Kalem Schrock, 220 (left) and Garrett Arp, 152 (right) were both champions in their weight classes at the Bill Van Horn Invite in Pella on Saturday, December 21. News Herald Photo/ Allison Graham

South Tama County wrestlers left Pella with two champions at the Bill Van Horn Invite on Saturday, December 21. Garrett Arp (152) and Kalem Schrock (220) each worked their way to the top of the podium for first place.

For the championship match at 152, Arp wrestled Seth Turner of Norwalk. Arp pinned Turner (:48). At 220 Schrock faced Hunter Blomgren of Norwalk. Schrock went all six minutes winning by decision, 3-1.

Three from STC took second place at the tournament including Logan Arp, Brayden Smith and Payton Vest. Arp wrestled at 126 and fell to Keaton Moret of Norwalk in the championship match. It was a nail bitter to the end. Trailing by one point in the final seconds Arp took a shot at the edge of the mat managing to stay in bounds. Ultimately the official did not give him the two points needed for the win. Arp fell 6-5 to Moret. Smith wrestled at 170. He was pinned by Nick Marker of Norwalk in the championship match. Smith was leading the match but midway through a wrong move resulted in Smith getting stuck.

Vest wrestled at 195 and fell to Class 2A State runner up Sage Walker. It was an interesting matchup for followers of Trojan wrestling as Vest’s older brother, Colton, defeated Walker for a trip to State two years ago. Walker though handily won his championship match against the younger Vest 13-2 on Saturday.

STC’s 132 and 182 pounders Kyler Smith and Aaron Neave each both finished in fourth place. Smith fell to Zack Beebe of Oskaloosa after getting stuck (2:53). Neave lost to Cody Hall of Bondurant-Farrar 8-5.

STC’s Logan Arp gets an escape during the 126 championship match on Saturday, December 21. Arp fell to Norwalk’s Keaton Moret, taking 2nd place. News Herald Photo/Allison Graham

Three from the Trojan’s team finished in fifth place. Brody Chyma (106) pinned Rylee Siroky of Oskaloosa (3:34), Brady Knode (138) won 4-2 over Mason Dellamuth of Benton Community and Boden Koehler (145) stuck Aiden Lewis of Bondurant-Farrar (:34) to end the day with wins.

Closing the day out for the Trojans was STC’s heavyweight Dayton Filloon. Filloon finished sixth after falling to Scotty Hutchinson of Bondurant-Farrar.

All in all, the day was successful for the Trojans. They had two champs and 11 wrestlers place at the tournament.

“I think everybody on our team did some good things,” said coach Nate Van Dyke, “a lot of guys took a step forward. We’ve got a group of four to six who are ready to turn a corner and start beating some higher level guys.”

The Trojans will return from break on Thursday, January 9 for a dual between Center Point Urbana, Iowa City Liberty and the Trojans at the STC High School gym.

See more photos from the Bill Van Horn Invite in the Tama News Herald on Friday, January 3.