Solon wins Wamac wrestling title as West twins top podium

WILLIAMSBURG — Just as his twin brother Bryce had five minutes earlier, Solon's Drew West walked off the mat a Wamac wrestling champion.

No emotions, a couple words to a coach and a short jog to a hallway in the corner of the gym, where he disappeared to cool off. It was the exact same thing his brother had just done.

The only difference? The weight class. Bryce wrestles at 120, while Drew is at 126.

'I was just going out there to try and get the win,' Bryce said. 'You have to go into every match the same. You have to preform.'

Senior transfers from Highland, the first-time Wamac competitors combined for three pins, a tech fall and a major decision during the tournament. The final matches were a bit closer (Bryce won with an 18-6 major, Drew took a 1-0 decision win) but the bonus points they had already accrued were huge in the team race. In fact, it was the first time the West brothers had ever won a team conference championship.

Solon ran away with the team title, scoring 221 1/2 points. Williamsburg came in second with 172 1/2, while Western Dubuque (163 1/2), Marion (142 1/2) and South Tama (140 1/2) rounded out the top five.

The Spartans were dominant on the backside of the bracket and put 11 total wrestlers in the top five of their weight classes. It was something head coach Blake Williams was happy to see and bodes well for the second-ranked Spartans as they march toward the state wrestling tournament in February.

'This was a goal that we talked about this year,' Williams said. 'It really was a team effort. It helps in a tournament like this to get a lot of different points out of a lot of different kids.'

Bryce and Drew, however, weren't the only set of twins to find themselves at the top of the medal stand. Marion's Caleb and Colin Conway won the 145 and 152 first-place matches, respectively.

'I was just nervous, relying on nervous energy,' Colin Conway said. '[Caleb] set the tone and after he got his, I knew I had to go out and get mine.'

Second-place Williamsburg had two individual titles as well. Grayson Kesterson won the 106-pound weight class with a 9-0 major decision over Vinton-Shellsburg's Carter Weeks. The Raiders also picked up a win at 195, as Josh Holub beat DeWitt Central's Reece Westphal 9-3.

Western Dubuque's Max Lyon also became the just the 37th Wamac wrestler with three conference titles as he pinned Williamsburg's Isaac Maser in 3:06.

WAMAC CONFERENCE WRESTLING MEET

At Williamsburg

Teams – 1. Solon 221.5, 2. Williamsburg 172.5, 3. Western Dubuque 163.5, 4. Marion 142.5, 5. South Tama 140.5, 6. Mount Vernon 135.5, 7. Dyersville Beckman 127.0, 8. West Delaware 95.0, 9. Vinton-Shellsburg 90.5, 10. Dewitt Central 90.0, 11. Independence 80.5, 12. Benton Community 76.0, 13. Center Point-Urbana 58.0, 14. Clear Creek-Amana 43.0, T-15. Anamosa 29.0, T-15. Maquoketa 29.0

Championship results

106- Grayson Kesterson (WILL) major dec. Carter Weeks (V-S), 9-0; 113- Caleb Fuessley (CPU) dec. Jalen Schropp (WILL), 7-3; 120- Bryce West (S) major dec. Luke Radeke (V-S), 18-6. 126- Drew West (S) dec. Brady Fritz (ST), 1-0; 132- Bradan Birt (WDBQ), dec. Tanner Probasco (ST), SV-1 6-4; Colton Vest (ST) dec. Jake Recker (DB), 5-4; 145- Caleb Conway (MAR) dec. Paul Ryan (MV), 5-0; 152- Colin Conway (MAR) dec. Isaac Judge (ST), 8-4. 160- Luke Hageman (DB) dec. Trevor Nelson (S), 8-7. 170- Owen Grover (DB) pinned Kort Johnson (V-S) in 1:43; 182- Max Lyon (WDBQ) pinned Isaac Maser (WILL) in 3:06; 195- Josh Holub (WILL) dec. Reece Westphal (DWC), 9-3; 220- Blade Durbala (BC) dec. Jack Cochrane (MV), 7-2; 285- Aaron Costello (WDBQ) pinned Tristan Wirfs (MV) in 3:03.

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