Unity, camaraderie drive West Delaware to another State Duals appearance

All for one. One for all.

These aren’t the Three Musketeers we’re talking about here. They are West Delaware wrestlers who share a similar mentality when it comes to battle. The attitude has spawned dual success.

“We have an incredible bond inside and outside of the wrestling room,” Hawks senior 165-pounder Garrison Gillihan said. “Everyone wants their teammates to be at their best. We push each other to get better each day. We are always looking forward and not worried about the past.”

West Delaware will make its seventh straight appearance at the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Duals wrestling tournament Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The Hawks are the No. 4 seed in Class 2A and will try to reach the finals for the sixth consecutive season, earning runner-up honors a year ago.

The regional dual victory over Decorah was an eye-opener for the Hawks.

“What’s really rewarding is the growth this team has made from the first day of practice,” West Delaware Coach Jeff Voss said. “To see how they wrestled you could see the progress. The kids are excited.

“The growth has been outstanding. I say this a lot but the best is yet to come.”

The Hawks have been one of the best and the most consistent 2A teams. They won four straight titles from 2019-22. West Delaware is tied for 12th with the longest State Duals streak and tied for 13th with 14 total appearances.

“This team is definitely a young team compared to past years but that is what is going to make us grow even further,” said senior Brayden Maury, who is ranked 12th at 120. “A young team means learning and growing, which we have done tremendously throughout the season.”

The Hawks were molded for duals, even from a young age. The team-first tenets are emphasized to their youth wrestlers. They have summer camps where bonding is just as important as the wrestling lessons. The Hawks embraced the challenge more than feeling pressure to extend the streak. Each trip is significant.

“It’s very important to all of us, but we don’t take it for granted,” Gillihan said. “I have been fortunate to be a part of four state dual appearances. It is an awesome team bonding experience. Everyone has everyone’s backs.”

The Hawks have hovered in the top-half of the 2A dual rankings again. They earned the chance to host regional duals again with an 18-2 record with their only losses coming to second-ranked Mount Vernon and 1A No. 3 Don Bosco.

Voss said he talked with the team about appreciating the opportunity and avoid assuming they would advance. Their performance to return to State Duals reflected their business-like, team-first mentality.

“We had to earn it,” Voss said. “I was proud of the kids for the way they wrestled for each other. It was one of the best duals all season. There was a real team atmosphere to that dual.”

The Hawks are seeded lower than some previous years. They continue to have their sights set on a team trophy Saturday.

“Speaking for the team, we feel confident that we can be the best out there if we put it all on the mat,” Maury said. “If we wrestle to the potential that we train then the sky is the limit.”

The Hawks cherish the dual aspect to the individual sport. This ranks higher than the team title in Des Moines, according to Voss. One where success depends on the entire lineup and can’t be one with a handful of studs.

“To me, it’s the true team championship,” Voss said. “I’ve loved it for a long time. It keeps getting better. It is really special for us.”

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