A Quick Look at the WAMAC Conference Wrestling Meet
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
WAMAC Conference Meet
When: Saturday, 9 a.m.
Where: Independence High School
Ranked teams: Class 2A No. 2 West Delaware; 2A No. 6 Mount Vernon; 2A No. 8 South Tama
What to watch: Five-time defending WAMAC champ West Delaware is a heavy favorite to continued its recent string of conference domination.
The Hawks are ranked second in Class 2A and have eight ranked wrestlers and headline a group of three ranked teams in the WAMAC field which could make this season one of the better overall tournaments in recent history.
Sixth-ranked Mount Vernon has five ranked wrestlers and eighth-ranked South Tama has four while defending runner-up Independence plays host on Saturday and can never be counted out.
Solon was ninth a year ago and Clear Creek Amana was 11th last season but the Clippers could be among the highest risers on Saturday.
Clear Creek Amana has a single ranked wrestler in sophomore standout Cale Nash but has improved depth across the lineup that should help the Clippers surge up the WAMAC standings.
Sophomores Jay Halverson (23-9), Nolan Howell (25-13) and Kaden Phan (24-11) have all won 20 matches this season along with juniors Ryker Jones (26-12) and Ethan Williams (22-13) and seniors Beck Arant (26-8) and Caden Baxter (20-17).
Solon will be looking for big days from junior Lawsin Sinnwell (21-10) at 126 pounds and sophomore Jordan Schmidt (23-8) at 132.
Who to watch: A state qualifier last season as a freshman, Solon sophomore Jordan Schmidt is starting to hit stride as the postseason approaches.
Schmidt (23-8) has won 16 of his last 18 matches with his last loss a 1-0 decision to fourth-ranked Bo Koedam of Sergeant Bluff-Luton in the semifinals of the Herb Irgens Invitational.
The 132-pound bracket is relatively open for the taking with the lone ranked wrestler MaCael Bear of South Tama.
Bear won an 8-4 decision over Schmidt earlier this month and Schmidt also lost to Vinton-Shellsburg junior Carter Lamont (28-5) in the finals of the Ed Hadenfeldt Invitational.
Weight class to watch: Last season Nash became just the 10th conference champion in Clear Creek Amana history, the first Clipper to win a conference title since 2008 and the first ever WAMAC champ for CCA when he won the 106-pound title.
Nash (29-3) has already had an impressive season, is ranked No. 11 in 3A and is riding an 17-match winning streak but will have his hands full repeating as a WAMAC champ facing a loaded bracket at 113 pounds.
Three wrestlers enter Saturday ranked at 113 pounds as West Delaware junior Braden Maury is sixth in 2A and Independence freshman Kameron Kremer is No. 11 in 2A.
Nash has already built an impressive resume this season with his lone three losses coming to wrestlers ranked in the top 10.
The 17-match winning streak for Nash includes a win over 2A third-ranked Colin Cassady of West Liberty in the finals of the Ed Hadenfeldt Invitational in Solon.
Ranked wrestlers
106: 2A No. 5 Klayten Perreault, Jr., Mount Vernon
113: 3A No. 11 Cale Nash, Soph., Clear Creek Amana
2A No. 6 Braden Maury, Jr., West Delaware
2A No. 11 Kameron Kremer, Fr., Independence
120: 2A No. 3 Gavin Jensen, Sr., Williamsbur
2A No. 4 Carson Less, Sr., West Delaware
126: 2A No. 2 Amare Chavez, Jr., South Tama
2A No. 4 Jase Jaspers, Fr., Mount Vernon
2A No. 7 Jax Miller, Soph., West Delaware
2A No. 9 Keyten Jacobsen, Soph., Independence
132: 2A No. 12 MaCael Bear, Jr., South Tama
138: 2A No. 8 Carson Turnis, Sr., West Delaware
2A No. 12 Tyler Wieland, Soph., Independence
145: 2A No. 5 Jackson Jaspers, Jr., Mount Vernon
2A No. 9 Carter Straw, Sr., Independence
152: 2A No. 1 Coopers Sanders, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg
2A No. 5 Brenton Yonkovic, Soph., West Delaware
2A No. 7 Brenden Heying, Soph., Benton Community
160: 2A No. 2 Logan Peyton, Sr., West Delaware
170: 2A No. 5 Henry Ryan, Sr., Mount Vernon
182: 2A No. 9 Gable Dayton, Sr., Williamsburg
195: 2A No.1 Gavin Bridgewater, Jr., South Tama
2A No. 5 Will Ward, Sr., West Delaware
2A No. 10 Curtis Erickson, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg
220: 2A No. 8 Rudy Papakee, Sr., South Tama
285: 2A No. 1 Korver Hupke, Sr., Independence
2A No. 2 Cameron Geuther, Sr., West Delaware
2A No. 10 Trystin Lashley, Sr., Mount Vernon
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
