Cedar Rapids Prairie earns sweep in MVC double dual

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Prairie has not fielded its best lineup yet, but that hasn't stopped the Hawks from getting the better of their dual opponents.

Depth paid dividends again.

Prairie swept Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Dubuque Hempstead in a Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division triangular Thursday night at Kennedy. The Hawks capped the evening with a 42-35 victory over the Cougars.

Prairie (5-0, 4-0 MVCV) is missing up to five starters due to injury, illness and medical issues. Prairie Coach Kane Thompson said they have not had a lineup with all of the wrestlers he anticipates to compete at the end of the year. Instead, they have had reserves contribute to the varsity success.

'We feel like we're getting to pull out some great wins because of the guys who have wrestled on the (junior varsity) and they are stepping up,' said Thompson, noting that 11 of 14 current starters have been on the JV squad previously. 'Our point is how important the development is to be able to compete on the varsity level.'

Even with some missing bodies, including state medalist Conrad Braswell at 106, Prairie still managed to win seven weights, getting pins in each contested match. Among the Hawks with falls was Mason Johnson. He filled in for senior Casey Hogan at 138 and pinned Jay Oostendorp in 1:55, giving Prairie a 24-18 lead midway through the dual. He was indicative of the Hawks' 'next man in' mentality.

'I think it's all about going out to win,' Johnson said. 'No matter how deep you go in our lineup there will be a guy who will compete.'

Prairie and Kennedy alternated leads the first half and never trailed after Johnson's fall. Mike Jasa (152) and Tyger Whitters (160) posted a pin and forfeit to give Prairie the lead for good at 36-24 with three weights left.

Preston LaGrange sealed the win with a first-period fall at 182. Fitting since he began the evening with a fall in the first match of the night in a 46-27 win over Dubuque Hempstead (7-2, 1-1 MVC). Whitters was also impressive against Hempstead, scoring a late takedown and all of his points in the final period for a 3-1 victory over second-ranked Alex Ward.

Heavyweight Chance Halfhill, Johnny Washburn (113) and 132-pounder Trenten Wennermark also had much needed falls. Washburn, Wennermark and Jasa each had two pins to lead the Hawks.

'When you get a chance for a pin, you want to do what's best for your team,' Johnson said. 'Even the littlest points help the most.'

Thompson said he likes seeing wrestlers make the most of their opportunities and the direction the team is heading.

'I'm proud, no matter who wrestles for us, when they compete at a high level,' Thompson said. 'We feel pretty solid about where our dual lineup is headed.'

Kennedy (3-2, 2-2) battled but just couldn't match the bonus points, splitting weights. Sam Pape (220), Dylan Falck (126), 145-pounder Dylan Ironside and Garrett Kubovec at 195 had pins for Kennedy against the Hawks. Kennedy's Ben Sarasin (170) added a technical fall.

The Cougars were missing three starters as well and had no one to fill 160.

Hempstead beat Kennedy, 40-31, in the second dual of the evening. The difference in both duals was being able to put opponents away with pins and being able to fight off their backs to avoid surrendering them.

'It makes a big difference,' Kennedy assistant coach Nick LeClere said. 'It's a maturity thing. We have a young team.'

AT C.R. KENNEDY

C.R. Prairie 42, C.R. Kennedy 35

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

220 pounds — Sam Pape (CRK) pinned Alex Heisdorffer, :59 (1,0); Hwt. — Chance Halfhill (CRP) pinned Josh Vis, 3:29 (1,0); 106 — Ben Hoeger (CRK) dec. Jacob Rausch, 9-7 (1,2); 113 — Johnny Washburn (CRP) pinned Eli Benion, 1:32 (1,0); 120 — Cam Shaver (CRK) dec. Ted Zangerle, 8-3 (4,0); 126 — Dylan Falck (CRK) pinned Jaron Lathrop, 3:21 (2,0); 132 — Trenten Wennermark (CRP) pinned Cole Curfman, 1:21 (1,0); 138 — Mason Johnson (CRP) pinned Jay Oostendorp, 1:21 (1,0); 145 — Dylan Ironside (CRK) pinned Colton LaGrange, 3:51 (2,0); 152 — Mike Jasa (CRP) pinned Andrew Wenger, :26 (1,0); 160 — Tyger Whitters (CRP) won by forfeit; 170 — Ben Sarasin (CRK) tech. fall Ashton Stoner-DeGroot, 17-2 (3,0); 182 — Preston LaGrange (CRP) pinned Cade Parker, 1:28 (1,0); 195 — Garrett Kubovec (CRK) pinned Stuart Boston, 1:56 (2,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns — CRP 9, CRK 15. Reversals — CRP 1, CRK 3. Escapes — CRP 8, CRK 4. Nearfall points — CRP 5, CRK 16. Penalty points (awarded) — CRP 0, CRK 0. Total match points — CRP 33, CRK 56.

Dubuque Hempstead 40, C.R. Kennedy 31

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

195 pounds — Kubovec (CRK) pinned Owen Dunne, 1:14 (1,0); 220 — Pape (CRK) pinned Dylan Olson, 5:45 (3,0); Hwt. — Jack Roussel (DH) dec. Vis, 6-5 (3,0); 106 — Dillon Gottschalk (CRK) pinned Hoeger, 2:56 (5,0); 113 — Hunter Foht (DH) pinned Benion, 1:04 (2,0); 120 — Joe Pins (DH) major dec. Shaver, 12-3 (5,0); 126 — Dylan Falck (CRK) major dec. Long, 11-3 (3,1); 132 — Jacob Faber (DH) dec. Curfman, 6-1 (2,0); 138 — Nathan Feldman (DH) pinned Oostendorp, 1:15 (2,0); 145 — Ironside (CRK) pinned Tyler Murphy, :47 (1,0); 152 — Kent Kragenbrink (DH) pinned Wenger, :28 (1,0); 160 — Alex Ward (DH) won by forfeit; 170 — Sarasin (CRK) pinned Pierce Brandt, :22 (1,0); 182 — Parker (CRK) dec. Jackson Rigdon, 7-4 (3,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns — DH 21, CRK 12. Reversals — DH 4, CRK 0. Escapes — DH 5, CRK 18. Nearfall points — DH 0, CRK 6. Penalty points (awarded) — DH 2, CRK 1. Total match points — DH 57, CRK 49.

C.R. Prairie 46, Dubuque Hempstead 27

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

182 pounds — P. LaGrange (CRP) pinned Steve Blosch, 1:49 (2,0); 195 — Boston (CRP) pinned Dunne, :23 (1,0); 220 — Olson (DH) pinned Heisdorffer, 1:19 (1,0); Hwt. — Roussel (DH) dec. Halfhill, 7-5 SV (3,1); 106 — Gottschalk (DH) pinned Rausch, :33 (1,0); 113 — Washburn (CRP) pinned Foht, 1:55 (0,1); 120 — Pins (DH) pinned Zangerle, 3:11 (3,0); 126 — Lathrop (CRP) pinned Long, 4:19 (2,1); 132 — Wennermark (CRP) pinned Faber, 5:03 (2,0); 138 — Feldman (DH) pinned Johnson, 3:13 (4,1); 145 — C. LaGrange (CRP) dec. Dylan Pauley, 3-1 (1,0); 152 — Jasa (CRP) pinned Kragenbrink, 4:36 (2,0); 160 — Whitters (CRP) dec. Ward, 3-1 (1,0); 170 — Stoner-DeGroot (CRP) major dec. Rigdon, 11-1 (3,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns — CRP 16, DH 14. Reversals — CRP 6, DH 2. Escapes — CRP 7, DH 7. Nearfall points — CRP 24, DH 4. Penalty points (awarded) — CRP 1, DH 0. Total match points — CRP 76, DH 43.

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