Nearly-perfect Bettendorf leads 3A team race

DES MOINES -- Bettendorf was nearly perfect, grabbing the early lead in the team race of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 3A state wrestling tournament Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.The Bulldogs went 8-1 in first round matches and 9-1 overall, tallying 31 points after the first day. Seven of the wins were by fall.“I think we do a good job of getting those bonus points,” Knight said. “In all but a couple matches we got pins. When you're down in numbers that makes up for the lack of numbers. I think we did a good job today.“A long way to go but a good start.”Defending state champion Southeast Polk was second with 29 ½ points. The Rams have seven quarterfinalists and nine alive.Waverly-Shell Rock has 10 wrestlers alive, advancing six to the quarterfinals. The Go-Hawks were third, trailing Southeast Polk by two.“We started real slow,” Waverly-Shell Rock Coach Eric Whitcome said. “We knew we had some matchups we probably weren't predicted to win on paper.“Our middle and upper weights picked it up. We have counted on them all year and they went out and did it again.”Cedar Rapids Prairie, Linn-Mar and Iowa City West were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. The Hawks had 17 ½ points, which was a half-point better than the Lions. The Trojans were tied with North Scott with 15.Cedar Rapids Jefferson was 11th with 11 ½. Cedar Rapids Xavier was tied with Fort Madison for 12th with 11.