Denver-Tripoli rolls to 2A sectional crown

DYERSVILLE - The celebratory meals and the congratulatory pats on the back will have to wait, because the Denver-Tripoli wrestling team wasn't wasting any time to get back to work.

The Titans had practice scheduled just hours after they powered their way to a team title in what was considered one of the tougher sectional fields.

Denver prevailed in fine fashion, advancing 10 to next week's district meet and winning the Class 2A sectional wrestling tournament at Beckman High School. The Titans had eight champions and tallied 265½ points, 41 more than runner-up Independence.

The Titans won the first four weight classes and six of the first seven.

“We're so talented at the light weights and they just set the tone for us,” Titans Coach Chris Krueger said. “We usually go pin, pin, pin, pin and it gets the crowd going and the rest of the guys it kind of raises their level.”

And pins were common for Denver, which tallied 16 in the abbreviated six-team bracket. Dylan Peters (103), Brandon Sorensen (119), Levin Wolfensperger (125), Blaze Shedenhelm (135), John Even (140), Blake Sorensen (152) and 160-pounder Noah Minikus each won with pins in the championship match.

“We don't come out here to win by a little bit we come out here to dominate,” Wolfensperger said. “We're not satisfied with winning by one or two points. We want to make the kid not want to wrestle us again after he steps off the mat.”

Peters and Minikus topped ranked foes in the finals. Top-ranked Peters made short work of No. 6 Austin Evens of Independence, pinning him in 1:16. Minikus, ranked sixth, gave up the opening takedown to Independence's No. 8 Cam Savage, but came out on top of a scramble with a headlock and a fall in 1:08.

Wolfensperger, who is attempting to win his second state title and become a four-time state finalist, said the Titans effort separates them from other teams. Foregoing celebrations now for practice is OK, if it leads to a bigger one after state.

“It shows on the mat how much time we put in and how much hard work we do,” Wolfensperger said. “The other teams don't put in as much time as we do.”

The top-ranked Titans are focused on getting all the pieces in place to win a state title in Des Moines.

“Each match is a steppingstone toward that state title,” Krueger said.

Independence just couldn't keep pace with the Titans, but had a strong showing pulling away from the remaining teams in the field. The Mustangs had nine finalists with nine district qualifiers. Tyler Endres (130), Blaize Cabell (189), 215-pounder Ryan Fank and heavyweight Cameron Hayward all won titles.

“We did as good as we probably could,” Independence Coach Michael Doyle said. “We performed up to our ability for the most part.”

Endres, ranked fourth, edged No. 9 Cory Chapin of Denver, 10-8, in the final. Endres scored a takedown in the last 10 seconds of the second, adding two third-period takedowns for the win. Cabell scored a 21-6 technical fall over West Delaware's Adam Reth, and No. 6 Fank pinned Denver's Tanner Klein in 4:28.

“Cabell and Fank did pretty good today,” Doyle said. “They dominated their opponents.”

The day was somewhat disappointing for West Delaware, which was third at 196. The Hawks did advance five to the district meet, including champion Brett Yonkovic at 145 and finalists Matt Wenger (140). Chris Ketchum (152) and Adam Reth (189).

Dyersville Beckman advanced two and the Blazers' Alex Funke gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about. Funke, who was the fourth seed, went 3-0, including two come-from-behind victories to win the 171-pound crown.

“I didn't know what to expect,” Funke said. “It all could have been over today, but things worked out for me.”

Everything worked out because of his fantastic finishes. Funke was down 3-0 to Denver's second-seeded Zach Piehl in the final, scoring nine points in the last two minutes to win 9-5.

He advanced to the championship match with a pin of top-seed Sam Lahr of West Delaware. Funke trailed 6-0 in the final period when he scored a reversal and put Lahr on his back. He scored the fall with just five seconds remaining.

“I knew I had to do it,” said Funke, noting he would have lost by one without a pin. “Senior year, this was my last meet at home, I didn't want to lose at home. It wasn't in me.”

Denver and Independence will wrestle Tuesday in a regional dual event at Manchester. Denver will face Solon and Independence wrestles Mount Vernon in the opening round. The winners will then wrestle for a state duals berth.

Teams - 1. Denver-Tripoli (10) 265.5; 2. Independence (9)224.5; 3. West Delaware (5) 196; 4. Oelwein (2), 118; 4. Dyersville Beckman (2) 84, 6. Dubuque Wahlert (0) 44.

103 pounds – 1. Dylan Peters (DT); 2. Austin Evens (I);

112 – 1. Gunnar Wolfensperger (DT); 2. Caleb Studebaker (I);

119 – 1. Brandon Sorensen (DT); 2. Thomas Rigdon (O);

125 – Levin Wolfensperger (DT); 2. Tony Naber (DB);

130 – Tyler Endres (I); 2. Cory Chapin (DT);

135 – 1. Blaze Shedenhelm (DT); 2. Chris Johnson (I);

140 – 1. John Even (DT); 2. Matt Wenger (WD);

145 – 1. Brett Yonkovic (WD); 2. Nick Fuller (I);

152 – 1. Blake Sorensen (DT); 2. Chris Ketchum (WD);

160 – 1. Noah Minikus (DT); 2. Cam Savage (I);

171 – Alex Funke (DB); 2. Sam Lahr (WD);

189 – Blaize Cabell (I); 2. Adam Reth (WD);

215 – Ryan Fank (I); 2. Tanner Klein (DT);

285 – Cameran Hayward (I); 2. Brad Byerly (O