Snow changes Independence's plans, but Mustang wrestlers win Marion Invitational

MARION – Independence wrestling coach Michael Doyle didn't know he'd be spending Saturday in Marion until 6:30 that morning.

The original schedule had the Class 2A Mustangs competing at a Saturday tournament in Osage, but the overnight snowfall diverted the plan to the Loyd Shaffer Invitational in Marion.

Turns out Doyle learned he has a pretty versatile bunch.

With a tournament-high six wrestlers reaching championship matches, Independence wore down the rest of the field and claimed the team title with 222.5 points.

Wilton, ranked fourth in 1A in The Predicament's dual team rankings, finished second at 190.5. Williamsburg was third with 183.

'Wrestling is wrestling,' Doyle said. 'Mentally it's an adjustment because of different location, different venue, different athletes, but it's still wrestling.'

The Mustangs were again led by Class 2A's top-ranked 145-pounder Chase Straw, who remained unbeaten with a second-period pin over Williamsburg's Aaron Schultz. Straw (29-0) pinned each of his three opponents. Fellow senior Kyle Fank, ranked third in 2A at 182, capped an impressive day with a dominant 17-2 tech. fall defeat of 2A No. 9 Julio Sanchez from Grinnell in the finals.

'A good day of wrestling,' Fank said. 'A lot offense, got up on my feet. Opened up things on top so I could turn kids. Mentally, I was ready for today.'

Fank (27-1) continues to be fueled by missing out on last year's state tournament.

"Coaches get us ready so we're peaking come February," Fank said. "It's just been my motivation all year."

Indee added its third individual title when sophomore Matt McMillan, a state qualifier last season, pinned 195 top-seed Jared Keenan from Grinnell in just over a minute.

Cedar Rapids Xavier finished sixth with 115.5 points, highlighted by a title at 132 from Clint Lembeck. The sophomore is ranked sixth at 126 in Class 3A by the Predicament, but took advantage of an opening at 132 and has thrived. Lembeck recorded two pins in under 40 seconds and clinched the championship with a 10-5 hard-fought decision over 1A No. 4 Logan Mays from Wilton in a bout stopped several times due to bleeding from a cut on the bridge of Lembeck's nose.

'I struggled with my feet at the beginning, feeling kind of slow,' Lembeck said. 'Once I got taken down, it helped me wake up and wrestle better. Getting hit in the face definitely helps with the emotion.'

Monticello finished seventh with 93 points, bolstered by a heavyweight win in an all-area final from Class 2A seventh-ranked Daniel Pike. Pike pinned Jake Dye from Williamsburg a half-minute into the second period.

Host Marion was ninth (79) and North-Linn 10th (49). 

LOYD SHAFFER MARION INVITATIONAL

At Marion

Teams — 1. Independence 222.5; 2. Wilton 190.5; 3. Williamsburg 183.0; 4. Grinnell 175.5; 5. Keokuk 143; 6. C.R. Xavier 115.5; 7. Monticello 93; 8. Louisa-Muscatine 83; 9. Marion 79; 10. North Linn 49

Championship matches

106 pounds — Brant O'Shea (Keokuk) major dec. Brock Henderson (North Linn), 8-0; 113 — Kaiden Gosselink (Grinnell) pinned Mitch Evens (Ind), :41); 120 — Camiran Sadeghi (Keokuk) tech fall Dalton Husmann (Monti), 21-5; 126 — Brady Ruden (Wilton) pinned Darion Subbert (LM), 1:07; 132 — Clint Lembeck (CRX) dec. Logan Mays (Wilton), 10-6; 138 — Zach Keppy (Wilton) pinned Colin Conway (Marion), 1:52; 145 — Chase Straw (Ind) pinned Aaron Schultz (Will), 3:46; 152 — Garrett Jay (Grinnell) pinned Jake Juhl (Ind), 3:26; 160 — Brody Beck (Grinnell) dec. Nick Holt (Ind), 6-3; 170 — Koy Snider (Wilton) dec. Bryce Lidtka (Grinnell), 3-0; 182 — Kyle Fank (Ind) tech fall Julio Sanchez (Grinnell), 17-2; 195 — Matt McMillan (Ind) pinned Jared Keenan (Grinnell), 1:05; 220 — Logan Reddick (Wilton) dec. Connor Bodeker (Will), 8-6; 285 — Daniel Pike (Monti) pinned Jake Dye (Will), 2:31.