In one last tune-up before the district meet, the Monticello boys wrestling team won all four of its duals in a five-team event on Feb. 5 inside Monticello High School.
The Panthers started off with a 54-16 win over Hartwick Ladora Victor Community (HLV/TC) and a 63-18 win over Midland.
After the second round of duals, Panther coach Ryan Luensman was recognized for 25 years of coaching high school and youth wrestling.
After a runner-up finish in last year’s IGHSAU Girls State Wrestling Tournament, Monticello senior and Anamosa girls wrestler Izzy Taylor finished her high school wrestling career with a fifth-place finish in this year’s tournament.
In the 170-pound bracket, Taylor pinned Clear Lake’s no. 6-seed Kayma Burleson in 3:04 to advance to the quarterfinals. Eventual state champion Gracie Pinckney, seeded third of Mount Vernon, won a 4-0 decision to send Taylor to the consolation bracket.
After defeating Maquoketa earlier this season at home, the Monticello boys basketball team traveled to Maquoketa on Feb. 3 and earned the season sweep, topping the Cardinals, 69-55.
The Panthers opened a 16-8 lead after the first quarter before the Cardinals won the second quarter, 13-11, to cut Monti’s lead to six, 27-21, at halftime.
After leading by just six after one quarter, the Monticello girls basketball team ignited for a 51-24 toppling of Northeast on Feb. 6 inside Monticello High School.
The Panther defense gave up just one basket in the second quarter to take a 27-9 lead into the halftime break. The defense stayed stout, as the Rebels only managed 15 second-half points.
Gearing up for the conference and state qualifying events, the Monticello boys bowling team traveled to Keystone Turner Hall, a six-lane bowling alley in Keystone, to take on Benton on Feb. 5.
The Panthers left with a win, beating the Bobcats 2,917-2,691. Jacksen Telleen led the Panthers with a 411 series, rolling games of 223 and 188.
In a Tri-Rivers Conference cross-division showdown on Feb. 3, Maquoketa Valley earned a 75-25 win to drop the Midland boys basketball team to 4-16 on the season.
Despite missing the first half of the season due to injury, Panther freshman Wyatt Wilson wrestled his way to a River Valley Conference title at 126-pounds.
“Wyat had a great tournament,” Panther coach Ryan Luensman said. “We’re very excite for Wyatt and how he competed. He has already put his name into the history books and we are very proud of him.”
At the RVC Tournament on Jan. 31 in Wilton, Wilson went 3-0 to take first.
