Douglas Miles

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – West Branch is on the cusp of a full wrestling lineup.

A year after routinely forfeiting four or five weights to their opponent in a given dual, the Bears enter the 2022-23 season nearly at full capacity.

“It’s exciting to finally have an opportunity to compete with all of these full teams,” West Branch Coach Jake Slocum said after the Bears swept Van Buren County and Lone Tree in a triangular dual meet Monday night at West Branch High School. “Last year and the year before, it’s like five weights. We need to focus more on individuals. But now that we have a full team and we can compete with other teams, now we go after them.”

Incredibly, last season’s short-handed lineup did not prevent West Branch from a winning record in duals.

But there was no room for error.

The Bears normally required the bonus points that a pin would deliver in order to win a dual. This season, with only the 106-pound spot likely to be an issue, Slocum welcomes the versatility and flexibility that affords him.

“I like actually being able to compete on the individual side and the team side,” Slocum said. “Dual threat. It is nice.”

Adding to the Bears’ excitement for the new season is the return of 220-pounder Logan Wright and Lincoln Edwards (113 pounds), who both qualified for the Class 1A individual state tournament last year.

The duo was the first state qualifiers for West Branch since 2016, which will undoubtedly place a target on their backs by the opposition.

“Both of them are cool, calm and collected all the time,” Slocum said. “I really think that the pressure only builds the intensity for them to come out and show everyone up. I think they feed off of it, which, that is a competitor. Feeding off the negative and maybe the doubters. I like it. I like people coming after our head.”

Last season, Wright won 46 of 55 matches, including 220-pound titles at the River Valley Conference meet and a district meet before placing eighth at state.

He is just two-plus weeks removed from the end of a fantastic football season where he played on both the offensive and defensive lines.

On defense, Wright posted 36 tackles, 18 for loss and six sacks as the Bears finished as the 1A state runner-up.

“One of the hardest parts was not getting that week off that I wanted,” said Wright, who is recovering from a jammed wright wrist. “I just wanted to get back into it, so I was hopefully in shape. But at the same time, I didn’t let my injuries heal but I’m feeling a lot better now.”

Wright and Edwards were two of nine Bears that won by fall in a 54-13 victory over Van Buren County.

Wright needed just 1:10 to pin Keanu Miller, while Edwards fought off muscle cramps and a frantic afternoon workout to subdue Colt Boyles in 4:17.

“Feeling good,” Edwards said. “Didn’t really have a great match, but I am going to work on it and try to get my nutrition planned out a little bit better. Not be so fatigued on the mat. Yeah, I have got some things to work on.”

Slocum is also excited about the development of junior heavyweight Quintyn Rocha, sophomore Tate Frantz (182 pounds) and freshman Logan Christoffel (132).

All three won by pin against Van Buren County.

“You look up anything AAU (Amateur Athletic Union)-related and that kid is always somewhere either on the podium or beating top-tier guys,” Slocum said of Christoffel. “He’s huge.”

The Bears closed the triangular with a 66-0 shutout of Lone Tree, which wrestled just three of the five names on its roster.

Sophomore Timmy Hosier (126 pound), junior Cale Seydel (152) and senior Jaxson Kaalberg (170) each posted pins against the Lions.

West Branch 54, Van Buren County 13

220 – Logan Wright (West Branch) pinned Keanu Miller (Van Buren County), 1:10

285 – Quintyn Rocha (West Branch) pinned Nehemiah Westercamp (Van Buren County), 0:26

106 – Double forfeit

113 – Lincoln Edwards (West Branch) pinned Colt Boyles (Van Buren County), 4:17

120 – Maddux Rushton (West Branch) pinned Gavin Noll (Van Buren County), 1:41

126 – Timmy Hosier (West Branch) pinned Jayden Pilcher (Van Buren County), 1:07

132 – Logan Christoffel (West Branch) pinned T.J. Jirak (Van Buren County), 0:46

138 – Corbin Camp (Van Buren County) dec. Xavyer Boone (West Branch), 7-1

145 – Dirk Boyles (Van Buren County) maj. dec. Auron Marsh (West Branch), 9-0

152 – Cale Seydel (West Branch) pinned Tyler Stoltz (Van Buren County), 2:47

160 – Jaxson Kaalberg (West Branch) pinned Cale Mellinger (Van Buren County), 1:49

170 – Darin Coffman (Van Buren County) won by forfeit

182 – Double forfeit

195 – Tate Frantz (West Branch) pinned Elijah Westercamp (Van Buren County), 1:37

West Branch 66, Lone Tree 0

106 – Double forfeit

113 – Lincoln Edwards (West Branch) won by forfeit

120 – Maddux Rushton (West Branch) won by forfeit

126 – Timmy Hosier (West Branch) pinned Clemens Swaink, 0:54

132 – Logan Christoffel (West Branch) pinned T.J. Jirak (Van Buren County), 0:46

138 – Xavyer Boone (West Branch) won by forfeit

145 – Auron Marsh (West Branch) won by forfeit

152 – Cale Seydel (West Branch) pinned Brody Magruder, 2:00

160 – Double forfeit

170 – Jaxson Kaalberg (West Branch) pinned Christian Balthazar, 0:55

182 – Tate Frantz (West Branch) won by forfeit

195 – Double forfeit

220 – Logan Wright (West Branch) won by forfeit

285 – Quintyn Rocha (West Branch) won by forfeit

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