Cedar Rapids Prairie, West’s Nelson Brands stand out at balanced MVC wrestling tournament

WATERLOO – Parity reigned at the Mississippi Valley Conference wrestling tournament, but so did Cedar Rapids Prairie and Nelson Brands.

As 13 of 14 conference schools shared gold, the Hawks and the top-ranked Iowa City West junior hoarded a couple of the top prizes.

Prairie captured its fifth straight MVC Super Meet title and Brands won his third straight conference crown with Outstanding Wrestler honors Saturday at Waterloo West. The Hawks were the only team with multiple champions and scored 224 1/2 points, topping runner-up City High by 36 1/2.

The Hawks posted their second-best margin of victory in their recent title run, winning by 45 in 2013. They had to rally after a 5-7 quarterfinal round, dropping them into third.

'We had a team meeting and said we needed to get it into gear,' 132-pounder Trenten Wennermark said. 'It says we came together. We can push each other to be better.'

The results were titles from third-ranked 106-pounder Conrad Braswell and Wennermark and all 14 Hawks finishing seventh or better. Prairie had 12 place in the top six.

'Our focus was on doing what they were capable,' Prairie Coach Kane Thompson said. 'We felt good about 14 guys placing for us. If that happened, the team title would follow suit.'

Braswell (23-5) and Wennermark (31-8) had similar championship rounds. Both built 7-0 leads before pinning their opponents. The title was Braswell's second and Wennermark's first.

'I was excited about that,' Thompson said. 'Both extended that lead and put the clamps down on them, getting a pin.'

Wennermark settled for bronze the last two seasons. He was determined to upgrade his hardware.

'It feels amazing,' Wennermark said. 'I didn't want to get third (again). I wanted to get better.'

Sixth-ranked Wennermark controlled City High's Joey Harney, pinning him in 3:43. He has worked with Thompson on pushing himself and breaking opponents. Thompson reminded him not to coast and relax with a lead.

'It means you have to keep going,' Wennermark said. 'You have to hit another level.'

No one seemed to be on the level of Brands, who became the 16th three-time conference champion with a chance to be just the ninth four-time titlist since the Super Meet began in 1993.

'It's a steppingstone,' said Brands, who won last year's Class 3A 138-pound state title. 'I would like to be four-time MVP or OW.'

Top-ranked Brands (47-1) dominated his opponents Saturday, tallying 13 takedowns in a 27-11 technical fall over Dubuque Hempstead's No. 5 Alex Ward.

'He's physical, has technique and has the motor to back it up,' West Coach Mark Reiland said. 'He goes full bore every time.'

Brands scored 53 points in his final two matches, beating Prairie's Mike Jasa, 26-11, in the semifinal. He opened the tournament with a second-period fall. Brands said he is more consistent than a year ago, building his leads after losing a couple of them last season.

'I've got the left-handed single,' Brands said. 'I've said it multiple times, but I'm working on my right hand (single). I'm working on every shot, doubles, go-behinds and everything. I want to be dominant in every position. Not just on my feet. I have to work on bottom and top, too.'

Only four of his 48 bouts has gone the full length. Reiland said Brands has been challenged to avoid having a match go the full six minutes of regulation the rest of the season.

'It's a goal that I set about last week when I was just thinking to myself,' Brands said. 'I've been thinking about setting my goals higher.'

Reiland has coached the last six four-time conference champions. Brands gives him two three-timers. Comparing them is a tough task. Each had a unique strength to be successful.

'He's pretty good,' Reiland said. 'He has a different way to get the same result. He's pretty tough.'

Cedar Rapids Washington's Will Foreman almost matched Brands in takedowns. Foreman defeated Iowa City High's Lance Bormann, 26-11, tallying 11 takedowns and ending the match with 1:10 remaining.

Foreman (27-1) improved a runner-up finish from a year ago and became the Warriors' first conference champion since 2013. He said he has benefited from proper weight management, allowing him to focus solely on training and improvement. He advanced to the final with two pins and has not lost to a 3A opponent yet this season.

'It's fun,' Foreman said. 'I came in expecting to dominate. That's what I wanted to do. I'm happy.'

Cedar Rapids Xavier placed fifth overall thanks to 145-pound champion Josh Gerke. He decked Prairie's Chase St. John in 5:41 of the championship.

Gerke (35-2) took a 5-0 lead with a takedown and cradle in the first period. He added a reversal and takedown for a 9-1 lead before getting the late fall.

'I thought I wrestled dominantly,' Gerke said. 'I've been working with coaches to spread the gap.'

Gerke became Xavier's first two-time conference champion. The feat is special, considering the school's lone state champion – heavyweight Mike Shedek - wasn't able to accomplish it.

'It means a lot,' Gerke said. 'It goes to show the hard work our team has done all year, pushing me, is paying off.'

Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Cedar Rapids Kennedy were represented on the top of the awards stand.

Jefferson's fourth-ranked Matt Culver (27-4) avenged an earlier loss and defeated West's No. 5 Carter Rohweder, 6-2, in the 160-pound final.

The Cougars' second-ranked 170-pounder Ben Sarasin (27-1) scored three takedowns and a reversal for an 8-3 decision over Jefferson's Tavian Rashed, who dropped down after being ranked fourth at 182.

Iowa City High's Jacob Dykes (39-0) was one of four finalists for the Little Hawks. He was City High's lone champion, defeating Linn-Mar's Brayden Schultz, 11-1, for the 195-pound championship.

The conference saw all but one school crown a champion. It marks the most schools with at least one champion since nine teams had gold medalists in both 1996 and 2001.

'That's super cool,' Thompson said. 'It goes to show you the parity … It's pretty good for the conference.'

Kennedy Coach Dennis Hynek added, 'I think it's good for the conference and good for the sport. I'd like a few more to come our way. It shows how we (MVC) could be represented at the state tournament.'

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERNECE SUPER MEET

At Waterloo

Teams – 1. C.R. Prairie 224.5, 2. Iowa City High 188, 3. Dubuque Hempstead 176.5, 4. Iowa City West 146, 5. C.R. Xavier 128, 6. C.R. Kennedy 123, 7. Linn-Mar 112, 8. Cedar Falls 110, 9. Dubuque Wahlert 102, 10. Waterloo East 101.5, 11. C.R. Jefferson 94.5, 12. (tie) C.R. Washington and Waterloo West 71, 14. Dubuque Senior 70.

Championship results

106 – Conrad Braswell (CRP) pinned Dillon Gottschalk (DH), 4:20; 113 – Jakey Penrith (CF) major dec. Johnny Washburn (CRP), 9-1; 120 – Joe Pins (DH) major dec. Cam Shaver (CRK), 12-4; 126 – Will Foreman (CRW) tech. fall Lance Bormann (ICH), 26-11; 132 – Trenten Wennermark (CRP) pinned Joey Harney (ICH), 3:43; 138 – Matt Connolly (DS) dec. Brock Weidenbacher (CF), 8-6; 145 – Josh Gerke (CRX) pinned Chase St. John (CRP), 5:41; 152 – Nelson Brands (ICW) tech. fall Alex Ward (DH), 27-11; 160 – Matt Culver (CRJ) dec. Carter Rohweder (ICW), 6-2; 170 - Ben Sarasin (CRK) dec. Tavian Rashed (CRJ), 8-3; 182 – Tyrell Gordon (WE) pinned Garrett Kubovec (CRK), 1:40; 195 – Jacob Dykes (ICH) major dec. Brayden Schultz (LM), 11-1; 220 – Sam Gerst (WW) dec. Jordain Buckland (ICH), 5-4; Hwt. – Blake Bradley (DW) dec. Omar Begic (WE), 4-1 TB1.

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