (2-2 in conference), celebrated the record-breaking win with pride. Head coach Dillon Combs commended the team's aggressive and focused effort, saying, "Breaking the record for team points in a dual is a testament to the hard work and preparation these guys put in every day.  We're excited to carry this momentum forward."

Ballard looks to keep their success rolling as they head to Adel for a double dual against ADM and Carroll on Thursday, January 9, at 5:30 PM. 

KNOXVILLE RESULTS

106 lb Gabe Rhiner (Ballard) over Dawson Guillion (Knoxville) (Fall 1:52)

113 lb Owen Davidson (Ballard) over Grant Garrison (Knoxville) (Fall 4:29)

120 lb Easton Enyeart (Ballard) over Joe Finnegan (Knoxville) (Fall 1:48)

126 lb Grayson Hedrick (Ballard) over Jessen Ferguson (Knoxville) (Fall 1:25)

132 lb Tony Horness (Ballard) over Cael Watters (Knoxville) (Fall 1:46)

138 lb Jacob Harrison (Ballard) over Mason Sage (Knoxville) (Fall 1:15)

144 lb Carter Jeffs (Ballard) over Gavin Alexander (Knoxville) (Fall 1:25)

150 lb Jayden Leland (Ballard) over Liam Lindgren (Knoxville) (Fall 1:29)

157 lb Jace Cory (Ballard) over Jace Kading (Knoxville) (Fall 0:31)

165 lb Tucker Vitzthum (Ballard) over Cutter Smith (Knoxville) (Fall 0:09)

175 lb Jaxon Shafer (Ballard) - OPEN

190 lb Rhett Hedrick (Ballard) over Christian Braida (Knoxville) (Fall 0:16)

215 lb Jackson Wacha (Ballard) - OPEN

285 lb Regan Roberts (Knoxville) over Daniel Campbell (Ballard) (TF 17-2 3:07)