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Cooper Gates won an individual title to help West Branch to a fourth-place team finish in a strong field at the Gary Curtis Invitational on Saturday at Highland High School

Gates won the 165-pound title as West Branch rolled up 105 points.

Class 1A second-ranked Alburnett won the team title with 322 points followed by third-ranked Wilton with 216 points and Riverside with 174.5 points.

“I liked how we competed, we were competing with these teams,” West Branch coach Jake Slocum said. “You have three solid 1A teams here and the goal is to peak at the right time and that’s districts. This is a stepping stone in the right direction to compete with these guys.”

Regina had five wrestlers finish in the top five while finishing sixth with 95.5 points.

Gates led West Branch with an impressive run through the 165-pound Bracket.

Class 1A ninth-ranked Gates (14-3) had an opening-round pin and back-to-back tech falls to reach the 165-pound championship match.

In the title match Gates posted a 14-8 decision over eighth-ranked Hunter Sauer of Alburnett.

“He gutted it out, in my opinion Cooper is a little smaller 165 and that guy was a little thicker,” Slocomb said. “He just stayed on consistent pressure and trusted his offense and it actually ended up panning out.”

Gates headlined a group of six West Branch wrestlers to place in the top six on Saturday.

Junior Cash Hatfield (4-1) finished runner-up at 144 pounds for West Branch in his first action of the season.

Hatfield posted back-to-back tech falls and a second-period pin of fourth-ranked Jordan Dusenberry of Wilton to reach the title match.

“We dueled them on Thursday and we sat him out because we didn’t think his conditioning was there and he was bound and determined to wrestling him today so we just let him go and he went out there and let him fly and it worked out in his favor,” Slocumb said. “We will have to see that kid two more times so that’s huge going into those next two matches.”

In the finals Hatfield dropped a 7-1 decision to second-ranked Cooper Franklin of Alburnett.

Keaton Gates and Tate Frantz each added fourth-place finishes for the Bears.

Keaton Gates (19-9) was fourth at 150 pounds and Frantz (18-6) was fourth at 190 pounds.

“We got a couple of fourth place finishes, (Tate) Frantz and Keaton Gates at 150 pounds,” Slocum said. “If you lose a match on the front side you have to come back and get us team points and fourth place isn’t anything to hang your head about.”

Logan Christoffel (17-7) was fifth at 132 pounds and Elliott Montgomery was sixth at 106 pounds for West Branch.

Will Aitchison and Leren Fernandez each finished third to lead Regina.

Aitchison (11-3) was third at 157 pounds and Fernandez (20-3) place third at 175 pounds.

Huck Zahasky (17-12) was fifth at 106 pounds, Porter Shetler (20-5) was fifth at 215 pounds and Simon Shetler (15-12) was fifth at 285 pounds.

Carter Slager (14-11) placed sixth at 126 pounds and Dawson Boileau (17-8) finished sixth at 190 pounds.

Gary Curtis Invitational

Highland High School

Team scores – 1. Alburnett 322; 2. Wilton 216; 3. Riverside 174.5; 4. West Branch 105; 5. Fort Madison 99; 6. Regina 95.5; 7. Muscatine 95; 8. Mount Pleasant 90.5; 9. Durant 86.5; 10. WACO 72; 11. Mid-Prairie 61.5; 12. New London 44; 13. Highland 33.5; 14. English Valleys 18; 15. Springville 8

Individual results (champions matches, area placewinners)

106 – 1. Ian Maize (WAC) dec. Levi Evans (MP) 8-2; 5. Huck Zahasky (ICR); 6. Elliot Montgomery (WB)

113 – 1. Atlee Dewitt (ALB) dec. Austin Etzel (WIL) 7-4

120 – 1. Liam Adlfinger (WIL) dec. Owen Henriksen (ALB) 9-3

126 – 1. Rowdy Neighbor (ALB) dec. Mason Shirk (WIL) 7-0; 6. Carter Slager (ICR)

132 – 1. Drew Anderson (RIV) major dec. Owen Adlfinger (WIL) 9-0; 5. Logan Christoffel (WB)

138 – 1. Preston Klosterman (ALB) major dec. Gabriel Brisker (WIL) 12-4

144 – 1. Cooper Franklin (ALB) dec. Cash Hatfield (WB) 7-1

150 – 1. Reece Klosterman (ALB) major dec. Seith Reiland (MUS) 14-2; 4. Keaton Gates (WB)

157 – 1. Dawson Becker (ALB) pinned Taven Moore (RIV) 3:37; 3. Will Aitchison (ICR)

165 – 1. Cooper Gates (WB) dec. Hunter Sauer (ALB) 14-8

175 – 1. Shayden Washburn (ALB) pinned A.C. Roller (RIV) 1:30; 3. Leren Fernandez (ICR)

190 – 1. Louden Huisenga (WAC) dec. Andy Franke (MUS) 4-1 SV-1; 4. Tate Frantz (WB); 6. Dawson Boileau (ICR)

215 – 1. Eaghan Fleshman (ALB) pinned Caden Forristall (RIV) 2:35; 5. Porter Shetler (ICR)

285 – 1. Aaron Warner (FM) pinned Sevy Redel (ALB) 1:27; 5. Simon Shetler (ICR)

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