Butteris looks to build Bears program

WEST BRANCH - J.J. Butteris has the vision of taking the West Branch wrestling program to new heights.

His first year as a high school head coach has been a bit of a learning experience. The two-time Lisbon state champion is getting settled in and determined to bringing that championship to the Bears wrestling program.

'I'm getting used to it,” Butteris said. 'The atmosphere is completely different. We have to change the attitude (and) the atmosphere to get where we want to be.”

Numbers have been an issue in his first season. Butteris expects eight in the lineup for the second half, but has fielded a team of six for much of the season.

Butteris and his wrestlers have actively tried to bring more athletes into the wrestling room.

'The approach we have taken is push the heck out of social media,” Butteris said. 'We've asked our kids to recruit in the hallways. We do the same. We go to kids practices just to be seen.

'I take my kids there but I go there talking to the little kids non-stop. Any little thing I can think of to get the interest up.”

West Branch's football traditional stands by itself, churning out solid players and teams annually. Butteris has emphasized the benefits that transfer from one sport to the other, including leverage, agility and toughness. He has handed out pamphlets about pro football players who wrestled and shared opinions of college football coaches when it comes to recruiting players with wrestling backgrounds.

'The athletes in this school are here,” Butteris said. 'I just have to figure out how to get them in here.”

Butteris has been involved in wrestling for years and is well-known in the Eastern Iowa community. He has consulted Hall of Fame Lisbon Coach Brad Smith and Hall of Fame wrestler and state champion coach Mark Reiland. He plans to use those connections to help his wrestlers grow.

'I reach out to all my wrestling contacts,” said Butteris, a Class 1A state champ in 1999 and 2000. 'I use my resources. I have gained a lot of friendships over the years in wrestling. I use them as much as I possibly can.”

Butteris praised assistants Jacob Feuerbach and Will Kober, who have led the Bears to State Duals previously. Heavyweight Jacob Giese has been a strong leader, along with fellow seniors Cole Lacina and Adam O'Neil. Giese is ranked ninth and Butteris is awaiting the return of Ryan Grosvenor at 220. He is ranked ninth by The Predicament. Seniors Cole Lacina and Adam O'Neil have also served as leaders by example.

'I think their buying in,” Butteris said. 'It makes it easier.”

ROHWEDER WINS CHEESEHEAD

Iowa City West senior Tanner Rohweder captured the 120-pound title at the respected Cheesehead wrestling tournament last Friday hosted by nationally-ranked Kaukauna (Wis,) High School.

Rohweder, posted six straight decisions, including an 8-1 win over Kaukauna's Trent Leon in the final. He improved to 22-2.

'He wrestled well,” West Coach Mark Reiland said in a message to The Gazette. 'Won some really close matches (and)

had some battles but kept fighting to the end.”

PRAIRIE GRABS DUAL CROWN

Cedar Rapids Prairie claimed the team title at the Solon Duals on Saturday. The Hawks went 4-0, beating the host Spartans, 56-12, for the title.

Prairie advanced to the championship, sweeping its pool with wins over Dallas Center-Grimes (48-18), Keokuk (49-27) and Davenport Central (69-9). The Hawks are 15-4 overall.

'We're trying to work on the littler things and get more consistent,” Prairie Coach Blake Williams said. 'They showed more consistency and hopefully that will carry over the rest of this week.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com