Your Prep Sports

Solon has long been considered a contender for the Class 2A title.  

The Spartans showed precisely why they are one of the teams expected to contend for the 2A crown next week.

Second-ranked Solon had four individual champions among its eight state qualifiers and ran away with the team title on Saturday at the Class 2A, District 2 meet at Fairfield.

Bryce West, Drew West, Ben Carr and Trevor Nelson all won district titles as the Spartans set a school record with eight state qualifiers and rolled up 151 points to outdistance runner-up Washington for the team title.

Graeson Dall, Mike Hoyle, Zach Wegmann and Tyler Linderbaum all earned runner-up finishes on Saturday to secure spots at the Class 2A state meet that begins next Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

The eight state qualifiers for Solon matches Ballard for the most in Class 2A.

Top-ranked Bryce West improved to 50-1 with a pair of pins on Saturday securing his fourth trip to the state tournament with a second-period pin of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s Sage Walker in the 120-pound title match.

Bryce West will begin his quest for a third consecutive state title against Winterset freshman Jack West (27-9) in the 2A opening round on Thursday.  

No. 2 Drew West (51-1) won the 126-pound title by medical default over eighth-ranked Kyle Anderson of Washington.

Drew West will face Lucas Carter (22-16) of Harlan in the opening round at state.

Ninth-ranked Carr defeated Clear Creek Amana senior Quinn Murphy for the fourth time this season to win the title at 138 pounds.

Carr (38-8) earned a 9-2 decision over Murphy in the title match and will face Dawson Riemenschneider (28-21) of East Marshall in his first match at state.

Fourth-ranked Nelson won a district title at 160 pounds with a 6-0 decision over No. 6 Tristin Westphal-Edwards of Washington.

The defending 2A runner-up at 160 pounds, Nelson (39-6) will face Isaiah Mitchell (26-9) of Decorah in his state opener.

Sophomore Mike Hoyle (37-16) was runner-up at 170 pounds on Saturday while Zach Wegmann was second at 220 pounds.

Dall and Linderbaum both needed wrestle back victories to secure berths at the state meet after falling in the title match.

Fourth-ranked Linderbaum (49-8) pinned Logan Knutson of Williamsburg in the wrestle back to secure a spot at state while seventh-ranked Dall (35-5) won a 15-4 major decision over Brody Scheer of Benton Community in the 152-pound wrestle back.

Class 2A, District 2 Meet

Team Scores – 1. Solon 151; 2. Washington 112; 3. Williamsburg 76.5; 4. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 61.5; 5. Keokuk 36.5; 6. Fairfield 32; 7. Columbus 31; 8. Benton Community 28; 8. Mid-Prairie 28; 10. Clear Creek Amana 12.

(First place matches/State Qualifiers)

106 – 1. Grayson Kesterson (WIL) major dec. Jarod Kadel (COL) 10-0.

113 – 1. Ashton Meyers (KEO) major dec. Jalen Schropp (WIL) 13-1.

120 – 1. Bryce West (SOL) pinned Sage Walker (EBF) 2:18.

126 – 1. Drew West (SOL) won by forfeit Kyle Anderson (WAS)

132 – 1. Brant O’Shea (KEO) dec. Alex Hanna (EBF) 3-2.

138 – 1. Ben Carr (SOL) dec. Quinn Murphy (CCA) 9-2.

145 – 1. Austin Hazelett (WAS) major dec. Dakota Boyer (EBF) 13-5.

152 – 1. Trey Van Weelden (WAS) dec. Graeson Dall (SOL) 6-2.

160 – 1. Trevor Nelson (SOL) dec. Tristin Westphal-Edwards (WAS) 6-0.

170 – 1. Tucker Morrison (COL) major dec. Mike Hoyle (SOL) 9-0.  

182 – 1. Visouth Peterschmidt (MP) pinned Austin Angle (EBF) 5:26.

195 – 1. Michael Fritz (FAI) dec. Karlton Skubal (WAS) 7-6.

220 – 1. Blade Burbala (BC) pinned Zach Wegmann (SOL) 3:26.

285 – 1. Brendon Lunsford (FAI) dec. Tyler Linderbaum (SOL) 7-4.