The Raymore-Peculiar boys wrestling team came into the 2025-26 season with a bevy of newcomers entering the lineup.
Even with so many wrestlers entering their first season at the varsity level, the Panthers have shown to be one of the stronger teams in the Greater Kansas City Suburban Gold Conference.
They had eight pins in Tuesday’s conference dual with Lee’s Summit and cruised to a 51-27 victory to improve to 4-1 in league duals.
Ray-Pec had two remaining conference duals against Blue Springs South and Liberty North. If it wins those two, it will capture a Conference Gold Championship.
“We’re putting it together,” Ray-Pec first-year head coach Cody Johnston said. “We have a sophomore heavy lineup with some juniors and a couple of seniors mixed in. It’s been fun to watch them get after it.”
Multiple Panthers got to wear a big chain necklace with the Panthers logo on it after getting a pin on Tuesday. Seniors Kamden VonHolten (126 pounds) and Evan Gatlin (144) were two of those wrestlers that got to earn the necklace.
“They have been awesome,” Johnston said of VonHolten and Gatlin. “They have been staples of this program for the past four years. They grew up in the youth program. They push the team to get better every day.
VonHolten earned a pin in his match against Jordan Slayden in 1:54.
“I used a butcher to get the pin,” VonHolten said. “My opponent wrestled a little funky. He was squirmy. I had to go out and get some bonus points.”
Two matches later, Gatlin got his pin in 1:20 over Tisyn Dale. The senior noted he had to stop wrestling for the past week and a half due to a skin infection, but was able to knock off the rust quickly.
“I did a knee pick single and I doubled off and went feet to back,” Gatlin said. “I circled through and caught his chin and got a reverse half and squeezed like hell. It felt good to get back out on the mat. I was still staying active even when I wasn’t wrestling.”
Other Panthers to win their match included:
106 pounds: Charles Kille won by fall in 1:49 over Conner Mcvey.
120: Malleki Louis earned a pin in 3:55 against Jacob Ennis.
132: T.J. Woodward pinned Matthew Sartin in 1:11.
157: Gage Medley got a late takedown in the first period and used a half nelson to turn Dorian Vallinmaki for the fall in 1:44.
165: Grayden Hilger got a takedown less than 10 seconds into the second period of his match and used a head and arm to pin Jack Clover in 2:14.
190: Keaton Lindly held off a comeback attempt from Grant James and used a late reversal to win the decision by a 10-9 margin.
215: Luke Coonce used a head and arm following a takedown to pin Anthony Hyatt in 3:48.
For Lee’s Summit, Drake Harley (113 pounds) pinned Jackson Peek in 59 seconds; Luke Nally (138) won by fall in 1:49 against Til’myrius Wilson; Tristan Morgan (150) used a quick takedown and cradle to end his match with Oliver Branick in 19 seconds; Robby Desmond (175) used two takedowns to win his bout 6-1 against Jacob Wood; and Hayden Hinkle (235) controlled Colton Myers from the top position and used an armbar to turn his opponent and earn a pin in 1:40.
