Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CEDAR RAPIDS – It had already been a solid district performance for City High by the time the two biggest guys in the Little Hawk lineup hit the championship mat.

Raphael Etuma and Kane Willey put the finishing touches on a stellar performance for the Little Hawks.

Willey and Etuma won back-to-back titles to cap a strong City High showing that featured five champions at the Class 3A, District 3 meet at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School.

“I love getting a little energy rush at the end,” Willey said. “I go out there and I knew I have to do it, I can’t lose here.”

Kendall Kurtz, Donovan Gipson and Mason Tilley all added titles as City High qualified nine wrestlers for the Class 3A state tournament that gets underway on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Chase Williams added a runner-up finish and Laith Alawneh, Marshall Sheldon and Blaine Heick advanced with third-place finishes as City High placed third in the team standings with 174.5 points.

“We lost some studs from last year but I think overall as a team we are a little more well-rounded at all the weights,” Tilley said. “We are really solid as a team.”

On a strong overall day it was the performances of Willey and Etuma that were the icing on the cake.

Eighth-ranked Etuma (32-11) won a 7-5 decision over seventh-ranked Camden Smith (32-5) of Dubuque Hempstead in the 215-pound title match.

“Last year I wasn’t even sure if I was going to qualify for state,” Etuma said. “I just barely scrapped by so I am feeling pretty good being able to get a district championship.”

With the win over Smith in the finals Etuma evened the season series with the Dubuque Hempstead junior.

Smith won the first meeting 7-2 on January 4^th, Etuma won 8-4 on January 16 and Smith won 13-9 in the semifinals of the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament earlier this month.

“It feels really good,” Etuma said. “I wrestled that guy three times before. He beat me pretty bad the first time, the second time I got him and the last time he beat me pretty bad again. This time I wanted to get more shots in.”

Eighth-ranked Willey (25-5) followed up Etuma with an 8-3 win over Anthony Snodey of Cedar Rapids Jefferson in the 285-pound championship match.

The title from Willey capped an impressive day for City High which included a 5-1 record in title matches.

“At the beginning of the year we weren’t looked at as much, we didn’t do as great and I think we finally gained some confidence as a team and in ourselves,” Willey said. “You can see that confidence.”

Fourth-ranked Kurtz (36-5) won the 120-pound title with a 12-3 major decision over seventh-ranked Mitchell Pins (30-7) of Dubuque Hempstead.

Kurtz will be seeking a second consecutive state medal next week in Des Moines.

“It’s momentum and motivation to go for the next thing,” Kurtz said. “I lost in the quarters last year and I just want to keep getting better and better. This year my goal is semifinals and if I win I want to wrestle for that finals spot but if I lose it’s next best thing.”

Gipson (23-8) used a late escape to down No. 10 Will McDermott (29-10) of North Scott 2-1 in the 138-pound championship match.

“He was putting in a leg and there was one moment where I was completely free,” Gipson said. “I was able to get out and I knew I needed a reversal.”

Tilley (29-12) won the 175-pound title with a first-period pin of Clayton Isham of Clear Creek Amana.

Williams (21-18) finished runner-up at 126 pounds while Alawneh was third at 150, Sheldon (28-16) was third at 165 and Heick (29-9) was third at 190.

Class 3A, District 3

At Cedar Rapids Jefferson  

Team scores – 1. North Scott 220.5; 2. Clear Creek Amana 209; 3. City High 174.5; 4. Dubuque Hempstead 143; 5. Fort Madison 79.5; 6. Burlington 43.5; 7. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 39; 8. Dubuque Senior 27.5; 9. Davenport West 8

Individual results (championship matches, state qualifiers)

106 – 1. Abe Heysinger (DH) dec. Braxton Hutchinson (BUR) 4-1 SV-1; 3. Cole Kasparek (CCA)

113 – 1. James Fuller (FM) dec. Maxwell Davis (NS) 13-10 SV-1; 3. Ike Heysinger (DH)

120 – 1. Kendall Kurtz (ICH) major dec. Mitchell Pins (DH) 12-3; 3. Jose Mendiata (CCA)

126 – 1. Elijah Hyet (DH) tech. fall Chase Williams (ICH) 18-3; 3. Malachi Clement (CCA)

132 – 1. Cale Nash (CCA) major dec. Mitchell Murphy (DH) 11-1; 3. Collin Kruse (NS)

138 – 1. Donovan Gipson (ICH) dec. Will McDermott (NS) 2-1; 3. Jay Halverson (CCA)

144 – 1. Nolan Howell (CCA) tech. fall Kepler Carmichael (NS) 23-4; 3. Garren Christiansen (DH)

150 – 1. Trace Robertson (CCA) pinned Evan Ralfs (NS) 1:02; 3. Laith Alawneh (ICH)

157 – 1. Cole Green (NS) pinned Adrian Perez-Hall (BUR) 33-13; 3. Ben Haughey (CCA)

165 – 1. Benjamin Lightle (NS) dec. Aidan Schrock (CCA) 6-0; 3. Marshall Sheldon (ICH)

175 – 1. Mason Tilley (ICH) pinned Clayton Isham (CCA) 1:43; 3. Peyce McCoy (DH)

190 – 1. Trey Feist (NS) pinned Dylan Schrock (CCA) 2:39; 3. Blaine Heick (CCA)

215 – 1. Raphael Etuma (ICH) dec. Camden Smith (DH) 7-5; 3. Jace Tippet (NS)

285 – 1. Kane Willey (ICH) Dec. Anthony Snodey (CRJ) 8-3; 3. Bryce Stewart (NS)

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