Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – Aidan and Rowan Udell spend most of their time trying to beat one another.

Pick a contest, a drill, an exercise or an activity and each of the brothers wants to get the better of the other.

“They compete in everything,” Regina wrestling coach Zach Ries said. “In the room we have to keep them separated because they probably would get to fists if they could. It’s the competition that really pushes them.”

No matter how much time they spend trying to beat the other when one of the Udell brothers hits the wrestling mat they both want the exact same thing – for the other to win.

“Having my brother in my corner since I started wrestling has been amazing,” Aidan Udell said. “I look up to him because as you can see he’s doing pretty well. He’s a good mentor to look up to and a great best friend to wrestle with.”

On Saturday the Udell brothers made sure they would have another week to compete against each other in practice and cheer for the other in matches.

Aidan and Rowan both claimed sectional titles for Regina on Saturday at the Class 1A, Sectional 16 meet in West Branch.

“It’s so much fun having him around, just brotherly love type stuff,” Rowan Udell said. “It’s fun to know he’s going to be wrestling next week.”

Being separated by two years and 35 pounds stops the brothers from wrestling in practice. Nothing stops them from competing and pushing each other.  

“It’s awesome because their older brother Cullen is in the room helping coach so there is a true family environment,” Ries said. “They all push each other and they all want the same thing for each other just to be better every day.”

The Udell brothers were dominant on Saturday while each securing spots at the Class 1A, District 8 meet on Saturday at Wilton.

Rowan Udell (40-0) needed just 1:26 to pin Wilton junior Johnathan Lilly in the 195-pound title match.

Aidan Udell (29-7) pinned Durant freshman Brady Meincke in 66 seconds in the semifinal and pinned Hayden Cavelage of Louisa-Muscatine in 5:00 in the 160-pound title match.

“Last year both ran into some pretty tough competition and things didn’t go well and their dreams were cut short for that year,” Ries said. “Now they are another step closer to their goals.”

Rowan Udell, a senior ranked fourth in Class 1A and chasing a state title in his final season, paced along the side of the mat watching his younger brother in the 160-pound title match.

A regular in the Regina lineup since his freshman season Rowan has tried to teach Aidan what it takes to be successful at the varsity level.

“I just tried to help him with having better technique and focusing on the mental aspect of wrestling,” Rowan Udell said. “I try to teach him the ins and outs of how to wrestle in high school and how to get better and how to get to state.”

Aidan Udell put what he’s been learning on display in his title match on Saturday.

The sophomore scored a takedown less than 30 seconds into the match and collected five nearfall points in the first period while taking a 7-0 lead on Cavelege.

“My single leg I have been working on it all season with my coaches,” Aidan Udell said. “They keep telling me that I need to stick to the things that I am good at and I will end up doing well. I stuck to my single leg and got a few nearfall points just to seal the deal.”

It was a short day for Rowan Udell who pinned Lilly in 1:26 in his only match of the day.

Udell scored a takedown just 10 seconds in and quickly took Lilly to his back.

“I felt good today,” Rowan Udell said. “I like where I am at.”

The Udell brothers join sophomore Sam Aitchison as district qualifiers for the Regals.

Aitchison (22-20) fell to Christophe Ewart of Wapello in the 138-pound title match but pinned Matthew Hemsted of Lone Tree in 1:03 in the wrestle back to advance.

West Branch junior Morgan Hartz (21-12) advanced to the district meet with a runner-up finish at 182 pounds.

Hartz won an 11-7 decision over Owen Houseman of Wapello in the semifinals before falling to fifth-ranked Coy Baker of Wilton in the title match.

Class 1A, Sectional 16

At West Branch

Team scores – 1. Wilton 231; 2. Wapello 212; 3. Louisa-Muscatine 131.5; 4. Regina 107; 5. Lone Tree 72; 6. Durant 54; 7. West Branch 48

Championship matches

106 – 1. Gage Oien (WIL) pinned Dawson Tipps (WAP) :58

113 – 1. Dalton Snider (WIL) dec. Noah Grage (DUR) 2-0

120 – 1. Chase Witte (WAP) dec. Ethan Gast (DUR) 10-8 SV-1

126 – 1. Kael Brisker (WIL) pinned Jonathon Cox (L-M) 1:45

132 – 1. Mitchell Moore (WAP) dec. Trae Hagen (WIL) 9-4

138 – 1. Christopher Ewart (WAP) pinned Sam Aitchison (ICR) :50

145 – 1. Daniel Meeker (WAP) pinned Colton Cruse (WIL) 5:29

152 – 1. Kaden Shirk (WIL) dec. Max Mashek (L-M) 8-6 SV-1

160 – 1. Aidan Udell (ICR) pinned Hayden Cavelage (L-M) 5:00

170 – 1. Cameron Keith (WIL) pinned Will Hotz (LT) 1:15

182 – 1. Coy Baker (WIL) pinned Morgan Hartz (WB) 2:50

195 – 1. Rowan Udell (ICR) pinned Johnathan Lilly (WIL) 1:26

220 – 1. Timothy Mills (LT) pinned Spencer Kessel (L-M) :38

285 – 1. Gabe Hayes (L-M) pinned Briggs Hartley (WIL) :43

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