Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – In his first few seasons leading the City High wrestling program Cory Connell saw growth come in small increments.

Over the past two seasons the Little Hawks have grown by leaps and bounds.

In the middle of the best season yet during Connell’s six-year tenure leading his alma mater City High continued to demonstrate on Saturday just how far it has come.

City High went 5-0 on Saturday to capture the title at its own Clyde Bean Dual Tournament for the third straight season.

“My first two years were didn’t win a single dual at this tournament,” Connell said. “To win it the last three years and win it the way we have is special to them.”

City High was nothing short of dominant on its way to the title at its home tournament.

A year ago, City High won 52 matches and didn’t have dual meet closer than 31 points on its way to the title.

Class 3A No. 10 City High was even more impressive this season.

The Little Hawks won 57 matches and outscored opponents by a combined score of 320-55 in five duals. City High didn't have a dual decided by less than 27 points and rolled past runner-up Decorah 53-15 in the finale to secure the title.

“It’s a big tournament for us,” City High sophomore Ethan Wood-Finley said. “It’s one of the biggest competitions we have all year so we wanted to go out and dominate.”

The dominating performance on Saturday was the latest strong City High showing in what has been another tremendous season of growth under Connell.

City High is unbeaten in Mississippi Valley Conference duals and can clinch its first outright conference dual title with a win over Dubuque Hempstead on Thursday.

Three years ago City High finished 13th out of 14 teams at the MVC super meet.

The Little Hawks finished runner-up at the MVC meet last season and showed again on Saturday why they are considered serious contenders for the conference title on Saturday at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

“It’s always fun to dominate but I feel like coming here and being able to show how far we have come over the years is important for us,” City High senior Jacob Dykes said. “Showing off the reemergence of the program has been fun for this team.”

One of the biggest improvements in the program under Connell is an increase in depth which the Little Hawks showed off on Saturday.

Five City High wrestlers went 5-0 and another went 4-0 as City High shuffled its lineup to compensate for some starters that were limited or out of action due to illness.

“The nice thing is we had some people sick and we were able to fill in and not miss a beat” Connell said. “Some of our backups they replaced varsity kids and they didn’t just go out there to fill the spot they went out there to win. That’s what we preach is the next man in, it’s not just the next person in to get a loss it’s to win.”

Just as he has for the past two season Dykes led the City High charge on Saturday. The senior pinned all five of his opponents, four in the first period, while shifting between 195 and 220 pounds.

Dykes pushed his season record to 31-0 and said the increased depth creates better competition at practice and more lineup flexibility at meets.

“When I was a freshman we had open weights, half our team was underclassmen and now we have juniors that are trying to get in the varsity lineup,” Dykes said. “The depth both helps when we have injuries but also just pushes our starters even more.”

A state medalist last season Dykes has been at the heart of the City High resurgence. He likes where the team is at with the most important meets upcoming.

“It’s always a confidence booster,” Dykes said. “We had a lot of guys make all-tournament team and very few guys with more than two losses. We were close to our best today and it’s only going to go up from here.”

Wood-Finley (106), Reece Caven (126), Kyle Hefley (152) and Brandon Lalla (170) were all a perfect 5-0 with Hefley and Lalla each winning four matches by fall.

Garrett Bormann went 4-0 at 113.

“We have a lot of momentum right now and we are going to try to carry that on,” Wood-Finley said. “I like how we wrestled today.”

City High 72, Oskaloosa 3

106 – Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) pinned Ryllie Siroky 1:17

113 – Garrett Bormann (ICH) won by forfeit

120 – Michael Santoro (ICH) won by forfeit

126 – Reece Caven (ICH) won by forfeit

132 – Lance Bormann (ICH) dec. Wyatt Krier 9-5

138 – Ryan Ceynar (ICH) pinned Andrew Else 3:53

145 – Jack Anson (ICH) dec. Leland Evans 4-3

152 – Kyle Hefley (ICH) pinned Cody Gunn 5:25

160 – Wilfred Kadohou (ICH) won by forfeit

170 – Brandon Lalla (ICH) pinned Emmit Boender 2:23

182 – Dan Gustafson (ICH) won by forfeit

195 – Jacoby Dykes (ICH) pinned Hunter Else :39

220 – Tyson Breuklander (OSK) dec. Jason Lemus 3-1

285 – Jacob Murry (ICH) won by forfeit

City High 71, Keokuk 6  

106 – Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) won by forfeit

113 – Garrett Bormann (ICH) tech. fall Tres Merydith 17-1

120 – Michael Santoro (ICH) won by forfeit

126 – Matt Rew (ICH) won by forfeit

132 – Reece Caven (ICH) won by forfeit

138 – Matt Wyatt (KEO) dec. Ryan Ceynar 6-2

145 – Jack Anson (ICH) won by forfeit

152 – Jack Carrell (ICH) won by forfeit

160 – Kyle Hefley (ICH) won by forfeit

170 – Brandon Lalla (ICH) pinned Dylan Jeffers 3:23

182 – Dan Gustafson (ICH) won by forfeit

195 – Jason Lemus (ICH) pinned Austin Tibbits 2:10

220 – Jacob Dykes (ICH) pinned Michael Glasscock 1:04

285 – Jerry Glenn (KEO) dec. Jacob Murry 10-4

City High 52, Muscatine 25

106 – Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) won by forfeit

113 – Garrett Bormann (ICH) won by forfeit

120 – Michael Santoro (ICH) won by forfeit

126 – Reece Caven (ICH) major dec. Carson Harder 11-2

132 – Joe Bacon (ICH) won by forfeit

138 – Ryan Ceynar (ICH) pinned Ryan Townsend 1:42

145 – Cedric Castillo (MUS) tech. fall Kevin Berg 16-0

152 – Kyle Hefley (ICH) pinned Guy Martial 2:28

160 – Carter Oldfield (MUS) pinned Dominic Waikel 3:35

170 – Brandon Lalla (ICH) pinned Tim Nimley 2:53

182 – Brennan Broders (MUS) pinned Dan Gustafson 5:42

195 – Dalton Snell (MUS) tech. fall Jason Lemus 15-0

220 – Jacob Dykes (ICH) pinned Shane Mathias :42

285 – Nolan Bell (MUS) dec. Jacob Murry 3-2

City High 72, Cedar Rapids Xavier 6

106 – Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) dec. Ivan Thomas 6-3

113 – Garrett Bormann (ICH) won by forfeit

120 – Keegan Schultschik (CRX) pinned Matt Rew :53

126 – Michael Santoro (ICH) won by forfeit

132 – Reece Caven (ICH) pinned Patrick Chambers 2:31

138 – Kevin Berg (ICH) dec. Ambrose Poduska 8-6 SV-1

145 – Ryan Ceynar (ICH) pinned Thomas Tobin 2:58

152 – Kyle Hefley (ICH) pinned Derrick Skala 1:13

160 – Dominic Waikel (ICH) won by forfeit

170 – Brandon Lalla (ICH) pinned Xander Eberle 1:00

182 – Dan Gustafson (ICH) pinned Josh Norton :46

195 – Jason Lemus (ICH) won by forfeit

220 – Jacob Dykes (ICH) pinned Kyle Krezek 1:19

285 – Jacob Murry (ICH) pinned Isaac Ball 1:19

City High 53, Decorah 15

106 – Reese Hayden (ICH) major dec. Luke Dieschbourg 12-4

113 – Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) dec. Kyzer Engen 7-3

120 – Corban Rowley (DEC) dec. Michael Santoro 11-6 SV-1

126 – Reece Caven (ICH) pinned Parker Hubka 1:26

132 – Jackson Rolfs (DEC) pinned Joe Bacon 1:15

138 – Brendan Lovstuen (DEC) dec. Ryan Ceynar (ICH) 6-4

145 – Jack Anson (ICH) pinned Nate Rolfs 1:24

152 – Kyle Hefley (ICH) pinned Reid Fjelstul :56

160 – Wilfred Kadohou (ICH) pinned Dawson Palmer 3:45

170 – Dakota Swatek (DEC) dec. Dominic Waikel 15-13 SV-1

182 – Brandon Lalla (ICH) major dec. Andy Murphy 12-2

195 – Jacob Dykes (ICH) pinned Andy Lillegraven 3:16

220 – Jason Lemus (ICH) pinned Caden Keck :43

285 – Jacob Murry (ICH) pinned Daniel Schwartzhoff :42