Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – There is more than one way to win a wrestling match.

City High freshman Kendall Kurtz isn’t going to outmuscle many opponents and won’t wow with physical appearance.

That doesn’t mean Kurtz can’t get it done inside the circle.

“You don’t have to be the strongest guy if you know how to wrestle,” Kurtz explained.”

Kurtz showed how much he knows on Thursday.

The freshman posted a 14-5 major decision over Christos Panos to help City High lock up a 41-30 win over Liberty High in a Mississippi Valley Conference dual meet in North Liberty.

“Kendall has some great technique,” City High coach Cory Connell said. “When he grows he’s going to be an incredible wrestler. He is an unbelievable kid.”

Wrestling at 106 pounds Kurtz clearly isn’t a big guy.

However, Kurtz is small even by 106-pound standards.

That lack of size hasn’t slowed Kurtz much in his first varsity season and wasn’t an issue on Thursday.

Kurtz put on a takedown clinic against Panos racking up seven takedowns in the win.

“I just try to be aggressive, not let up and just smother them,” Kurtz said. “Once a shark smells blood in the water they go for the kill.”

City High opened the match with back-to-back pins from Kael Kurtz and Zach Fern and led 16-0 after a major decision from Jake Mitchell at 138.

The Little Hawks never trailed on Thursday but led just 31-24 after Liberty High senior Brendon Benton pinned Cameron Lacina at 285 pounds.

Wins from Kurtz and second-ranked sophomore Cale Seaton made sure there was no Lightning comeback.

Kurtz had three of his seven takedowns in the opening period while building a 6-2 lead on his way to improving to 11-12 on the season.

He always finishes matches hard but he needs to learn how to start those matches hard and he’s starting to figure that out and when he does that a lot better things are going to come for him,” Connell said. “I have loved his attitude this year, his effort has been great and that’s what I grade every match on and I’m so proud of that kid.”

After starting the season 1-8 Kurtz has won 10 of his last 14 matches following his win on Thursday.

“I’ve just learned a lot about what it takes to be successful here and what I can do to put myself in good situations,” Kurtz said. “I think I’m just continuing to get better.”

Liberty High got three consecutive wins from Jackson Philipp at 145, Gavin Benton at 152 and Elijah Terwilleger at 160 to pull within 16-15.

City High freshman Drew Nye earned a 6-5 win over Ethan Barber at 170 pounds but Liberty High cut the lead to one a final time when Vinny Lima won a 7-2 decision over Nick Marker at 182.

Sophomore Sam Kueter came up with a big win at 195 pounds, pinning Caden Yoerger 55 seconds into the second period.

“Lots of times it is the smaller guys that go for that move but I figured, ‘why not’,” Kueter said of the spladle he employed to pin Yoerger. “I went for it and it worked how I wanted it.”

Liberty High had a final chance after a City High forfeit at 113 but City High sophomore Cale Seaton was dominant while pinning Gabe Avalos in 3:20.

“Kael (Kurtz) and Cale (Seaton) and they forfeit to Ben (Kueter), we have those guys but it was Zach Fern coming up with a pin, Jake Mitchell coming up with a major decision it was those types of wins for us, Drew Nye found a way to win and Sam Kueter came through with a pin,” Connell said. “We need the whole team and I feel like we are getting better each time we come out and that’s the idea.”

City High 41, Liberty High 30

106 – Kendall Kurtz (ICH) major dec. Christos Panos 14-5

113 – Ethan Shields (ICL) won by forfeit

120 – Cale Seaton (ICH) pinned Gabe Avalos 3:20

126 – Kael Kurtz (ICH) pinned Mason Karam 1:58

132 – Zach Fern (ICH) pinned Austin Franklin 2:36

138 – Jake Mitchell (ICH) major dec. Jaxon Morris 13-4

145 – Jackson Philipp (ICL) pinned Gabe Egeland 3:10

152 – Gavin Benton (ICL) dec. Ari Collins 7-3

160 – Elijah Terwilleger (ICL) pinned Jesse Hendershot 1:09

170 – Drew Nye (ICH) dec. Ethan Barber 6-5

182 – Vinny Lima (ICL) dec. Nick Marker 7-2

195 – Sam Kueter (ICH) pinned Caden Yoerger 2:55

220 – Ben Kueter (ICH) won by forfeit

285 – Brendon Benton (ICL) pinned Cameron Lacina :43

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