I-35 sends five, CD one to State
Saturday was a tremendous day for the Interstate 35 wrestling team, while Central Decatur did about as well as could have been expected at a Class 1A District Tournament in Guthrie Center.
Both teams will be represented at this week's State Tournament when the 1A action begins Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
I-35 sent five wrestlers into Districts and all five punched their tickets to Des Moines with top-two place finishes at their respective weight classes.
"As a team, we were very pleased. We told them they're the fabulous five," I-35 Coach Randy Calvert said. "I thought they all wrestled some good, smart matches."
The Cardinals had three District qualifiers and one made it out to continue his season.
The State qualifiers are Kole Stapes, Jordan Johnson, Dallas Houchins, Ethan Calvert and Matt Eads of I-35 and Connor Christensen of CD.
TRIO OF ROADRUNNERS WIN TITLES
Three I-35 grapplers won District titles Saturday in Guthrie Center.
Sixth-ranked 125-pounder Johnson dominated a very good bracket. He started his title run with a 10-0 major decision over Kolton Jensen of Audubon and then pinned seventh-ranked Kris Lehman of Guthrie Center in the finals. It was a scoreless tie in the second period when Johnson turned and pinned the Tiger returning State place finisher.
This will be Johnson's second trip to State, as he missed medaling by one victory last season as a sophomore.
"I think Jordan's goal is to place really high at State," Calvert said.
Fellow Roadrunner junior Houchins will be making his third appearance at State this week and goes after a third medal. The third-ranked 140-pounder pinned Noah Sindt of Griswold in the first round and then edged fourth-ranked Cole Hopkins of Coon Rapids-Bayard in the finals, 5-4. Houchins trailed 2-0 early, but then scored the next five points of the match.
It was the second close victory of the season for Houchins over Hopkins.
"I just had to stay on him and wear him down a little," Houchins said.
Now the Roadrunner has his sights set on the top of the podium in Des Moines.
"I've always been told to do the best you can from where you're at. So right now, the goal is to be a State champion," he said. "It's open for anyone to take it. You just have to go and take it yourself."
The third champ was Calvert at 189. He pinned J.J. Bierbaum of Griswold in 3:55 in the first round and then handled Kaleb Reis of Coon Rapids-Bayard 5-0 in the finals.
"I thought Ethan wrestled the first match a little out of control and was nervous," coach Calvert said. "In the finals, he wrestled really well. He used his speed and I thought wore him down."
Coach Calvert said there was a different feeling watching his son qualify for State.
"It's a sense of relief that he was bale to qualify," he said. "I've qualified so many in the past, but there's a little more special feeling to qualify your son."
TWO FROM I-35 FINISH SECOND
The other two Roadrunner District qualifiers lost their title matches to ranked wrestlers to finish second.
At 112, Stapes opened the day with a dominating 12-4 win over 10th-ranked Blair Kerkhoff of Audubon. The Roadrunner trailed 4-3 early in the third when he escaped, took Kerkhoff down and turned him three different times to his back for the major decision win.
"Kole just did what he had to do in the first match," Calvert said.
In the finals, Stapes could not score his second upset, in a 6-2 loss to No. 6 Trevor Reiste of Panorama. Stapes defeated Reiste early in the year, but has lost their last three meetings.
Heavyweight Eads gained some revenge in his semifinal bout, as he reversed and pinned Colton Geer of Coon Rapids-Bayard in the first few seconds of the third period. Geer had pinned Eads two weeks earlier.
"Matt Eads did something we've been working on with him and he executed and got the pin," Calvert said.
That sent Eads into the finals against third-ranked and returning State place winner Dylan Lame of Mount Ayr. The two locked up early in the bout and Lame ended up on top and recorded the fall in just 22 seconds.
Neither Stapes or Eads were forced to compete in a wrestle back for second place.
Calvert said the goal is for all five qualifiers to have the same attitude entering the tournament.
"On day one, our goal is to have everyone still going on day two. Then try to get two wins so you can be going for a medal," he said. "Don't be content just getting there."
CHRISTENSEN STRIKES GOLD
CD senior Connor Christensen knew Saturday was his last chance to qualifier for the State Tournament and the eighth-ranked 145-pound Cardinal took full advantage of the opportunity.
In a big first-round showdown against previously-ranked Cole Larsen of Guthrie Center, Christensen jumped out to a 7-1 lead before pinning the Tiger late in the second period.
"I got that first takedown and had such an adrenaline rush, I just went after it. I just took it at him and it worked out well," Christensen said.
That set up a fourth bout of the season between Christensen and ninth-ranked Carl Davis of Southeast Warren. The Cardinal gave up an early takedown, but led 8-3 midway through the second period. Davis made a late charge, but Christensen took the crown, 9-7.
The two Pride of Iowa Conference rivals have now split their four meetings this season.
"My coaches just told me to go out and have fun. Me and Davis are rivals and I wanted to make it 2-2," Christensen said. "It was a good day."
CD Coach Dan Christensen, like I-35's Calvert, took pride in seeing his son reach one of his goals for the season.
"It was outstanding. Not only as a dad, but as a coach you look for that out of your wrestler," he said. "He had a great week of practice and it just carried over."
In a strange coincidence, Connor and Dan both won their District titles at Guthrie Center.
Christensen added that he's confident Connor has the tools to make a strong showing at State.
"When a kid starts clicking, I don't care who he wrestles at State. He's got the technique and his wind is great," Christensen said. "I think he's going to go there and do a good job."
Two other Cardinals made the trip to Districts - Taylor Brammer at 119 and 215-pounder Riley Shea - but both went 0-2 and finished fourth.
I-35 FALLS AT REGIONALS
The Roadrunners were in dual action Feb. 10 when they hosted a Class 1A Regional in Truro, with a trip to State Duals on the line.
I-35 hammered POI rival Martensdale-St. Marys in the first round, 47-25, but dropped a tough 39-34 decision to fifth-ranked Eddyville-Blakesburg in the finals.
The Roadrunners led 34-33 entering the final match, but the Rockets picked up a quick fall to qualify for State Duals for the first time in school history. I-35 was trying to qualify for the ninth time.
Winners for I-35 in the championship dual were Johnson at 130 by forfeit, Houchins by fall at 140, Calvert by major decision at 189, Eads by fall at 285, Stapes by forfeit at 112 and Joe Bitz by fall at 119.
