Assumption climbs ladder to state dual title

CEDAR RAPIDS - It may have taken one step at a time, but Davenport Assumption climbed back to the top of the hill.

After a fourth in 2008, third in 2009 and runner-up finish a year ago, the Knights added to the school's dual titles. Assumption steamrolled its way to the Class 2A championship, handling Creston/Orient-Macksburg, 56-15, in the finals of the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Dual team tournament Saturday night at the U.S. Cellular Center.

"I think we wrestled the best we have all year," Assumption Coach Pete Bush said. "I was real happy with our performance."

There was little to be unhappy about for the Knights, especially in the finals. Assumption never trailed, winning 11 of 14 matches including seven by fall. Assumption stockpiled bonus points, scoring at least 56 points in all three duals and recording a total of 20 wins by fall or technical fall.

Bush questioned the wrestlers about how they wanted to end their seasons and careers for some. They responded.

"It seemed to resonate with them," Bush said. "They came out and wrestled hard six minutes fats and hard, and just like state last week, we got a lot of points through pins and bonus points through majors and technical falls."

The top-ranked Knights (30-1) were on a mission. They wanted to put an exclamation point on an impressive season. They overpowered the field, beating Forest City, 60-12, and Atlantic, 56-9.

"We felt like we wanted to prove we were 14 deep instead of eight or nine guys strong," senior Brody Grothus said. "Everybody on this team made a huge contribution and we couldn't have don it without everybody's hard work."

The previous State Duals finishes left some unfinished business for the Knights. They were focused on winning, and they became hungrier the closer the got the last few years.

"Each year getting closer and closer we could taste it," Grothus said. "We never stopped working. We always had that state title to work for and we pushed ourselves beyond our limits and that's how we became state champs."

The victory was Assumption's fifth State Dual title, which is tops in 2A. The victory capped a golden sweep after the Knights claimed the traditional team title in Des Moines last week. Senior Tyler Swope said it was a "sweet" accomplishment.

"I was proud of everybody on the team," said Swope, who added a fall in the finals. "It was a great team and atmosphere."

Creston was an unlikely finals opponent. The Panthers (17-2) entered the field as the seventh seed, but advanced through the field knocking off defending champions and No. 2-seed Denver-Tripoli in the quarterfinals and them upset third-seeded Ballard in the semifinals.

Creston won the first five matches and then held on to beat Ballard, 34-28, after 32-25 win over the Titans.

"It was a great tournament for us," Creston/OM Coach Darrell Frain said. "They just stepped up and wrestled well today and I'm excited for them."