URBANDALE — The Marshalltown wrestling team improved to 2-0 with a 35-34 dual meet victory over host Urbandale on Thursday night.

The Bobcats recorded four wins by pin, each coming consecutively as Marshalltown built up a 28-6 lead on the J-Hawks at the midway point of the match. Gannon Williams (195 pounds), Carson Williams (220), Jordan Anderson (285), Edgar Almanza (106) and Javier Rodriguez (113) gave MHS a lead it would not relinquish.

Urbandale countered with three-straight wins, including two by pin, to fight back to within 28-22 with four bouts remaining. Marshalltown answered with returning state qualifier Bennett Hageman at 138, as his 11-1 major decision over Kacey Ross made it a 10-point lead and Zach Bitker’s 10-3 decision over Spencer Daves locked up the dual victory for MHS.

The Bobcats return to the mats on Saturday at the Saydel Invitational in Des Moines.

Bobcat swimmers score two more wins

FORT DODGE — The Marshalltown boys’ swimming team won six of 11 events and captured both legs of Thursday’s triangular meet with Spencer and host Fort Dodge.

The Bobcats registered wins by scores of 56-37 over Spencer and 75-19 over Fort Dodge.

“A big of a mixed bag,” Marshalltown head coach Mike Loupee said of the result. “[We] weren’t as focused as coaches would like to start the meet, but we got better as the meet progressed.”

Carson Beals claimed two of the Bobcats’ five individual victories, winning the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 22.45 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 49.88.

Stephen Blom led a 1-2 finish for Marshalltown in the 200 freestyle as he was chased across the finish line by teammate Drake Stalzer. Nash Perisho touched the wall first by a comfortable six-second margin in the 100 butterfly, and Marcus Barker beat teammate Aaron Seberger in a 1-2 Bobcat finish in the 500 freestyle.

The MHS quartet of Ethan Benscoter, Blom, Brock Keeler and Perisho picked up a win in the final event — the 400 freestyle relay — to finish off the double wins for the Bobcats.

Marshalltown hosts its Bobcat Invite on Saturday with a noon starting time at the MHS pool.

GMG boys succumb to buzzer-beater

MARENGO — Brody Ward knocked down a 35-footer as time expired to lift Iowa Valley to a 56-55 victory over the GMG boys basketball team in Thursday’s non-conference tilt.

The Wolverines (1-3) had led most of the game before Ward and the Tigers (2-3) started climbing back into the game. GMG was in front by 11 at the half but only had a five-point lead as the final period began.

Ward finished with a game-high 24 points, including the buzzer-beater moments after the Wolverines failed to cinch the victory from the free-throw line. GMG missed a pair of shots from the charity stripe and Ward hit the game-winner only moments later.

Avery Bryant led GMG with 15 points and Justin Savadty tallied 13 more. Cooper Langenbau tacked on 11 points and Zach Krull finished with six more in the loss.

GMG goes back on the road tonight for a cross-Iowa Star Conference clash with Clarksville.