Union Community’s Jace Hedeman rolls to 132-pound title, Outstanding Wrestler award at Cliff Keen Independence Invitational

INDEPENDENCE – A dashed dream and a new perspective.

Union Community senior Jace Hedeman had his quest to be a four-time state champion ended in last year’s state finals. The disappointment kept him up at nights until he changed his outlook.

“It definitely took a toll on my head for a bit after season,” Hedeman said. “There was a reason I didn't sleep for a little bit, and then there was a reason I did sleep. I was excited to get better the next day.

“I'm trying to improve my skills day by day and have fun with it.”

A loose and relaxed Hedeman is bad news for opponents. He finished 6-0 and posted three straight technical falls to claim the 132-pound title and Outstanding Wrestler honors at Cliff Keen Independence Invitational Saturday at Independence High School. Alburnett won the team title with 348 points, topping Carlisle by 39 1/2.

Hedeman said he was singing and dancing during his warmup. The focus of not wrestling tight and restrained.

“I kind of learned from my finals match last year,” said Hedeman, who won Class 2A state crowns at 106 in 2022 and 113 in 2023. “I was holding back. That is probably my biggest regret from my last year, so I'm trying to set myself free and have fun out there.”

Top-ranked Hedeman has also concentrated on constant hand and foot movement his entire match to maintain a flow. He was unrestricted when it came to scoring 53 points in three bouts, including a 19-3 technical fall over Burlington Notre Dame’s C.J. Davis, who is ranked No. 3 in 2A at 138.

The match was blown wide open in the second period. Hedeman tallied three of his six takedowns in that frame. He added two more in the third and ended the match with 1:01 left.

“You can tell the first period was a bit slow,” Hedeman said. “I wasn't moving my hands or feet. He got to my leg right away, but once I started like relaxing and you could tell when I switch the mindset. That’s when I’m having fun and scoring points.”

Union Coach Bart Mehlert has witnessed the transformation. Hedeman had been a leader in wins and effort in past season. Even that has improved thanks to the motivation from last season’s finish.

“Obviously, it's rocket fuel,” Mehlert said. “It did sting him and hurt bad. He had a goal in mind but I’ve seen a whole different Jace in mind. He was already the hardest worker in the room and now that went up another level or two.”

Mehlert said he thought Hedeman was wound too tight last season. He is free of the pressure accompanied by the pursuit of four state titles. Hedeman can focus on finishing on top.

“The pressure is off,” Mehlert said. “You wake up every day and you’ve got to love what you're doing. It's hard work but you’ve got to love it.”

The Unviersity of Northwern Iowa signee is using this year to prepare for wrestling at the next level. He’s already getting a chance to wrestle quality practice partners, like Union assistant and UNI All-American Max Thomsen, Bohnsack and Hayden Schwab, the son of UNI Coach Doug Schwab.

“I’m just getting better day by day,” Hedeman said. “One practice at the time. Each meal, I’m making sure it’s a healthy meal. Keep my body healthy, recovering, and going 110 percent each practice.”

Union had three finalists. Coy Mehlert (106) opened the finals round with a dominant 17-2 technical fall over Clear Creek Amana’s Cole Kasparek. Mehlert only needed 1:57 to rack up three takedowns and two sets of four-point nearfall.

The younger Mehlert weighed less than 100 pounds as a freshman. He has full-sized 106-pounder now.

“He was that boy last year,” Bart Mehlert said. “He's grown a little bit and he's wrestling with confidence. He’s going to be hard to beat when he wrestles like that.”

Two-time state champion Brayden Bohnsack also reached the finals for the Knights. Top-ranked Bohnsack faced Clarion-Goldfield-Dows’ No. 2 Linden Phetxoumphone in a rematch of last season’s state finals. Phetxoumphone scored a takedown on the edge as time expired for a 4-3 victory at 120.

Alburnett also had three finalists. State champion Rowdy Neighbor (126), No. 3 Preston Klostermann (144) and Shayden Washburn (175) all placed second.

Second-ranked Neighbor wrestled Denver state champion and No. 1 Gavin Landers for the championship. They exchanged rideouts in the last two periods to force sudden victory. Landers scored the only points of the match, scoring a takedown with four seconds left of a 3-0 decision.

The Pirates experienced a strong performance but went 0-3 in title matches.

“We’re pretty solid from top to bottom,” Alburnett Coach Clayton Rush said. “Win or lose, you’ve got to go back to work. We have Wilton on Tuesday. I have a slew of notes we have to work on.”

Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Rapids Xavier each boasted a finalist. The Hawks’ fifth-ranked 113-pounder Dylan Munson thumped Notre Dame’s Rowan Berndt. He recorded six takedowns and scored three nearfall for a 21-5 technical fall.

The Saints’ No. 3 Jean Ngoma won the 215-pound championship. After a scoreless first, Ngoma used a second-period takedown and a reversal in the third for a 5-3 decision over Solon’s Lucas Feuerbach, who is ranked No. 6 in 2A.

CLIFF KEEN INDEPENDENCE INVITATIONAL

At Independence

Top 15 Teams – 1. Alburnett 348, 2. Carlisle 308.5, 3. Fennimore (Wis.) 294.5, 4. Burlington Notre Dame 294, 5. Independence 253, 6. Clear Creek Amana 228.5, 7. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 224, 8. Denver 211, 9. Algona 209, 10. Pleasant Valley 205, 11. Solon 203.5, 12. Union Community 203, 13. C.R. Xavier 197.5, 14. Lisbon 193.5, 15. Osage 183.

Other area teams – 17. West Liberty 150, 18. C.R. Prairie 149, 27. South Tama 88, 29. Maquoketa 45.

Championship matches

106 pounds – Coy Mehlert (UC) tech. fall Cole Kasparek (CCA), 17-2; 113 – Dylan Munson (CRP) tech. fall Rowan Berndt (BND), 21-5; 120 – Linden Phetxoumphone (CGD) dec. Brayden Bohnsack, 4-3; 126 – Gavin Landers (Den) dec. Rowdy Neighbor (Alb), 3-0 sudden victory-1; 132 – Jace Hedeman (UC) tech. fall C.J. Davis (BND), 19-3; 138 – Kaiden Dietzenbach (BND) dec. Ryan Rider (Car), 4-1; 144 – Blake Fox (O) major dec. Preston Klostermann (Alb), 17-5; 150 – Dirk Boyles (BND) pinned Briggs Collins (WL), 2:42; 157 – Boden White (Den) major dec. Syler Zdanczewicz (Fenn), 13-3; 165 – Jaxon Miller (Car) pinned Ryder Zdanczewicz (Fenn), 1:09; 175 – Tristan Steldt (Fenn) pinned Shayden Washburn (Alb), 2:47; 190 – Asa Hemsted (Car) pinned Avery Nelson (PV), 1:25; 215 – Jean Ngoma (CRX) dec. Lucas Feuerbach (Sol), 5-3; Hwt. – Kaden Clark (PCM) pinned Vinnie Keller (CCA), 1:46.

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