South Tama’s Logan Arp scores notable victory, Cliff Keen Independence title

INDEPENDENCE — South Tama’s Logan Arp has earned his share of memorable victories.

After all, he is a two-time state medalist, placing third and fifth the last two years. This one may have surpassed them all.

Arp scored a takedown 17 seconds into sudden victory to edge Lisbon state champion Cade Siebrecht, 3-1, for the 138-pound title Saturday at the Cliff Keen Indpendence Invitational.

“One of the biggest wins of my high school career,” Arp said. “It feels pretty good.”

Both were unbeaten in Friday’s pool competition and entered the gold bracket as the top two seeds — Siebrecht No. 1 and Arp at No. 2. He anticipated the matchup and welcomed the test.

“This weekend, I knew it was going to be me and him in the finals,” Arp said. “I was looking forward to it.”

The pair exchanged escapes in regulation. Siebrecht nearly had the go-ahead takedown as time clicked down. Arp was able to fend it off and used his counter skills to notch the decisive move.

“He got in on my leg and was defending it,” Arp said. “I almost got a go-behind many times in the match, so we knew that he would shoot, so head, hands go-behind. It was there and I hit it.”

The victory is a good springboard into a senior season that includes state gold aspirations.

“That’s always been a goal of mine and I fell short the last three years,” Arp said. “It was a good weekend. I’m going to get back to practice and get ready for our dual on Thursday.”

The Lions had three finalists and captured the team title with 362.5 points. Host Independence also had three finalists, but Lisbon was able to pull away late.

“We had a real good total team effort,” Lisbon Coach Brad Smith said. “We did a lot of good things. We found out what we need to work on and go back to work on Monday. We have a whole week, so we can focus on some of the mistakes we made.

“It’s a good tournament. A lot of good teams here. Independence is solid. We went back and forth with them all day. They would be ahead and then we’d be ahead. We ended up ahead in the end. That’s cool.”

Brandon Paez claimed the Lions’ only crown. He made quick work of Alburnett’s Preston Klostermann. Paez built a 4-0 lead before getting the pin in 53 seconds.

Smith said the two-time state finalist and 2020 state champion has college-level technique and will be hard to beat this season, if he continues to work.

“He’s looking really good,” Smith said. “He’s so quick (and) explosive. He’s probably the best technician in the room. He’s really smooth. A lot of his stuff is effortless.”

In addition to Paez and Siebrecht, Quincy Happel reached the finals for Lisbon. He finished second at 126, falling to Osage’s top-seeded Tucker Stangel, 5-4.

The Mustangs finished with 346 points. State champion and three-time state finalist Isaiah Weber, Marcus Beatty (195) and 220-pounder Brady McDonald all placed second.

Weber scored the opening takedown against Alex Hutchcraft of Smithville (Mo.) in the 145 final. Hutchcraft reversed Weber, cinching up a cradle and recording a pin in 3:33.

Hutchcraft was voted the tournament Outstanding Wrestler by the coaches and finished with six falls in a total of 17:32.

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Blake Gioimo started the tournament season with bookend technical falls, needing just 2:47 for a 15-0 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Ryan Hoefer in the 113-pound final.

“I feel pretty good but there is room to improve,” Gioimo said. “There always is.”

The junior scored takedowns in each period and followed it with 11 total nearfall points off five tilts, going 5-0 in the two-day tournament.

“My goal is to dictate the pace,” Gioimo said. “I want to dominate. I want to be in the guy’s face and get in there.”

Gioimio was a state finalist last season in his first state tournament. He wasn’t satisfied and dedicated himself in the offseason, practicing six to seven days a week.

“I put in a lot of work,” Gioimo said. “I still hit the weights hard. That helped. I’m definitely looking to do better this year.”

West Liberty’s Drake Collins and Solon’s Gage Marty each posted pins in the finals. Collins built an 8-3 lead and then decked Solon’s Lucas Kampman in 5:43 at 170.

Marty posted his fourth first-period fall in five matches. He pinned Daniel Chavez of Clarion CGD in 1:55.

Union Community crowned two champions. Jace Hedeman was the fifth seed and beat Carlisle’s No. 7 Aiden Serrano, 5-1, in the 106 final. Hunter Worthen beat Crestwood’s Cole Butikofer, 5-1, for the 152 championship.

CLIFF KEEN INDEPENDENCE INVITATIONAL

At Independence

Teams – 1. Lisbon 362.5, 2. Independence 346, 3. Osage 290, 4. Crestwood 249, 5. Alburnett 239, 6. Union Community 230.5, 7. Carlisle 221.5, 8. West Burlington Notre Dame 221, 9. Clarion-Goldfield Dows 220, 10. South Tama 210, 11. Algona 209, 12. Solon 203, 13. Fennimore (Wis.) 201, 14. Greene County 182, 15. West Liberty 180, 16. Smithville (Mo.) 154,5, 17. C.R. Prairie 151, 18. Fort Madison 131, 19. Des Moines Lincoln 128.5, 20. New Hampton/Turkey Valley 124.5, 21. C.R. Xavier 120, 22. Waterloo East 100, 23. North Fayette Valley 80, 24. Dubuque Senior 79, 25. Clear Creek Amana 76, 26. Maquoketa 73, 27. Christian Brothers College (Mo.) 58, 28. Des Moines Roosevelt 51

Championship matches

106 pounds – Jace Hedeman (UC) dec. Aiden Serrano (Carl), 5-1; 113 – Blake Gioimo (CRP) tech. fall Ryan Hoefer (CRX), 15-0; 120 – Brandon Paez (Lis) pinned Preston Klostermann (Alb), :53; 126 – Tucker Stangel (Osa) dec. Quincy Happel (Lis), 5-4; 132 – Blaine Frazier (WBND) dec. McKinley Robbins (GC), 3-2; 138 – Logan Arp (ST) dec. Cade Siebrecht (Lis), 3-1 SV1; 145 – Alex Hutchcraft (Smit) pinned Isaiah Weber (Ind), 3:33; 152 – Hunter Worthen (UC) dec. Cole Butikofer (Crest), 5-1; 160 – Nicholas Fox (Osa) dec. Garrett Seaba (CGD), 5-2; 170 – Drake Collins (WL) pinned Lucas Kampman (Sol), 5:43; 182 – C.J. Walrath (WBND) dec. Mickey Griffith (DML), 3-2; 195 – Joshua Hemstead (Carl) pinned Marcus Beatty (Ind), 1:45; 220 – Barrett Muller (Osa) pinned Brady McDonald (Ind), 2:45; Hwt. – Gage Marty (Sol) pinned Daniel Chavez (CGD), 1:55.

Outstanding wrestler – Hutchcraft (Smithville)

Most falls in least amount of time – Hutchcraft (Smithville), six pins in 17:32

Underdog award – Brock Hamann (Greene County), seeded 26th and placed seventh.