Solon Wins WAMAC Wrestling Title
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Winning a conference title often requires a combination of depth, balance and a few elite level wrestlers.
Solon had all of those things on Saturday.
Individual titles for Bryce and Drew West were among nine top-four finishes for the Spartans on Saturday as Class 2A second-ranked Solon stormed to the team title at the WAMAC Conference meet at Williamsburg.
Solon had all but one wrestler finish in the top seven at their weight class and rolled up 221.5 points to outdistance host Williamsburg by 49 points.
Class 3A third-ranked Western Dubuque had a trio of individual champs and finished third with 163.5 points.
Bryce and Drew West were each impressive while earning titles in their first appearance at the WAMAC meet.
Top-ranked at 120 pounds, Bryce West (44-1) record a pair of first-period falls to reach the finals where he earned an 18-6 major decision over Luke Radeke of Vinton-Shellsburg.
Second-ranked Drew West (44-1) had a first-period pin and a tech fall to reach the finals and edged No. 5 Brady Fritz of South Tama 1-0 in the title match.
Senior Trevor Nelson finished second at 160 pounds, falling to top-ranked Luke Hageman of Dyersville Beckman 8-7 in the title match.
It was the second loss of the season for Nelson (32-6) against Hageman by a combined three points.
Four Spartans earned third place finishes.
Sophomore Aidan Dall was third at 113 pounds and eighth-ranked senior Ben Carr was third at 138 pounds.
Junior Zach Wegmann (37-15) was third at 195 pounds and fifth-ranked junior heavyweight Tyler Linderbaum (42-7) was also third.
Linderbaum fell to 2A No. 4 Tristan Wirfs 5-2 in the semifinals in a matchup of top-five 2A heavyweights.
Freshman Zeb Gnida was fourth at 106, senior Dillon Diltz was fourth at 182 and senior Jackson Walker was fourth at 220 for Solon.
Clear Creek Amana placed 14th with 43 points and was led by Quinn Murphy (34-9) who finished fourth at 138 pounds and Ethan Taylor who was fourth at 285.
Samual Stevens placed fifth at 106 for the Clippers.
WAMAC Conference Meet
Team scores – 1. Solon 221.5; 2. Williamsburg 172.5; 3. Western Dubuque 163.5; 4. Marion 142.5; 5. South Tama 140.5; 6. Mount Vernon 135.5; 7. Dyersville Beckman 127; 8. West Delaware 95; 9. Vinton-Shellsburg 90.5; 10. Central DeWitt 90; 11. Independence 80.5; 12. Benton Community 76; 13. Center Point-Urbana 58; 14. Clear Creek Amana 43; 15. Anamosa 29; 15. Maquoketa 29.
(First place matches, area place winners)
106 – 1. Grayson Kesterson (WIL) maj. dec. Carter Weeks (VS) 9-0; 4. Zeb Gnida (SOL); 5. Samual Stevens (CCA).
113 – 1. Caleb Fuessley (CPU) dec. Jalen Schropp (WIL) 7-3; 3. Aidan Dall (SOL).
120 – 1. Bryce West (SOL) maj. dec. Luke Radeke (VS) 18-6.
126 – 1. Drew West (SOL) dec. Brady Fritz (ST) 1-0.
132 – 1. Bradan Birt (WD) dec. Tanner Probasco (ST) 6-4 SV-1; 6. Christian Haight (SOL).
138 – 1. Colton Vest (ST) dec. Jake Recker (DB) 5-4; 3. Ben Carr (SOL); 4. Quinn Murphy (CCA).
145 – 1. Caleb Conway (MAR) dec. Paul Ryan (MV) 5-0; 7. Zack Bevans (SOL).
152 – 1. Colin Conway (MAR) dec. Isaac Judge (ST) 8-4.
160 – 1. Luke Hageman (DB) dec. Trevor Nelson (SOL) 8-7.
170 – 1. Owen Grover (DB) pinned Kort Johnson (VS) 1:43; 5. Mike Hoyle (SOL).
182 – 1. Max Lyon (WD) pinned Isaac Maser (WIL) 3:06; 4. Dillon Diltz (SOL).
195 – 1. Josh Holub (WIL) dec. Reece Westphal (CD) 9-3; 3. Zach Wegmann (SOL).
220 – 1. Blade Burbala (BC) dec. Jack Cochrane (MV) 7-2; 4. Jackson Walker (SOL).
285 – 1. Aaron Costello (WD) pinned Tristan Wirfs (MV) 3:03; 3. Tyler Linderbaum (SOL); 4. Ethan Taylor (CCA).