ROB HUNT
THE HERALD BULLETIN
FAIRMOUNT—It was a night of firsts for a pair of Madison-Grant wrestlers with high expectations for the coming season as the Argylls hosted Pendleton Heights Wednesday.
Tripp Haisley was in competition for the first time since offseason elbow surgery and Kayden Simpson was suiting up in an Argylls singlet for the first time since transferring from Elwood.
Now training partners, the 132-pound Haisley and 138-pound Simpson are looking to push each other all the way to the state finals at season’s end.
Both were victorious Wednesday, Simpson by first period fall over Jackson Fisher and Haisley by tech fall over Ryland Day as the Argylls defeated Pendleton Heights 38-36 Wednesday in their half of a boys and girls twin dual.
On the strength of five wins by forfeit, the PH girls defeated the Argylls 42-24 despite Madison-Grant winning four of the five contested matches. It was the third straight dual win for the PH girls and the second in as many days.
Haisley, a baseball standout for the Argylls as well, injured his elbow pitching and underwent Tommy John surgery, putting him on the shelf until recently. Despite early butterflies in his return to the mat, he said he feels good as he looks to return to the state finals.
He credits Simpson, whom Haisley defeated in the 2024 Madison County tournament’s 132-pound final, with helping him during practices as the two work to better each other. “I have Kayden this year, he’s my new practice partner,” Haisley said. “It’s nice to have a high-caliber practice partner to roll around with. We have similar goals and we make each other better every day.”
Simpson, who has advanced to semi-state as a Panther in the past, is likewise hopeful that working with Haisley will benefit him. “It kind of goes both ways there, I can’t complain about it,” Simpson said. “Confidence is a big role, you’ve got to have confidence.”
M-G coach Jakob Wilson says both are in a good position at this stage of the season. “When you come back from that injury, that adds something to it, but I’m always proud of Tripp and the way he handles himself and today was another example of that,” Wilson said. “It’s fun to watch them go at it in practice.”
The Argylls posted wins from Carson Hendey by fall at 126 pounds, Jeremiah Phillips by 16-12 decision at 157 pounds, 175-pounder Grant Howard by fall, and by forfeit for Trae Walls at 113 pounds and Logan Gillespie at heavyweight.
Gillespie’s points proved to be the clincher as Truitt Wolf of Pendleton Heights pinned Liam Clouse in the first period of their 106pound bout, the final match of the night.
Auz McClure at 120 pounds, Kayden Coppage at 144 pounds, Cannon Oliver at 165 pounds, and Max Garner at 190 pounds won by fall for Pendleton Heights while 150-pounder Owen Lukens and 215-pounder Preston Seale won by decision
for coach Dave Cloud and his short-handed Arabians.
“I’m happy for a couple kids who were struggling in their matches to turn around and win by fall,” Cloud said. “Cannon Oliver at 165, that was big for him as he still is trying to figure the sport out. And for Truitt Wolf, he’s come a long way.”
In the girls dual, Madison-Grant was led by Patricia VanMatre (155), Olivia Dunham (190), Pyper Howard (235), and Liz Winchester (115) each recording wins by first period fall.
VanMatre is building off high placing finishes at early season tournaments with an eye on the upcoming postseason.
“She has placed in all three tournaments so far, she’s done very well,” Wilson said. “I drill with her every day because the way our girls are, we have two bigger girls and two smaller girls and she’s kind of in the middle. Pat and I wrestle quite a bit, it’s been fun to watch her develop.”
Pendleton Heights picked up forfeit wins for Camryn Norman (120), Mak Palmer (130), Claire Bowman (135), state champion Maddie Marsh (140), and Addie Neidbalksi (145). Sophia Rhoads collected the team’s lone contested victory when she pinned Alyssa Clouse at 125 pounds. It was the first career varsity win for Rhoads, earning praise from her father and coach Gary Rhoads.
“It’s been interesting for her,” he said. “She’s been pretty blessed in life in that she’s been pretty good at everything she does academically, musically, artistically, but she had to work for this one. She was the last person on the team that hadn’t had a win. She keeps working hard in practice, keeps a positive attitude and it paid of for her today.”
Both teams will travel for Saturday Invitationals as the Arabians will head to New Castle while the Argylls will be at Western High School.