Sometimes a freshman is really a freshman.

Beckett Curran took the mat Thursday, Jan. 8, against Clear Creek Amana, thinking he might need to pin his opponent to help his team win the dual.

Curran got a first-period takedown and a third-period reversal and defeated Kiernan Owings, 5-3.

“Honestly, I thought I needed a pin,” Curran said. “Then I saw everybody celebrating at the end and I found out we won it.”

With the three team points for the decision, Mount Vernon beat CCA, 35-34.

“I just knew I had to do it for my team,” Curran said. “It was a little intimidating. But I just had to go out there and try my hardest.”

After the reversal with about 35 seconds left, Owings got a reversal, and Curran turtled up for the remaining time to secure the win.

“Whatever it takes to win, that’s right,” Mount Vernon coach Vance Light said. “He’s young. He’s got some learning to do. But he’s learning quick. He stayed in good position.”

The freshman was in the lineup because of the Mustangs were a little short-handed that night, due to illness and injury.

Star freshman Avery Paustian hurt his ankle in the dual against Benton Community (a 52-20 win for Mount Vernon), so junior CJ Martin had to wrestle up a weight against CCA. He beat Robert Hatcher, 3-0.

“I had beaten this kid before, but it a lot different to jump a weight class,” Martin said. “It was very noticeable. I couldn’t do anything. I’m usually active, but it was so hard.”

It has been a hard winter for Martin, who is wrestling in the spot that state champion Jase Jaspers would’ve occupied had he not had surgery following a football injury.

“It is honestly hard to meet those standards,” Martin said. “I feel I’m letting the team down when I’m not winning every match. It is hard to do what Jase would be doing.”

After winning twice Thursday, the Mustangs went 3-2, including another win over CCA (this time, 40-28) at the Linn-Mar Duals on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Mount Vernon beat the Linn-Mar JV team, 47-21, beat LeMars 57-24, and then beat CCA before losing to No. 9 (3A) Linn-Mar 54-20 and Western Dubuque, 32-29.

The Mustangs were closer to a full lineup Saturday, but were still missing Paustian.

Mount Vernon 52, Benton Community 20

106 – Matthew Goodlove (MV) pinned Aaron George 1:13. 113 – Ryker Logue (MV) tech. fall Elias George 15-0 4:28. 120 – Cooper Krob (MV) won by forfeit. 126 – Jason Eastman (BC) pinned Camden Meyer 1:53. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) dec. Garrett Kuch 8-3. 138 – Jaxon Mehlert (BC) tech. fall Chasen Caskey 16-1 2:37. 144 – CJ Martin (MV) def. Brock Corrigan injury default. 150 – Brady Paterson (BC) def. Avery Paustian injury default. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) maj. dec. Elias Bieschke 19-9. 165 – Kaden Mitchell (BC) dec. Landon Grosse 13-6. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) pinned Trey Sharp :46. 190 – Caleb Keegan (MV) maj. dec. Derek Roos 14-3. 215 – Andrew Dix (MV) pinned Keason Louis 1:34. 285 – Beckett Curran (MV) pinned Carson Hanus 1:38.

Mount Vernon 35, Clear Creek Amana 34

106 – Cole Kasparek (CCA) pinned Matthew Goodlove :45. 113 – Wyatt Iburg (CCA) pinned Leo Burgess 1:27. 120 – Tytus Steapp (CCA) tech. fall Cooper Krob 16-1 4:21. 126 – Camden Meyer (MV) dec. Madox Schmitz 7-5. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) pinned Rowan Catherson 4:45. 138 – Chasen Caskey (MV) pinned Tyson Schmitz 5:00. 144 – Jeff Arant (CCA) pinned Jake Shady 1:42. 150 – CJ Martin (MV) dec. Robert Hatcher 3-0. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) tech. fall Brody Schrock 17-2 2:33. 165 – Nolan Dao (CCA) tech. fall Landon Grosse 17-2 5:32. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) dec. JJ Patterson 8-3. 190 – Aidan Schrock (CCA) pinned Caleb Keegan 3:38. 215 – Andrew Dix (CCA) pinned Dylan Schrock 3:50. 285 – Beckett Curran (MV) dec. Kieran Owings 5-3.

LINN-MAR DUALS

Mount Vernon 47, Linn-Mar JV 21

106 – Matthe Goodlove (MV) pinned Owen Hachey 1:53. 113 – Leo Burgess (MV) won by forfeit. 120 – Jaedn Gallagher (LMJV) dec. Cooper Krob 8-1. 126 – Camden Meyer (MV) dec. Hudson Kensinger 4-0. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) tech. fall Blake Leuenberger 19-1 4:15. 138 – Cruz Allen (LMJV) tech. fall Chasen Caskey 17-2 4:29. 144 – Indiana Christensen (LMJV) dec. CJ Martin 9-5. 150 – Cael Stiffler (LMJV) maj. dec. Eli Casey 14-0. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) pinned Adam Bagan 1:30. 165 – Will Goodlove (MV) pinned Jackson Adams 1:52. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) pinned Emmett Shedek 1:29. 190 – Bradley Porter (LMJV) pinned Caleb Keegan 2:12. 215 – Jaxon Anderson (MV) pinned Jense Lechtenberg :21. 285 – Andrew Dix (MV) dec. Harrison Kensinger 4-0.

Mount Vernon 57, LeMars 24

106 – Joeshad Scott (L) pinned Matthew Goodlove 5:!6. 113 – Caleb Weiland (L) pinned Ryker Logue :34. 120 – Cooper Krob (MV) pinned Drake DeRocher 1:54. 126 – Camden Meyer (MV) won by forfeit. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) pinned Jefferson Sitzmann 4:37. 138 – Chasen Caskey (MV) pinned Caden Sitzmann 1:56. 144 – CJ Martin (MV) pinned Ismael Escalera 3:22. 150 – Eli Casey (MV) dec. Elisha Olson 4-1. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) pinned Kreed Schroeder 1:04. 165 – Hayden Sitzmann (L) pinned Landon Grosse 5:12. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) pinned Ben Regennitter 1:17. 190 – Kougar Sargisson (L) pinned Caleb Keegan :27. 215 – Jaxon Anderson (MV) pinned Axel Rivera 2:42. 285 – Andrew Dix (MV) won by forfeit.

Mount Vernon 40, Clear Creek Amana 28

106 – Cole Kasparek (CCA) tech. fall Matthew Goodlove 15-0 2:29. 113 – Wyatt Iburg (CCA) pinned Leo Burgess :37. 120 – Tytus Steapp (CCA) tech. fall Cooper Krob 16-0 5:20. 126 – Camden Meyer (MV) dec. Madox Schmitz 11-4. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) pinned Rowan Catherson 3:42. 138 – Chasen Caskey (MV) pinned Tyson Schmitz 4:00. 144 – CJ Martin (MV) tech. fall Jeff Arant 15-0 5:23. 150 – Marcus English (CCA) dec. Eli Casey 9-4. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) tech. fall Brody Schrock 17-2 2:43. 165 – Nolan Dao (CCA) pinned Landon Grosse 4:47. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) dec. JJ Patterson 4-0. 190 – Aidan Schrock (CCA) dec. Caleb Keegan 6-0. 215 – Jaxon Anderson (MV) pinned Dylan Schrock 3:00. 285 – Andrew Dix (MV) pinned Kieran Owings 5:19.

Linn-Mar 54, Mount Vernon 20

106 – Matthew Goodlove (MV) pinned Ashton Landherr 2:51. 113 – Success Dehkee (LM) pinned Ryker Logue :18. 120 – Kylan Walsh (LM) tech. fall Cooper Krob 18-2 3:36. 126 – Aidan Johnson (LM) pinned Camden Meyer 2:52. 132 – Will Smith (LM) pinned Nolan Mercer 2:20. 138 – Tegan Ray (LM) pinned Chasen Caskey 3:27. 144 – Aidan Ehlinger (LM) pinned CJ Martin 1:49. 150 – Colton Clark (LM) maj. dec. Eli Casey 12-1. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) tech. fall Conner Wandler 20-3 2:43. 165 – Landon Grosse (MV) dec. Jeremiah Rosalez 4-2. 175 – Barrett Mieras (LM) maj. dec. Caysen Curran 11-3. 190 – Philip Jacobs (LM) pinned Caleb Keegan :37. 215 – Jaxon Anderson (MV) pinned Holden Heideman :33. 285 – Jareth Navarro (LM) tech. fall Andrew Dix 17-1 2:20.

Western Dubuque 32, Mount Vernon 29

106 – Cole Dunkel (WD) dec. Matthew Goodlove 8-7. 113 – Ethan Schlictmann (WD) pinned Leo Burgess 1:03. 120 – Caden Gotto (WD) maj. dec. Cooper Krob 12-2. 126 – Camden Meyer (MV) tech. fall Noah Habel 17-2 3:28. 132 – Nolan Mercer (MV) dec. Kellen McKenna 7-1. 138 – Chasen Caskey (MV) dec. River Sigwarth 7-3. 144 – Will Casey (WD) tech. fall CJ Martin 19-3 4:00. 150 – Eli Casey (MV) dec. Jordan Jasper 8-3. 157 – Mikey Ryan (MV) pinned Zach Gassman :32. 165 – Brady Rissman (WD) pinned Will Goodlove 4:25. 175 – Caysen Curran (MV) pinned Noah Nickol 1:32. 190 – Chase Brunscheen (WD) tech. fall Caleb Keegan 18-2 4:00. 215 – Alex Gassman (WD) dec. Jaxon Anderson 7-2. 285 – Andrew Dix (MV) dec. Joe Klostermann 1-0.