Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sport

IOWA CITY – When Clear Creek Amana made the bump from 2A to 3A before the season there were those that saw the climb in class as an obstacle.

Clear Creek Amana coach Kyle Forness saw the jump as an opportunity.

The Clippers made the most of that opportunity on Saturday.

In its first year in Class 3A Clear Creek Amana matched the most state qualifiers in program history as three Clippers secured spots at state at the District 7 meet at Cedar Rapids Prairie.

“I was excited about going up, it was an opportunity,” Forness said. “It doesn’t matter if you are 1A, 2A or 3A you have to perform at the right time and peak at the right time and that’s what we did.”

Andrew Rohret won the 145-pound title and freshman Kael Scranton and junior Samual Stevens each advanced to the state meet with runner-up finishes as Clear Creek Amana produced three state qualifiers for the first time since 2010.

The first district title for Rohret came in his first crack against 3A competition.

“I don’t think classes are really that different because there are good kids at every level but I was looking forward to being in the biggest class and wrestling the best competition,” Rohret said. “Usually the top level kids are at 3A and it’s a really good test to see where you are at against some of the best kids in the state.”

Rohret was dominant in securing his second consecutive trip to the state meet.

The senior needed a total of 82 seconds to record back-to-back pins in his first two matches.

Ranked seventh at 145 pounds, Rohret posted an impressive 12-1 major decision over No. 10 Nathan Wallace of Mount Pleasant in the championship match.

“It feels pretty good,” Rohret said. “That was my main goal just to make state and then focus on bigger things next week like placing at the top of the podium.”

Rohret (41-7) was 6-3 in his previous nine matches entering the postseason with three losses to ranked wrestlers.

The losses stung but didn’t slow Rohret.

“Every time you get a loss I look at it on film and try to correct the things I did wrong,” Rohret said. “I just try to move on and get better so it won’t happen again.”

On Saturday Rohret was at his best.

First-period pins over Owen George or Burlington and Collin Leavy sent Rohret to the final where he recorded three takedowns a pair of near falls in the win over Wallace (24-5).

 “He has just been a great leader this year more than anything,” Forness said. “The difference between him last year and this year is he has really stepped up. We always talk about the best version of you is elite and that’s what he’s been all year.

Rohret used a takedown 46 seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead after one period.

He opened things open in the second period.

An escape and quick takedown in the opening 50 seconds gave Rohret a 5-0 lead and he record two nearfalls in the final minute to take a commanding 10-0 lead.

“I got to my turns on top and I was riding him pretty hard,” Rohret said. “I kept him on the mat and my turns ended up turning up.”

Forness believes Rohret is primed for a deep run in his first crack at the Class 3A tournament.

“He’s made some mistakes, he’s taken a loss but he always learned from them,” Forness said. “I think he’s got the stuff right now to make a nice run and I’m excited for him.”

Scranton (36-9) secured his first trip to the state meet with a runner-up finish at 120 pounds.

After falling to second-ranked Hunter Garvin of West High in the title match, Scranton needed a 11-9 sudden victory win over Dayne Cordray of Fort Madison in the wrestle back to secure his spot at state.

Stevens (31-15) also had to earn his spot at state via wrestle back, picking up a 18-5 major decision over Gavin Wiseman of Fort Madison after dropping an 8-4 decision to West High senior Keaton Speicher in the title match.

Class 3A, District 7

At Cedar Rapids Prairie

Team scores – 1. City High 210; 2. Cedar Rapids Prairie 189; 3. West High 186; 4. Fort Madison 147; 5. Burlington 102; 6. Mount Pleasant 101; 7. Liberty High 85; 8. Clear Creek Amana 82;

(State qualifiers; Area Placewinners)

106 – 1. Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) pinned Grant O’Dell (ICW) :57; 5. Jayden Massey (CCA)

113 – 1. Austin Kegley (CRP) pinned Elton Kruse (FM) 1:09; 3. Parker McBride (ICW); 4. Reece Hayden (ICH); 6. Mason Padgett (ICL)

120 – 1. Hunter Garvin (ICW) pinned Kael Scranton (CCA) 2:34; 4. Garrett Bormann (ICH)

126 – 1. Keaton Speicher (ICW) dec. Samual Stevens (CCA) 8-4; 4. Michael Santoro (ICH)

132 – 1. Conrad Braswell (CRP) dec. Duncan Delzell (BUR) 8-2; 4. Gable Mitchell (ICH); 6. Mike Luyeye 3:42

138 – 1. Graham Gambrall (ICW) major dec. Johnny Washburn (CRP) 12-4; 3. Ryan Ceynar (ICH); 4. Jarrod Alger (ICL); 6. Randal Mosier (CCA)

145 – 1. Andrew Rohret (CCA) major dec. Nathan Wallace (MP) 12-1; 3. Reece Caven (ICH); 4. Collin Leavy (ICW); 5. Darius Willis-Newell (ICL)

152 – 1. Kyle Hefley (ICH) tech. fall Justis Kruse (CRP) 15-0; 3. Kaleb Williams (ICL); 5. Mason Applegate (ICW)

160 – 1. Preston Terry (BUR) dec. Brandon Lalla (ICH) 3-2 TB-1; 2. Colton LaGrange (CRP); 3. Brandon Lalla (ICH); 5. Drew Snyder (ICL); 6. Joe Dixon (ICW)

170 – 1. Ashton Barker (ICL) pinned Joe Ring (ICH) 3:02

182 – 1. Will Hoeft (ICW) dec. Logan Andeway (CRP) 7-4; 4. Gavin Luze (ICL); 5. Drake Patterson (ICH); 6. Spencer Beltz (CCA)

195 – 1. Ashton Stoner-DeGroot (CRP) med. forfeit Sam Hayes (FM); 4. Jason Lemus (ICH); 5. Brett Pelfrey (ICW); 6. Quentist Alexander (ICL)

220 – 1. Landon Green (ICW) dec. Zach Beason (MP) 10-9; 3. Davryn Stewart (ICH)

285 – 1. Jacob Murry (ICH) dec. Danen Settles (FM) 4-2 TB-1; 5. Jordan Hughes (ICW); 6. Tommy Morlan (CCA)