Wirfs starts strong for Mount Vernon

CEDAR RAPIDS - Tristan Wirfs is a year older, a little bigger and more experienced.

The Mount Vernon sophomore turned all that into a much improved start from a year ago.

Wirfs opened the season with two first-period pins, helping Mount Vernon roll to a double-dual sweep over Cedar Rapids Washington and Marion last night at Washington. The Mustangs beat the Indians, 76-3, and the Warriors, 76-0.

Wirfs wrestled a combined 1:50, including a 39-second fall to start his season.

'I was pretty excited,” Wirfs said. 'Last year I started a little slow. Being a freshman heavyweight is kind of hard, but I came out and got two pins. It was a good way to start the season.”

The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder faced older and more physically mature opponents a year ago. He has had to adapt but has gained confidence.

'I think some of it is just getting bigger,” Mount Vernon Coach Vance Light said. 'He has really good hand-eye coordination for being that big.”

Wirfs was a standout in baseball and a lineman in football. He led the Mustangs with 45 RBIs as a freshman, ranking among team leaders with .404 batting average and three home runs. He has continued the varsity success over to each season.

The biggest boost may have come in the off-season, attending a team camp in Decorah with more than 20 other Mustang teammates. He didn't expect much, but walked away with an 8-4 mark there.

'The Luther camp carried over to this year,” Wirfs said. 'I didn't have a lot of success at Luther, but with the success I had it opened my eyes how winning felt. It's a good feeling.”

He takes winning in stride, noting that it's a part of sport just like losing. The goal is to reach state, despite being inexperienced.

'He hasn't wrestled very much, to be honest,” said Light, noting Wirfs wrestled some as a youth and in junior high. 'He's involved in all different sports, so he isn't able to do a lot of extra things for wrestling.

'He has fun. That is an important thing in success in whatever sport he is in.”

Mount Vernon's Ryan Muller posted a big win in a battle of state qualifiers. He earned a 7-6 win over Washington's Jordan Henderson, a Class 1A state qualifier for Alburnett in 2013, at 138. Muller, the Mustangs only returning state qualifier, scored two third-period takedowns for the decision.

Washington (1-1) rebounded with a 39-27 win over Marion in the nightcap. Logan Sears (132), Henderson (145), Matt Ackerman at 170 and heavyweight Patrick Reirdan had pins in the final dual.

Marion (0-2) was led by Dalton Gardner. The senior 182 pounder posted two decisions for the Indians. Preston Murphy (195) and 120-pounder Ian Kelly added falls against the Warriors.

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