Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

MONTICELLO – Admittedly, the conference wrestling championships do not mean a whole heck of a lot to Jake Slocum.

With the pursuit of state tournament berths beginning in earnest around the state with next week’s sectional meets, the West Branch wrestling coach just wants his Bears healthy and confident at this crucial part of the season.

“Very pleased,” Slocum said after West Branch crowned one champion and advanced two other wrestlers to the semifinals of the River Valley Conference prep wrestling championships Saturday at Monticello High School. “Next Saturday and the Saturday after that are the two ones that matter for me. Sectionals and districts. I told these guys today, ‘Just go out and compete. Give me full matches and get better and I will be happy.”

Slocum had to be pleased with sophomore Logan Wright, the top-seeded competitor at 220 pounds and the ninth-ranked wrestler in Class 1A according to IAWrestle at that weight.

Wright (40-6) recorded a pair of pins in his first two bouts – one in 34 seconds against West Liberty sophomore Joe Akers, the second in two minutes even over Ryder Michels of Bellevue – to advance to the championship match.

“He bust his butt all week, he busts his butt all season,” Slocum said. “He deserves a conference championship. That was the only thing.What we came in today, we knew he should win this thing.”

And win Wright did.

Pitted against Regina senior Caden Shetler (28-14), Wright scored a point via an escape in each of the first two periods, then was awarded a third point in the final period when he was struck in the face.

“I just stayed calm and collected, honestly,” Wright said. “The kid was very feisty. He was throwing a little head shots, but calm and collected. I feel like I wrestled pretty well. I am very impressed that I scored as many points as I did throughout the day.”

West Branch sophomore Lincoln Edwards, the Bears’ other ranked wrestler – No. 7 at 113 – was held out of the tournament as he nurses a shoulder injury.

He likely would have faced the same foe that awaits him at the sectional and district meet – Wilton sophomore and RVC champion Brody Brisker.

West Branch senior Dylan Olson (30-14) – seeded fourth in the tournament at 120 – rallied from an opening loss to record a pair of pins and earn third place in a bracket that included a wrestler with over 100 career wins (Monticello senior Mark Sunlin) and a dynamic freshman in Wilton’s Jordan Dusenberry, who rolled through the bracket for the title.

“For Olson to take third in that bracket, I am super proud,” Slocum said. “And next week, I always call Dylan my ‘dark horse.’ You never know what he is going to do.”

West Branch sophomore Cale Seydel (30-17) reached the semifinals at 145 before finishing fifth overall.

Sophomore Auron Marsh (31-19) also finished fifth at his weight (152).

“Peaking at the right time,” Slocum said. “It is all about little things. From our feet, it is every position we are in, we need little things to work on. We will fix that stuff leading into sectionals and districts and hopefully we get a bunch of guys through.”

Regina advanced four wrestlers to the semifinals, with senior 160-pounder Sam Aitchison joining Shetler in the championship round.

Aitchison (32-4) was hobbled by a right leg injury he sustained in the first period of a 6-1 loss by decision to Tipton’s Skyler Schmidt.

“He is a warrior,” Regina Coach Zach Ries said. “It didn’t look like it (hampered him) at the time, but now after looking at it, it probably did. Kudos to him for being able to finish the match and finish strong.”

Regina junior Ronan Poynton (30-5) – a returning state qualifier from last season and the 10th-ranked wrestler at 220 – competed at 195 and finished third, while junior Christopher Waikel (27-10) reached the 182 semifinals before placing fourth overall.

“The big thing I am really excited about is our younger guys, our freshmen and sophomores, they are really taking to our coaching and they are really progressing,” Ries said. “They got a couple of wins on that back side, which is big for us. It is something we have not had before.”

Regina senior Aidan Udell – ranked third at 170 and a two-time state qualifier – did not compete in order to rest up and heal for next week’s sectional meet at English Valleys.

“It is going to be ‘trust in ourselves’ and ‘strike first,’” Ries said. “So, when we go out there and we are the aggressors, good things happen.”

Wilton won the team title with 177.5 points. Regina placed eighth (71 points), while West Branch was 10th (59.5 points).

River Valley Conference Meet

At Monticello High School

Team scores – 1. Wilton 177.5, 2. West Liberty 163, 3. Monticello 114, 4. Tipton 102, 5. Anamosa 92, 6. Mid-Prairie 80.5, 7. Cascade 77. 8. Iowa City Regina 71, 9. Camanche 64, 10. West Branch 59.5, 11. Bellevue 42.5, 12. Durant 37.5, 13. Northeast 20, 14. North Cedar 4.

Championship matches; area placewinners

106 – Colin Cassady (WL) maj. dec. Brock Morris (CAS) 11-2; 6. Timmy Hosier (WB)

113 – Brody Brisker (WIL) pinned Jonah Luensman (MON) 3:02; 3. Dylan Olson (WB)

120 – Jordan Dusenberry (WIL) maj. dec. Mark Sunlin (MON) 12-1

126 – Ethan Gast (DUR) dec. Tristin Sorgenfrey (TIP) 6-0

132 – Trever Freiburger (CAS) dec. Kale Hansen (MON) 12-8

138 – Owen Milder (WIL) pinned Diego Sanchez (WL) 2:36; 6. Logan Keeler (WB)

145 – Eric Kinkaid (CAM) pinned Joshua Zeman (WL) 1:09; 5. Cale Seydel (WB); 6. Carter Rios (ICR)

152 – Austin Scranton (ANA) pinned Kadyn Kraklio (DUR) 2:34; 5. Auron Marsh (WB)

160 – Skyler Schmidt (TIP) dec. Sam Aitchison (ICR) 6-1

170 – Drake Collins (WL) dec. Kaden Shirk (WIL) 7-6

182 – Felipe Molina (WL) pinned Jerry Havill (TIP) 3:32; 4. Christopher Waikel (ICR)

195 – 1. Cael Garvey (M-P) pinned Jahsiah Galvan (WL) 2:43; 3. Ronan Poynton (ICR)

220 – 1. Logan Wright (WB) dec. Caden Shetler (ICR) 3-0

285 – 1. Cole Sigler (ANA) dec. Quintyn Rocha (WL) 3-2

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