Iowa high school wrestling Week 3 notebook (12/18/2023)
In the final big weekend before the extended holiday break, one of the biggest dual tournaments of the year took place.
The annual Battle of Waterloo once again featured some of the best teams in Iowa going at it for two days of intense action.
WIndianola completed the meet a perfect 9-0, besting Bettendorf, Linn-Mar and Osage in the finals.
Bettendorf was second followed by Linn-Mar and Osage. Other bracket champions included Cedar Rapids Prairie, West Delaware, Independence, Iowa City High, West Des Moines Valley, Denver and Cedar Falls.
Four different wrestlers recorded six falls in their respective matches in Linn-Mar’s Kane Naaktgeboren and Griffin Schultz along with Caleb Olson of Union LaPorte City and Tyler Harper from Norwalk.
Three-time defending state champion Maximus Magayna had five falls in just under five minutes of work on the mats, while Braden McShane needed just over three minutes to pick up five pins himself.
Kael Voinovich of Iowa City High and Brayden Bohnsack from Union LaPorte City each recorded three technical falls with Bohnsack’s teammate, Brock Ruzicka, being credited with the fastest pin in nine seconds.
Don Bosco freshman Hayden Schwab continued his fine form, going 6-0 with a win over Dyan Munson of Cedar Rapids Prairie, the top-ranked wrestler in Class 3A. Schwab had four takedowns in the third to pick up a 12-6 victory.
Dodgers claim bragging rights at Don Miller
Fort Dodge did former head coach Don Miller proud, taking home top honors at an invitational named in his honor.
The Dodgers got past Ankeny Centennial late to finish first with Algona third, Decorah fourth and Humboldt fifth in the 15-team field.
Dru Ayala captured another home invite title, earning a 1-0 victory over Centennial’s Cody Vandermark in the finals at 120 pounds. Kane Butrick, Koy Davidson, Damarion Ross and defending state champion Dreshaun Ross were also crowned winners.
Luke Fierke was the heavyweight runner-up with Joe Constable and Jesse Egli each placing third.
Weston Porter of Lewis Central, Cale Vandermark, Max Dhabolt and Ari Ehlts, from Ankeny Centennial, Carson Doolittle and Landon Griffin of Webster City, Kole Hooyer from Sioux Center, Sir Brandon Watts of Sioux City Heelan and Broedy Hendricks of Humboldt were all crowned champions.
Hendricks, a freshman AAU state champion over the summer, topped state runner-up Jace Nelson-Brown of Emmetsburg in the finals at 175 pounds, 7-5.
Raccoon River-Northwest dominates own invite
With 239 points, the Raccoon River-Northwest wrestling team finished first ahead of Ankeny and Des Moines Public Schools at the Raccoon River ADM Invitational.
The field featured 11 programs in all, with Raccoon River-Northwest earning 25 medals throughout the day.
That included championship performances by Katie Biscoglia, Izzy Duncan, Calista Rodish, Montana Mitchell, Ellie Hancock, Aleah Johnson and Victoria Venales.
Waukee Northwest, Van Meter and ADM comprise the program.
Riley Gach of Carlisle, Julia Kanne from Carroll, Carly Henderson of Riverside Oakland, Diana Gaie of Des Moines Public Schools, Haley Glade from Earlham, Aysia Moser of Ankeny and Jazelle Smith of Indianola were also crowned champions.
--Dana Becker
