3A State Wrestling Tourney: Two Prairie Hawks take different routes to finals

DES MOINES — Different roads led to the same destination.

Cedar Rapids Prairie's Josh Wenger made his fourth state tournament, attempting to earn a medal each time. Cadena made his debut. They ended up reaching the finals together.

The Hawks senior duo were dominant advanced with dominant wins during the semifinal round of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 3A state wrestling tournament Friday at Wells Fargo Arena.

Wenger (44-1) needed just 3:27 for a 16-0 technical fall against Fort Madison's Chase Seaney to reach the 138-pound championship match. Cadena pulled away in the second period, beating Ankeny Centennial's John Ware, 18-7.

'It's big finally getting into the finals,' Wenger said. 'The only thing going through my head is that next match and doing the same thing I've been doing all year long. Go out there and work hard.'

Keep up with Iowa State Tournament action as it happens at our wrestling hub page

Wenger has rolled to the finals, pinning his first two opponents. He has yet to reach the third period. He has been motivated by his previous state finishes.

'Ending up fourth the past (three) years really sucks,' Wenger said. 'The whole time I've been training to be a state champ every year. This year is the last year to do it so I was going to go out and go big.'

The plan is to get rest, good nutrition and treat his final bout against Cedar Falls' top-ranked Danny Kelly like any other match.

'I'm trying not to think about it too much,' said Wenger, who is 1-3 against Kelly, including two losses at last year's state meet. 'That usually doesn't end well.'

After his win, he returned to the warm-up area and told Cadena it was his turn. Cadena was happy to join Wenger in Saturday night's spotlight.

'It's fun to have a teammate go in there with me,' Cadena said. 'All the hard work we put in paid off.'

Cadena, who has been poised and confident all tournament, added a major decision to his earlier 8-6 sudden-victory quarterfinal win over Iowa City West's Donovan Doyle.

'It feels great,' said Cadena, improving to 38-7. 'I wrestled the tournament I wanted to. I knew if I wrestled the way I wanted I could end up in the finals.'

Cedar Rapids Jefferson's second-ranked Dalton Kuehl faced a familiar foe in the semifinals. He wrestled Clinton's Tyler Clark for the championship at the J-Hawk Invitational last month, getting a pin that clinched the team title for Jefferson.

He responded in a similar way, decking Clark with the same move in the second period and punching his ticket to the finals.

'I went in there and did the same thing I did last time,' Kuehl said. 'I got that 'paradise' (hold) and got the pin.'

Kuehl (37-7) faces Southeast Polk's top-ranked Jake Marnin. He said he is excited for the opportunity to avenge a previous loss and contend for a crown.

'It's awesome,' Kuehl said. 'It's something I've always dreamed of.'

Western Dubuque sophomore Max Lyon was not satisfied with a fourth-place as a freshman, so he gave himself a constant reminder to surpass it. Lyon taped the picture of him on the awards stand with the message, 'Where were you standing today?' in reference to his daily effort.

The message was received. Lyon advanced to the 170-pound final with a 13-3 major decision over Waterloo East's Quallan Phillips.

'This was the goal all along,' Lyon said. 'Make it to Saturday night and improve on last year.'

Lyon (47-1) wasn't challenged in the first three rounds, opening with a major decision and pinning Ankeny's Ross Simms in the quarterfinal. He faces West Des Moines Dowling's top-ranked and defending state champion Isaiah Patton for the title.

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