Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CEDAR RAPIDS – Last season Clear Creek Amana raised the standard within its wrestling program when it qualified 11 wrestlers for the Class 3A state tournament.

On Saturday the Clippers raised the bar yet again.

Clear Creek Amana crowned three individual champions and had three more runner-up finishers while qualifying 11 wrestlers for the state tournament for the second year in a row at the Class 3A, District 3 meet at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School.

“It’s just everybody buying in and working hard,” Clear Creek Amana senior Nolan Howell said. “We’ve got a team full of guys that are willing to put in the work and it’s been cool to see how we continue to go up.”

Howell was one of three Clippers to claim individual titles on Saturday as Clear Creek Amana finished runner-up in the team race with 209 points.

A year ago the Clippers had a single district champ among its 11 state qualifiers.

On Saturday seniors Cale Nash, Howell and Trace Robertson all won individual titles as the Clippers went 3-3 in title matches.

The four-day Class 3A state tournament begins next Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines and runs until February 22.

“This definitely gives me confidence going into next week,” Howell said. “I am ready to wrestle my best next week.”

A three-time state qualifier Howell had been third at the district meet each of the past three seasons.

Sixth-ranked Howell (42-8) got over that hump on Saturday winning the 144-pound title in impressive fashion.

After a first-period pin the quarterfinals Howell posted back-to-back tech falls including a 23-4 win over Kepler Carmichael of North Scott in the 144-pound title match.

“I put in the work in the offseason,” Howell said. “Coach (Brad) Smith and coach (Kyle) Forness both helped me improve my offense which is what I lacked the last few years I feel like.”
No. 10 Nash (36-6) won the 132-pound title with an impressive win over seventh-ranked Mitchell Murphy (32-3) of Dubuque Hempstead in the title match.

Nash scored a first-period takedown and added a takedown and a four-point nearfall in an 11-1 win over Murphy.

“I’ve had some people say I haven’t gotten a lot of ranked wins so that one definitely helped,” Nash said. “I think my family wanted it more than I did. Being at the top of the podium feels good. It’s always good to peak at the right time of the year.”

Robertson (32-19) pinned his way to the 150 pound title.

The senior posted three consecutive first-period falls on his way to his first district title capped by a pin of North Scott’s Evan Ralfs in 1:02 in the title match.

Aidan Schrock (24-13) was runner-up at 165, Clayton Isham (24-19) was runner-up at 175 and Dylan Schrock (32-16) was runner-up at 190 for the Clippers.

Freshman 106-pounder Cole Kasparek (41-13) advanced with a third-place finish while Jose Mendiata (30-26) was third at 120, Malachi Clement (34-20) was third at 126, Jay Halverson (23-14)    was third at 138 and Ben Haughey (33-15) was third at 157.

“We want to be our best next week,” Nash said. “We had a good day today but I think we are still going up.”

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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