Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – An already strong start to the season for Clear Creek Amana got an exclamation point of an ending.

Make that four exclamation points.

Class 3A No. 16 Clear Creek Amana wrapped a wild final week of its 2023 schedule by going 4-0 at a five-team tournament at Solon Middle School on Thursday afternoon.

The 4-0 performance on Thursday capped a seven-day stretch in which the Clippers went 7-1 in dual meets and finished runner-up at the two-day, 22-team Fort Madison Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

“As a team this is probably the most proud I’ve ever been and we had eight guys qualify for state last year but not a lot of teams can do this and not limp through the finish line,” Clear Creek Amana coach Kyle Forness said. “We put a little exclamation point on it and sprinted through the finish line tonight going 4-0.”

Clear Creek Amana defeated Midland 71-9, Keokuk 78-6 and Vinton-Shellsburg 66-9 before downing host Solon 45-20 in the final match of the night.

The Clippers improved to 9-2 in dual meets with the 4-0 performance on Thursday with the lone losses coming to 2A second-ranked Mount Vernon and 2A No. 12 Independence.

“It was draining but I think it proved to ourselves and the team that we can get through the tough tournaments,” Clear Creek Amana senior 150-pounder Jack Stevens said. “We showed we can win the tough matches.”

The seven-day stretch to close the December scheduled started with Clear Creek Amana posting two wins at a double dual with South Tama and Vinton-Shellsburg last Thursday.

Clear Creek Amana followed with a runner-up effort at the Fort Madison Invitational finishing just 5.5 points behind champion Dubuque Hempstead.

On Tuesday Clear Creek Amana split a pair of matches with Benton Community and Independence.

“This is not easy, what they’ve done the last week,” Forness said. “There is no one else doing this, it’s tough and we could sit and mope about it but the kids have answered the challenge.”

The Clippers were impressive in closing out their December schedule on Thursday.

Clear Creek Amana won 26 of 31 contested matches in wins over Midland, Vinton-Shellsburg and Keokuk while posting 22 pins.

“It means a lot to us,” Clear Creek Amana senior Ethan Williams said. “Looking back and seeing all the hard work we put in the last few weeks and seeing how it came out it was worth it.”

Clear Creek Amana closed the night and the year by winning the final six matches in the win over host Solon.

Solon led 20-18 after Jordan Schmidt won a 10-2 major decision over Nolan Howell at 144 pounds.

Clear Creek Amana finished with a flurry.

Ryker Jones earned a 6-1 win over Lawsin Sinnwell at 144 pounds and Stevens followed with a first-period pin of Carson Kidwell at 150 pounds.

Trace Robertson scored a takedown in overtime to win a 15-13 decision over Teague Williams at 157.

“I think we competed really well,” Stevens said. “That last dual Ryker Jones stepped up and Trace Robertson had a big win at 157. That was huge.”

Benjamin Haughey added a 5-3 win at 165 and Clayton Isham pinned Tripp Johnson at 175 before Williams closed the dual with a win by forfeit at 190.

Next for the Clippers is a well-earned nine-day break.

“A bunch of us including me are really excited to just lay down and maybe sleep in a little bit,” Stevens said. “It’s going to be nice.”

Stevens led a list of eight Clippers that went unbeaten on Friday in multiple matches, going 4-0 with four pins at 150 pounds.

Junior Cale Nash was 4-0 with three pins at 120 and Josie Mendieta was 4-0 with three pins at 113.

“I appreciate everybody and everybody did their job,” Nash said. “That’s what it takes to win duals.”

Jones went 3-0 at 144 pounds, Robertson went 4-0 at 157 pounds and Haughey was 4-0 at 165.

Williams was 3-0 at 190 and Carson Nash was 4-0 at 215 pounds.

“We were 7-1 in pretty much seven days with a second-place finish that was really close to being a first but we have some things that we have to work out,” Forness said. “They are going to get a nice little break after this. I’m proud of them.”

Solon finished 3-1 with wins over Keokuk (70-10), Midland (62-12) and Vinton-Shellsburg (55-19).

Schmidt went 4-0 at 138 pounds and Jayden Steapp went 4-0 at 106 pounds to lead Solon.

“The final was 45-20 but that was a good dual,” Solon coach Aaron Hadenfeldt said. “I was proud of the effort our guys gave, absolutely.”

Clear Creek Amana 71, Midland 9

106 – Elder Mendieta (CCA) won by forfeit

113 – Jose Mendieta (CCA) pinned Masyn Brodersen :39

120 – Cale Nash (CCA) pinned Cody Buford :15

126 – Malachi Clement (CCA) tech. fall Nathan Rickels 19-4

132 – Ben White (CCA) pinned Nolan Zaehringer :54

138 – Nolan Howell (CCA) won by forfeit

144 – Ryker Jones (CCA) won by forfeit

150 – Jack Stevens (CCA) pinned Dane Ballou 4:16

157 – Trace Robertson (CCA) won by forfeit

165 – Benjamin Haughey (CCA) pinned Wyatt Christiansen 1:26

175 – Jordan Buford (MID) pinned Clayton Isham 3:38

190 – Anthony Harrington (MID) dec. Brody Fairholm 6-1

215 – Carson Nash (CCA) won by forfeit

285 – Vinnie Keller (CCA) pinned Keegan Rushford :16

Clear Creek Amana 78, Keokuk 6

106 – Elder Mendieta (CCA) won by forfeit

113 – Jose Mendieta (CCA) won by forfeit

120 – Cale Nash (CCA) pinned James Neff :25

126 – Robert Howes (KEO) pinned Malachi Clement (CCA) :48

132 – Ben White (CCA) pinned Joshua Baum 5:21

138 – Nolan Howell (CCA) won by forfeit

144 – Ryker Jones (CCA) won by forfeit

150 – Jack Stevens (CCA) pinned Anthony Stice :54

157 – Trace Robertson (CCA) pinned Khaos Martin :49

165 – Benjamin Haughey (CCA) pinned Luke Meyers 1:09

175 – Clayton Isham (CCA) pinned Andreas Harmon 2:33

190 – Ethan Williams (CCA) won by forfeit

215 – Carson Nash (CCA) won by forfeit

285 – Carson Bromwell (CCA) pinned Micah Kay 2:44

Clear Creek Amana 66, Vinton-Shellsburg 9

106 – Conner Bridgewater (V-S) dec. Elder Mendieta 10-3

113 – Jose Mendieta (CCA) pinned Michael Homewood 1:54

120 – Kade Kleinmeyer (CCA) pinned Tate Schminke :40

126 – Cale Nash (CCA) major dec. Landon Osborn 18-4

132 – Aldin Swanson (V-S) pinned Ben White 1:56

138 – Nolan Howell (CCA) pinned Owen Mullinex 3:20

144 – Jay Halverson (CCA) pinned Carter Lamont :44

150 – Jack Stevens (CCA) pinned Carter Lamont 5:07

157 – Trace Robertson (CCA) pinned Brant Dickinson 3:05

165 – Benjamin Haughey (CCA) pinned Reagan Salger :51

175 – Clayton Isham (CCA) dec. Darian Schneider 7-5

190 – Ethan Williams (CCA) pinned Max Janssen 3:09

215 – Carson Nash (CCA) tech. fall 16-0

285 – Vinnie Keller (CCA) pinned Cole Siems :20

Clear Creek Amana 45, Solon 20

106 – Jayden Steapp (SOL) major dec. Elder Mendieta 10-0

113 – Jose Mendieta (CCA) pinned Justin Moore :38

120 – Cale Nash (CCA) pinned Kyler Steapp 3:55

126 – Evan Burg (SOL) dec Malachi Clement 7-2

132 – Charlie Karam (SOL) pinned Ben White 3:24

138 – Jordan Schmidt (SOL) major dec. Nolan Howell 10-2

144 – Ryker Jones (CCA) dec. Lawsin Sinnwell 6-1

150 – Jack Stevens (CCA) pinned Carson Kidwell :50

157 – Trace Robertson (CCA) dec. Teague Williams 15-13 SV-1

165 – Benjamin Haughey (CCA) dec. Jackson Feuerbach 5-3

175 – Clayton Isham (CCA) pinned Tripp Johnson 1:04

190 – Ethan Williams (CCA) won by forfeit

215 – Carson Nash (CCA) pinned Lucas Feuerbach 4:18

285 – Grant Wilson (SOL) dec. Vinnie Keller (CCA) 2-1

Solon 70, Keokuk 10

106 – Jayden Steapp (SOL) won by forfeit

113 – Justin Moore (SOL) won by forfeit

120 – Kyler Steapp (SOL) pinned James Neff :48

126 – Robert Howes (KEO) major dec. Evan Burg 19-8

132 – Charlie Karam (SOL) tech. fall Joshua Baum 21-5

138 – Jordan Schmidt (SOL) won by forfeit

144 – Lawsin Sinnwell (SOL) won by forfeit

150 – Carson Kidwell (SOL) pinned Anthony Stice 2:50

157 – Teague Williams (SOL) tech. fall Khaos Martin 5:28

165 – Jackson Feuerbach (SOL) pinned Luke Meyers :19

175 – Andreas Harmon (KEO) won by forfeit

190 – Kyler Jensen (SOL) won by forfeit

215 – Lucas Feuerbach (SOL) won by forfeit

285 – Grant Wilson (SOL) pinned Micah Kay 1:47

Solon 62, Midland 12

106 – Jayden Steapp (SOL) won by forfeit

113 – Justin Moore (SOL) pinned Masyn Brodersen 5:14

120 – Kyler Steapp (SOL) pinned Cody Buford :29

126 – Evan Burg (SOL) tech. fall Nathan Rickels 16-0

132 – Charlie Karam (SOL) pinned Nolan Zaehringer 1:27

138 – Jordan Schmidt (SOL) won by forfeit

144 – Lawsin Sinnwell (SOL) won by forfeit

150 – Carson Kidwell (SOL) dec. Dane Ballou 6-2

157 – Teague Williams (SOL) won by forfeit

165 – Jackson Feuerbach (SOL) pinned Wyatt Christiansen 5:27

175 – Jordan Buford (MID) won by forfeit

190 – Anthony Harrington (MID) dec. Kyler Jensen 3-1 SV-1

215 – Lucas Feuerbach (SOL) won by forfeit

285 – Keegan Rushford (MID) dec. Grant Wilson (SOL) 3-2

Solon 55, Vinton-Shellsburg 19

106 – Jayden Steapp (SOL) pinned Conner Bridgewater 2:48

113 – Michael Homewood (V-S) dec. Justin Moore (SOL) 11-8

120 – Kyler Steapp (SOL) pinned Tate Schminke :46

126 – Evan Burg (SOL) pinned Landon Osborn 5:31

132 – Aldin Swanson (V-S) pinned Charlie Karam (SOL) 3:12

138 – Jordan Schmidt (SOL) pinned Owen Mullinex 1:58

144 – Carter Lamont (V-S) major dec. Lawsin Sinnwell 13-0

150 – Carson Kidwell (SOL) pinned Jackson Hansel :45

157 – Teague Williams (SOL) dec. Brant Dickinson 6-2

165 – Jackson Feuerbach (SOL) pinned Reagan Salger 1:50

175 – Darian Schneider (V-S) won by forfeit

190 – Kyler Jensen (SOL) pinned Max Janssen 1:16

215 – Lucas Feuerbach (SOL) pinned Aiden Parmater :37

285 – Grant Wilson (SOL) major dec. Cole Siems 13-2

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