Ryan Murken 

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Sam Stevens has seen the bright lights of Wells Fargo Arena and the state wrestling meet.

The Clear Creek Amana senior knows what its like to go through the pressure of the postseason.

In his first action in more than a month Stevens looked exactly like what his coach expected him to on Saturday – an experienced wrestler.

Stevens posted a pair of first-period pins on his way to the 126-pound title at the Class 3A, District 6 meet on Saturday at West High earning a return trip to the 3A state meet.  

“It’s good that Sam is a senior that has been there and done it, that helps out a ton,” Clear Creek Amana Coach Kyle Forness said. “That experienced I think showed today.”
Stevens hadn’t competed since January 9th but didn’t show any rust in his return on Saturday.

The senior pinned Austin Franklin of Liberty High in 1:16 in his first match of the day.

“I definitely had some nerves just because it was my first match in a long time,” Stevens said. “It was good to knock the rust off.”

Stevens (20-6) needed just 1:25 to pin City High senior Reese Hayden in the 126-pound title match.

Last season Stevens went 1-2 in his state meet debut, he hopes to use that experience to his advantage this time around.

“I came in here and I knew what I had to do it,” Stevens said. “Looking ahead to next week I know what the atmosphere is like now and I know what I have to do to get it done.”

Stevens spent most of the first half of the season ranked in the top 10 in Class 3A but dropped from the rankings after missing more than a month leading up to districts.

“Maybe I’m under the radar a little bit but it doesn’t bother me,” Stevens said. “I’d like to keep it that way and maybe surprise some people.”

Sophomore Kael Scranton joined Stevens as a state qualifier with a runner-up finish at 132 pounds as Clear Creek Amana had multiple qualifiers for the second consecutive season.

A state qualifier at 120 pounds last season Scranton fell to top-ranked Hunter Garvin of West High in the district title match for the second consecutive season.

Scranton (38-9) won a 9-0 major decision over Joe Foreman of Cedar Rapids Washington in the semifinals before being pinned by Garvin in 2:53 in the title match.

“Going against Garvin is tough but we took care of business in the semis,” Forness said. “We knew we had to beat that kid and we took care of it and I think we have a good chance to be seeded next week at 132 and 126 which should be good for our guys to have a chance to place at the state tournament.”

Class 3A, District 6 Meet

At West High

Team scores – 1. West High 208.5; 2. City High 206.5; 3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 200; 4. Marion 139; 5. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 124; 6. Clear Creek Amana 94; 7. Cedar Rapids Washington 89; 8. Liberty High 47.5

Individual champions; state qualifiers

106 – 1. Grant O’Dell (ICW) major dec. Niyo Gady (MAR) 11-2

113 – 1. Ethan Wood-Finley (ICH) pinned Jonah Hallam (CRK) :54

120 – 1. Garrett Bormann (ICH) dec. Parker McBride (ICW) 4-1

126 – 1. Sam Stevens (CCA) pinned Reese Hayden (ICH) 1:25

132 – 1. Hunter Garvin (ICW) pinned Kael Scranton (CCA) 2:53

138 – 1. Ashtin Falck (CRK) dec. Austin Fritz (MAR) 11-4

145 – 1. Graham Gambrall (ICW) dec. Dylan Falck (CRK) 9-3

152 – 1. Reece Caven (ICH) pinned Divion Ocheltree (CRK) 2:19

160 – 1. Ben Kueter (ICH) tech. fall Collin Flannagan (CRK) 24-7; 2. Ben Gibson (MAR)

170 – 1. Ashton Barker (ICW) major dec. Alex Koch (CRK) 12-2

182 – 1. Will Hoeft (ICW) tech. fall Jay Oostendorp (CRK) 18-3

195 – 1. Anu Dokun (ICW) dec. Ethan Sullivan (CRK) 11-6

220 – 1. Gavin Bascom (CRK) dec. Jason Lemus (ICH) 8-7

285 – 1. Dawson Sweet (CRJ) dec. Tate Sykora-Matthess (CRW) 3-2

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