Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Preston LaGrange starts strong

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Prairie's Preston LaGrange might be quiet off the mat, but he has made some noise in the first week of this season.

The senior 182-pounder is setting a strong tone for his senior campaign.

'He doesn't say a lot,' Prairie Coach Kane Thompson said. 'He's a leader by example. He does things right.

'He's a good all-around athlete.'

LaGrange won the Hawks lone title at the Independence Invitational on Saturday and has improved to 7-0 this season.

LaGrange has been dominant at times with four pins, a medical forfeit and a major decision. The latter came in last weekend's final, scoring 14 points in the final two periods.

'I just go out and hustle now,' said LaGrange, who is ranked as high as fifth. 'I don't worry about what he (my opponent) is ranked or his size.'

Thompson said LaGrange has improved on his feet, hand-fighting to set up offensive attacks instead of just shooting. He has also had a boost of confidence that has allowed him to pull away late in matches.

'We saw it several times last year,' Thompson said. 'Then we would see some inconsistency. With three days of competition in a row (last week) he was very consistent.'

Thompson joked that Prairie assistant and former state medalist Robbie Kramer will have his hands full with LaGrange going forward. LaGrange is looking to improve on his 30-15 record last season that resulted a win short of the state tournament. He placed third at district behind wrestlers who placed second and third in the Class 3A state tournament.

'I'm just going to keep doing my best,' said LaGrange. 'I will keep going out and wrestling hard.'

MARION, C.R. WASHINGTON WIN TEAM TITLES

Marion crowned three champions and captured the team title at Monticello's Guilford Invitational on Saturday. The Indians topped Sumner-Fredericksburg by 20 points, receiving titles from Caleb and Colin Conway at 145 and 152, respectively, and 106-pounder Niyo Gady.

Gady pinned his way through the lightest bracket. Both Conways had two pins apiece with Colin Conway getting a first-period fall in the final. Braden Garringer (126), Zach Cochran (132) and heavyweight Carson Webster placed second for Marion. The Indians had 12 wrestlers finish sixth or better.

The title was Marion's first since 2009 and first under head coach Jason Haag, who took over for the 2011-12 season.

'They deserved it because they have been working hard in the room and buying in to what we are trying to do,' said Haag, a 1993 graduate of Monticello. 'It's good to see it pay off a little.'

Cedar Rapids Washington won its fifth straight dual this season, winning the Blue Jay Duals hosted by Bondurant-Farrar. The Warriors went 4-0 on Saturday with victories over Saydel (40-36), CMB (56-12), Boone (39-35) and Bondurant-Farrar (48-29).

After dropping its first two duals of the season, Washington got into the win column with a 38-36 win over Cedar Rapids Xavier. The Warriors (5-2) already have more dual wins since the 2012-13 season.

METRO TRIO WIN KEITH YOUNG TITLES

Cedar Rapids Jefferson duo Tavian Rashed and David Bonner won championships Saturday at the Keith Young in Cedar Falls. They were joined atop the podium by Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Ben Sarasin.

Second-ranked Rashed rolled with three bonus-point victories, including a 10-2 major decision over West Des Moines Valley's seventh-ranked Beau Lombardi in the 182-pound final.

Bonner defeated Charles City's Luke Hillegas, 1-0, for the heavyweight title. He opened with a second-period pin over Denver-Tripoli's Brock Farley, who is ranked sixth in Class 2A.

Second-ranked Sarasin (170) beat Cedar Falls' No. 5 Bryce Pilcher, 5-3, in the final. Seven Cougars finished sixth or better, placing sixth as a team.

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