Iowa City High’s Chase Williams lets it fly in notable win against Dubuque Hempstead

IOWA CITY – Chase Williams isn’t holding anything back.

The Iowa City High sophomore has focused on wrestling free, loose and offensive.

Williams demonstrated that approach in the Little Hawks’ 41-26 loss to Class 3A Dubuque Hempstead in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys wrestling dual Thursday night at Little Hawk Arena. He tallied four takedowns and four nearfall in an 18-11 victory over Dubuque Hempstead’s fifth-ranked Landon Gottschalk at 120 pounds.

“I feel like that match like I really just let it fly,” Williams said about the bout between state qualifiers. “This is probably the biggest win of my high school career.”

Williams said he wrestled just to get by, competing to not lose last year. He advanced to state as a freshman but didn’t earn the finish he had hoped. Now, he’s letting it go a wrestling to win.

“I keep putting the work in here every day, waking up early every morning, lifting weights and eating the right stuff,” Williams said. “All of that adds up.

“This year, I'm just really putting the hammer on the nail and trying the best I can to win.”

City High Coach Cory Connell has witnessed Williams develop from a wrestler that questioned how he could win big matches, attempting to keep it close and win at the end, to a more confident competitor that dictated his matches.

“I don't think he knows how good he is and how good he could be,” Connell said. “I think he's starting to figure that out and get his offense. He's got some good stuff when he gets to it but he's got to have that belief in it.”

Effort and determination have been key factors for Williams. Connell said Williams has emerged as one of the hardest workers in the practice room.

“There's no doubt about it, and I love to see things pay off for guys like that,” Connell said. “We have to make some changes. There's been some things we talked about and showed him. He's got to have some attention to detail to change. We talked over break. I see the change you're trying to make it, but we need to keep working in that direction.”

Gottschalk notched the first takedown of the mat and a reversal and takedown in the third. Everything else in between went Williams’ way, including a takedown and four nearfall at the end of the first for an 8-4 advantage.

Williams added two takedowns in the second period and another in the third. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but a good learning experience to spur improvement.

“It's definitely a great way to start the second half of the season,” Williams said. “I went out and I knew I can win this match. I just have to go out and tell myself that I can win.

“This is a good benchmark match. I know I can beat the best guys in the state. I'm just really looking to build on this. I'm looking to be even better for my next matches.”

City High (7-6, 6-1 MVC) won six bouts. Blaine Heick (190) and 285-pounder Kane Willey won by pin, Jimmy Milder (144) and Jude Seebeck at 165 recorded major decisions and 138-pounder Malachi Clement won by decision for the Little Hawks.

Hempstead (8-1, 5-0) posted seven bonus-point victories, including No. 4 Cam Smith’s 15-0 technical fall over No. 3 Raphael Etuma in a battle of state medalists at 215.

DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD 48, IOWA CITY HIGH 32 – The Mustangs won eight weight classes to defeat the host Little Hawks on Senior Night on Thursday. They recorded pins from McKenzie Ostola (120), Hailey Wiskus (130), Bella Miller at 135, 140-pounder Jillian Renne and Karise Benson, who is ranked fourth at 190 but bumped to 235.

The Little Hawks earned two bonus-point victories. Eliza Mitchell scored two takedowns before pinning Natalie Leitzen in 1:13 at 125. City High’s seventh-ranked 155-pounder Shaona Emmanuel made quick work of state qualifier Morgan Bills. Emmanuel amassed 13 nearfall points, needing just 1:26 for a 16-0 technical fall. Amelia Terrill scored a third-period takedown for a 3-0 decision over Stella Houselog at 115 for City High.

AT IOWA CITY

BOYS’ RESULTS

Dubuque Hempstead 41, Iowa City High 26

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

106 pounds – Josh Bratten (DH) major dec. Jack Litton, 16-4 (2,1); 113 – Abe Heysinger (DH) pinned Jordan Chavez, :50 (2,0); 120 – Chase Williams (ICH) dec. Landon Gottschalk, 18-11 (4,2); 126 – Parker Johns (DH) pinned Cole Connell, 4:29 (2,0); 132 – Elijah Hyet (DH) dec. Zyaire Washpun, 9-6 (2,1); 138 – Malachi Clement (ICH) dec. Caleb Lightfoot, 6-1 (1,0); 144 – Jimmy Milder (ICH) major dec. Charles Lahey, 12-0 (2,0); 150 – Ayden Miller (DH) tech. fall Alex Holmes, 21-5 (7,0); 157 – Waylon Daughetee (DH) pinned Caleb Maurice, 4:38 (2,0); 165 – Jude Seebeck (ICH) major dec. Liam Krausman, 15-3 (4,0); 175 – Peyce McCoy (DH) pinned J.J. Stringer, 5:09 (2,1); 190 – Blaine Heick (ICH) pinned Ayden Milligan, 1:49 (1,0); 215 – Camden Smith (DH) tech. fall Raphael Etuma, 15-0 (2,0); 285 – Kane Willey (ICH) pinned Spencer Connolly, :38 (1,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Dub. Hempstead 23, City High 16. Reversals – Dub. Hempsttead 3, City High 1. Escapes – Dub. Hempstead 11, City High 14. Nearfall points – Dub. Hempstead 30, City High 10. Penalty points (awarded) – Dub. Hempstead 0, City High 4. Total match points – Dub. Hempstead 116, City High 78.

GIRLS’ RESULTS

Dubuque Hempstead 48, Iowa City High 32

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

100 pounds – Payson Ostola (DH) won by forfeit; 105 – Libby Hughes (DH) won by forfeit; 110 – Kenzie Kieffer (DH) won by forfeit; 115 – Amelia Terrill (ICH) dec. Stella Houselog, 3-0 (1,0); 120 – McKenzie Ostola (DH) pinned Betsy Gavin, 1:36 (1,0); 125 – Eliza Mitchell (ICH) pinned Natalie Leitzen, 1:13 (2,0); 130 – Hailey Wiskus (DH) pinned Paige Fethke, 1:48 (1,0); 135 – Bella Miller (DH) pinned Paige Dixon, :50 (3,0); 140 – Jillian Renne (DH) pinned Brielle McKinney, 2:25 (2,0); 145 – Ruby Slemmons (ICH) won by forfeit; 155 – Shaona Emmanuel (ICH) tech. fall Morgan Bills, 16-0 (1,0); 170 – Josephine Manuel (ICH) won by forfeit; 190 – Molly Carlson (ICH) won by forfeit; 235 – Karise Benson (DH) pinned Camryn Griffith, :25 (1,0),

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Dub. Hempstead 8, City High 4. Reversals – Dub. Hempstead 1, City High 0. Escapes – Dub. Hempstead 1, City High 3. Nearfall points – Dub. Hempstead 4, City High 13. Penalty points (awarded) – Dub. Hempstead 0, City High 0. Total match points – Dub. Hempstead 31, City High 28.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com