Forged by family: Mikey Ryan developed his competitive edge at home

MOUNT VERNON – There have been holiday races and backyard football games.

Of course, there have been the furniture moving, living room scraps that have helped hone Mikey Ryan’s competitive edge. He probably needed it just to survive as the youngest of nine athletically gifted siblings.

“No one wants to lose,” Mount Vernon’s sophomore 150-pounder said. “Everyone wants to get the best of each other but then we’re still all close together. We make it fun.

“It’s awesome having that competitive spirit.”

His quest to be his best was on display, winning the 150-pound title of the Mount Vernon Invitational Saturday at Mount Vernon High School. The Mustangs crowned a tournament-best four champions and won the team race with 218 points.

Ryan, ranked fifth in Class 2A, defeated Wapsie Valley’s 1A No. 5 Easton Krall, 11-3, in the final. He said he overcame a slow start to the day but was better offensively, racking up four takedowns and two nearfall for the major decision.

“The last match I felt I did well getting to my offense,” Ryan said. “I took good shots. Overall, my offense was good but still a lot to improve.”

Mount Vernon Coach Vance Light said Ryan has improve getting away in the bottom position and scoring more from neutral.

“He has more motion on his feet,” Light said. “He does a better job finishing.”

Ryan (8-0) has his sights fixed on something more than last year’s eighth-place state finish, so it was imperative not to sit on a late lead. He continued to attack and refused to allow a late takedown.

“My goal is to be a three-time state champ and I’m going for it,” Ryan said. “I have to do stuff against these guys ranked above, or below, me. I have to push the pace, get my conditioning better. I have to get my offense better so I am on top of the podium this year and keep distancing myself as much as I can.”

Ryan is the fifth brother to wrestle for the Mustangs, joining older siblings Jacob, Trey, Paul and Henry. His dad, Dave, who announced the meet, also wrestled for Mount Vernon. Trey and Paul were state champions. They set a high bar and a couple still help the youngest Ryan with his wrestling.

“Henry and Paul, mainly, because Jacob and Trey are getting older, so they can’t do as much,” Ryan said with a laugh. “Henry and Paul push me. They tell me I can do it. I’ll work out with them.

“At the house, we get into scrambles. Dad is yelling at them not to hurt me half the time. We get into scrambles and wrestle hard. It’s awesome having those brothers that are there and want me to do good.”

Top-ranked Klayten Perreault (106), Jake Haugse at 120 and No. 2 Jase Jaspers (138) also won titles for Mount Vernon. Jaspers used a late takedown to beat Davenport Assumption’s No. 3 Cadyn Wild, 4-2, in the finals.

Seven Mustangs reached the finals more than double any other team.

“We wrestled well as a whole,” Light said. “Good day to build on and get better.”

One of the runner-up finishes came at 144. Lisbon’s Tiernan Boots, ranked third in 1A, faced Mount Vernon’s top-ranked Jackson Jaspers for the championship.

Boots scored a late takedown to break a 1-1 tie and posted a 3-2 victory for his second straight title in this tournament.

Wapsie Valley had two champions and finished second with 164 points. Cedar Rapids Xavier was third at 145. The Saints had two finalists, including champion Ronan Thomas at 175.

Thomas entered as the No. 1 seed and defeated East Buchanan’s 1A No. 9 Clay Wilgenbusch, 12-8. Thomas had some back-and-forth affairs, including a 9-8 decision over Muscatine’s 3A No. 12 Andy Franke in the semifinals.

Thomas took control in the second period against Wilgenbusch and built a 10-4 lead.

“I think I did a good job of fighting back where I was in some bad positions,” Thomas said. “Obviously, it was fun and awesome to do.

“My teammates push me, especially going from football to wrestling. It’s a fun transition because the guys are the same people I was playing football with. I have a good relationship with them and love having them as my partners.”

Grant Helmle (215) finished second, while Taitumn Deppe (106) and 215-pounder Jean Ngoma each placed third. The Saints had eight wrestlers place sixth or better.

“It’s great to see how well we’ve done,” Thomas said. “I think we’re going to go even further. It’s an awesome team.”

East Buchanan heavyweight and University of Iowa football signee Cody Fox dominated his way to a title. He opened with pinned his way to the finals, going just 17 and 19 seconds in his first two bouts. Fox (7-1) recorded a 10-0 major decision over the Mustangs’ No. 9 Ethan Wood.

Cascade boasted a champion. Brock Morris, ranked 10th in 1A, defeated top-seeded Caden Greiner, 8-0, for the 126 title.

Marion’s Lucas Stearns finished second at 120.

MOUNT VERNON INVITATIONAL

At Mount Vernon

Teams – 1. Mount Vernon 218, 2. Wapsie Valley 164, 3. C.R. Xavier 145, 4. Lisbon 122, 5. West Liberty 110.5, 6. Washington, Iowa 107, 7. Davenport Assumption 106, 8. Muscatine 96, 9. West Marshall 89, 10. East Buchanan 87.5, 11. Burlington 66, 12. Marion 56, 13. Cascade 44, 14. Wapello 28, 15. Mount Vernon JV 26, 16. Sigourney-Keota 16.

Championship matches

106 pounds – Klayten Perreault (MV) major dec. Braxton Hutchinson (Bur), 9-1; 113 – Jon Gonzalez (WM) pinned Ryan Cassady (WL), 3:53; 120 – Jake Haugse (MV) dec. Lucas Stearns (Mar), 7-3; 126 – Brock Morris (Cas) major dec. Caden Greiner (Wash), 8-0; 132 – Steele Diercks (DA) dec. Aaron Boone (Wash), 3-1; 138 – Jase Jaspers (MV) dec. Cadyn Wild (DA), 4-2; 144 – Tiernan Boots (Lis) dec. Jackson Jaspers (MV), 3-2; 150 – Mike Ryan (MV) major dec. Easton Krall (WV), 11-3; 157 – Kanen Decker (WV) dec. Chase Greiner (Wash), 8-1; 165 – Garrett Miller (WV) major dec. Jackson Hird (MV), 15-4; 175 – Ronan Thomas (CRX) dec. Clay Wilgenbusch (EB), 12-8; 190 – Salomon Cordero (Bur) dec. Grant Helmle (CRX), 3-1 SV-1; 215 – Evan Franke (Mus) dec. Indy Ferguson (Lis), 3-1 SV-1; Hwt. – Cody Fox (EB) major dec. Ethan Wood (MV), 10-0.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com