Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Aaron Graves of Southeast Valley competes in the St. Edmond Duals on Saturday in the Gael gym. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Gael wrestling coach Eugene Carlson wants his program to focus on the big picture rather than the weekend ledger after the annual St. Edmond Duals on Saturday in the Gael gym.

Eighth-ranked (Class 1A) West Hancock defeated Southeast Valley, 40-27, to take team championship with a 5-0 record. The Jaguars went 4-1, with victories over Roland Story (54-23), the Fort Dodge junior varsity (64-10), St. Edmond (76-6), and AGWSR (66-16).

Sophomore Ronnie Orres recorded a pair of pins for the Gaels at 106 pounds against Southeast Valley and AGWSR. Tyler Rossmanith (195) registered a fall at 195 versus AGWSR, then did the same in the Roland Story bout.

“Ronnie had two tough matches right away, but we talked afterward about how this was his first loss to 1A competition (a 12-5 decision to Evan Boothroyd of West Hancock),” Carlson said. “He shouldn’t be hanging his head. There were a couple of things we didn’t finish, and we felt like that was a match he could have won. He competed, though. That’s the important thing. Tyler did, too. He had a solid day.

“We keep focusing on what we’re doing every day to get better. We had a very tough week with a lot of matches, but it’s all about improving and taking those steps forward, doing the little things and working hard even when it isn’t necessarily going your way.”

Caelan Oakes (113 pounds), Zack Miller (160), Mark Hughes (220) and Aaron Graves (285) all won by fall for Southeast Valley against Roland Story, while Harley Bryson (182) and Jaxon Carlson (195) picked up decisions. Kaden Holder (126), Julian Huglin (132), Kyle Johnson (138) and Lathe Muench (170) took forfeit victories.

Muench (pin) and Bryson (major decision) prevailed against the Gaels, with Oakes (113), Holder (126), Max Miller (132), Ty Klatt (138), Jonah Siebert (145), Gabriel Killian (152), Miller, Carlson, Hughes and Graves winning by forfeit.

Maddox Hanna (120), Holder, Miller, Klatt, Siebert, Killian, Miller, Muench, Bryson, Carlson, Hughes and Graves were victorious against the Dodger JV. Holder, Miller, Klatt, Siebert, Killian, Muench, Bryson and Graves either earned pins or technical falls.

Holder, Klatt, Siebert, Killian, Miller, Muench, Bryson, Carlson, Hughes, Graves and Oakes all registered pins for SV in the victory over AGWSR.

The championship round saw Jaguars Miller, Oakes and Holder tally pins against West Hancock. Siebert, Muench and Graves took decisions.

For Fort Dodge, Tyshon Mikesell (106), Drayton Miller (170) and Pry’Shayn Mosley (220) won versus AGWSR. Mikesell and Darylinn Cook (113) were victorious against the Jaguars.

The Dodgers were edged by Roland Story, 39-30. Tyson Powers (160) and Mosley picked up decisions for Fort Dodge, while Alexis Ross (132), Brayden Tessandori (138), Matthew Surles-Davis (170) and Keaton Nichols (285) prevailed via forfeit.

In the St. Edmond matchup with the FDSH JV, Orres, Rossmanith and Grant Webster (170) had pins for the Gaels. The Dodgers got wins from Cook (113), Carter Forbes (126), Ross (132), Gavin Doebel (138), Tyler Kasperbauer (145), Lawson O’Brien (152), Mosley and Connor Ely (220) via forfeit.

St. Edmond junior Elly Berry went 3-0 at the Ogden Invitational on Saturday, improving her personal record to 6-2 on the season.

“I really want to thank Mike and Leah Johnson and Sophie Dooley for going down there with Elly and being in her corner,” Carlson said. “It’s hard on days like this to split up, but we want to get her ready for the girls state tournament (on Jan. 22) and she needed to get some more matches.

“It’s not easy, given our low numbers. But the kids we do have out are the ones I’ll always remember. They’re keeping this going and putting the time into it. They deserve a lot of credit.”

The Gaels return to action on Thursday in a home triangular against Clear Lake and Hampton-Dumont. Algona will also be in town to square off with H-D.

Carlson hopes to have 120-pound senior Ryan Duckett back relatively soon, adding, “he’s going to test it out on Monday.”

“He was on crutches at the beginning of last week, but he’s making progress,” Carlson said. “He doesn’t want to be done. Ryan is very determined to get back out there.”