Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Clear Creek Amana turned in a record-breaking performance at the WAMAC Conference tournament on Saturday.

The Clippers set a program record with 13 medalists in a runner-up WAMAC finish that ranked as the best in school history.

A little more than 48 hours after its historic WAMAC tournament showing the Clippers are seeking an encore effort for the ages.

Clear Creek Amana will take compete in a regional dual meet for the first time in program history on Tuesday when the No. 12 ranked Clippers face No. 12 North Scott at 6 p.m. in a Class 3A opening-round dual at Dubuque Hempstead.

The winner of the opener between Clear Creek Amana and North Scott faces seventh-ranked Dubuque Hempstead for a spot at the state dual tournament February 3 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

“It’s a big deal for our school and our program,” Clear Creek Amana coach Forness said. “It’s good for all our coaches, for all our little kids stuff, all the kids that have been through our program. It’s a complete group effort and I’m just lucky to be along for the ride to a certain extent.”

This season has already been a historic one for an upstart Clear Creek Amana program led by Forness.

The Clippers have a chance to make even more history on Tuesday.

Just minutes after the WAMAC conference meet had concluded on Saturday Forness had shifted focus to the meeting with North Scott on Tuesday.

“We are going to get to work tonight on some film of North Scott and a little bit of Dubuque Hempstead but we have to get past North Scott first,” Forness said. “We will get a workout in on Monday and Tuesday we are going to go to Dubuque and try to do something we’ve never done before.”

If Clear Creek Amana can get past North Scott in the opening round on Tuesday it will face a tough test in seventh-ranked Dubuque Hempstead.

The Mustangs were a state dual qualifier a year ago, finishing seventh in Class 3A.

Dubuque Hempstead has eight ranked wrestlers in a solid lineup from top to bottom.

“We believe that we should be there and we have a legit shot,” Forness said. “Dubuque Hempstead knows we should be there, they’ve been looking for this too and they want to go to state duals for the second year in a row and they are going to have to earn it and they know that.”

The marquee matchup on Tuesday should be at 120 pounds where eighth-ranked Clear Creek Amana junior Cale Nash and ninth-ranked Dubuque Hempstead junior Mitchell Pins are set to square off.

Nash (41-3) and Pins (13-1) would be the only meeting of ranked wrestlers between the two teams in what figures to be a close dual.

“We are going to need bonus on Tuesday night and we are going to need a lot of em,” Forness said. “That’s going to be the difference Tuesday night.”

The opportunity to compete for a spot amongst the best eight dual teams in Class 3A is exciting for a Clear Creek Amana program that has come a long way in recent years under Forness.

Just four seasons ago the Clippers finished 14^th at the WAMAC Conference meet.

“That’s the thing, we’ve never been there,” Forness said. “You think back to how things used to be and to have a chance to do something like this that we’ve never done it’s exciting.”

Area Regional Dual Pairings

All opening round matches at 6 p.m.

Class 3A at Southeast Polk

No. 16 City High vs. No. 17 Norwalk

Winner vs. No. 1 Southeast Polk

Class 3A at Bettendorf

No. 19 West High vs. No. 13 Cedar Rapids Prairie

Winner vs. No. 3 Bettendorf

Class 3A at Dubuque Hempstead

No. 12 Clear Creek Amana vs. No. 20 North Scott

Winner vs. No. 7 Dubuque Hempstead

Class 2A at Mount Vernon

No. 14 Solon vs. No. 18 Columbus

Winner vs. No. 2 Mount Vernon

Class 1A at Wilton

No. 13 West Branch vs. No. 19 Interstate 35

Winner vs. No. 3 Wilton

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.