Quick and easy for West

By Jason Brummond

Correspondent

IOWA CITY - That was quick and even more impressive. No. 3 Iowa City West High sure looks ready for state competition.

It was all Trojans in a whopping 74-3 win over 14th-ranked Indianola in a Class 3A regional dual Wednesday night. It took less than 45 minutes for the 14 bouts. The Indians spent four hours making the round-trip drive to Iowa City.

“One of the things we said was score early,” West Coach Mark Reiland said. “I wanted them to get in and get out. It's win and move on, and you want to do that as quick as possible.”

The Trojans (29-2) will make their 10th straight appearance in the state duals Wednesday in Des Moines. West had six pins and allowed only one takedown.

Gradey Gambrall at 145 pounds, Jack Hathaway at 126, and Blake Bohner at 195 got first-period pins.

Gambrall edged Bohner for the quickest fall, 44 seconds to 50.

West 113-pounder Philip Laux earned nearfall points in the first and second periods before getting the fall with about a minute to spare in the third. The senior had a 14-1 lead.

Jakeb Bakken at 120 and Mitch Watkins at 170 also had falls.

Dakota Bauer earned a 21-6 technical fall early in the second period. The 132-pounder totaled 17 points in the first period, then added two takedowns in the first 12 seconds of the second.

Reiland said the new schedule that places the state duals and state tournament in a four-day stretch isn't ideal, especially with a team that's a little banged up. But he said West, the defending 3A state dual champion, will be right in the mix.

“There's a number of good teams,” Reiland said. “There's six or seven really good teams and then everybody else.”

Indianola forfeited three of the first six matches of the dual, which started at 170 pounds. The Indians' only victory came from heavyweight Colby Vlieger, who recorded a takedown and two nearfall points in the third period for an 8-7 decision.