Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – West High didn’t just earn its first return to the state dual tournament since 2014 on Tuesday.

The Trojans rolled to a regional duals title.

Or perhaps more accurately steamrolled their way to state.

Seventh-ranked West High won 10 matches, seven by way of fall or tech fall in an impressive 50-22 win over No. 13 North Scott in the Class 3A, Region 7 championship match on Tuesday at West High.

“When we were warming up you could see everybody wanted it,” West High senior Campbell Janis said. “We came here to dominate we didn’t just come here to win. We didn’t want a close dual we wanted a big win.”

The win sends West High to the Class 3A state dual tournament for the first time since 2014.
West High will compete for a state duals title on Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

“This date was circled on all calendar all year and it’s really nice to see 14 weights step up and compete as a team,” West High coach Nate Moore said. “This is a young gritty team with a lot of veterans and they performed.”

North Scott defeated No. 17 Bondurant-Farrar 51-19 in the semifinal to reach the title match.

West High couldn’t have gotten off to a much better start in the final.

Freshmen Nicholas Rubio, Diego Robertty and Hugo Hughes and sophomore Owen Smock opened the dual with consecutive bonus point wins to stake West High to an early 22-0 lead.

“It shows that our young guys are stepping up,” West High senior Alex Pierce said. “They are fearless and this shows what we are able to do.”

Rubio opened the dual with a 15-0 tech fall of Reese Morden in just 1:12 at 106 pounds.

Third-ranked Robertty followed with a first-period pin of No. 10 Cole Bruck at 113 pounds and Hughes pinned No. 12 Maxwell Davis in 5:07 at 120 pounds.

Smock followed with a 19-3 tech. fall of Austin Mizer in 3:23 to five the Trojans a 22-0 lead.

“It’s just a testament to our guys and how tough they can be when they go out and get ready to wrestle,” Moore said.

A senior three-time state finalist, Pierce needed just 42 seconds to pin No. 12 Matthew Williams at 126 pounds to cap a near perfect start for West High.

“I got my underhook and it felt good,” Pierce said. “He was pushing back and I just ripped it and he landed on his back.”

No. 11 Owin Koethe won a 13-5 major decision over No. 12 Collin Kruse at 144 pounds and sixth-ranked Blest Woods won a 14-10 decision over No. 10 Benjamin Lightle at 157 pounds in the match of the night.

Junior Kristoff Plettenberg pinned Kepler Carmichael in 3:55 at 175 pounds and Janis bumped up to 190 pounds where he pinned Kade Kelly in 1:49.

“Coach even said it right before, we’ve been marking this day on the calendar since the beginning of the year,” Janis said. “Alex and myself, we’ve been wanting this since our freshmen year so to rise up to this moment, our senior year, and get to where we want to be that’s just a great feeling.”

Sixth-ranked Kaden Stitt put the finishing touches on the emphatic dual win with a 7-2 decision over Bryce Stewart at 285 pounds.

“It’s super awesome,” Pierce said. “I’ve always wanted to wrestle at state duals, we get more matches and I’m just super happy.”

West High 50, North Scott 22

106 – Nicholas Rubio (ICW) tech. fall Reese Morden 15-0

113 – Diego Robertty (ICW) pinned Cole Bruck 1:12

120 – Hugo Hughes (ICW) pinned Maxwell Davis 5:07

126 – Owen Smock (ICW) tech. fall Austin Mizer 19-3

132 – Alexander Pierce (ICW) pinned Matthew Williams :42

138 – Will McDermott (NS) major dec. Charles Barnhouse 14-0

144 – Owin Koethe (ICW) major dec. Collin Kruse 13-5

150 – Zach Green (NS) pined Ethan Plettenberg 1:00

157 – Blest Woods (ICW) dec. Benjamin Lightle 14-10

165 – Cole Green (NS) won by forfeit

175 – Kristoff Plettenberg (ICW) pinned Kepler Carmichael 3:55

190 – Campbell Janis (ICW) pinned Kade Kelly 1:49

215 – Trey Feist (NS) pinned Ashten Holmes 1:30

285 – Kaden Stitt (ICW) dec. Bryce Stewart 7-2

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