City High makes strides under Connell

IOWA CITY — The question wasn't if, but when Cory Connell would rebuild the Iowa City High wrestling program.

When he returned to his alma mater in 2012, the Little Hawks managed just one winning dual season since 2009. City High has improved each season, making strides with a 14-15 mark last year.

The Little Hawks took another step forward, beating rival Iowa City West for the first time since 2002 and improving to 12-10 in Connell's fourth year at the City High helm.

After two rough seasons, Connell recognized the progress last year and returned all but one wrestler.

'We knew we had a lot coming back and had a good opportunity to have a good team,' Connell said. 'We have a good senior class as a nucleus that has been around from my first year here. They have been a great group to work with the last four years.'

Nic Jarvis, Daniel Kelly, Ali Omar and Jacob Powers are among the senior leaders. Jarvis and sophomore Jacob Dykes have been ranked by The Predicament at 152 and 160, respectively. Connell said Kelly has a chance to be class valedictorian as well.

Connell said the Little Hawks have shown resilience, finding a way to get things done.

'They are all hard working and they do the right things on and off the mat,' Connell said. 'That's kind of what we were missing for a while. They don't want to be successful in just wrestling. They want to be successful in everything they do.'

Connell was a state champion for City High in 2000, winning the Class 3A 130-pound title with a 39-0 record. He won 146 career matches as a three-time state medalist and a member of the Little Hawks' state title team.

He said he was focused on making the intracity dual competitive again. The Little Hawks helped make that happen, winning eight weights for a 42-28 victory at West last Thursday.

City High had seven bonus-point wins, including pins from Brock Hunger (195), Joey Harney (120), Lance Bormann (126), Kelly (132) and Jarvis at 152. Dykes added a technical fall at 170 and Powers (113) won by major decision.

'I wanted that to be a rivalry again, where we're a good team and we could go,' Connell said. 'They're a good team and a program I respect. It was a huge rivalry when I was in high school and I want to get back to that.'

City High followed the win with a second-place finish at the Ottumwa Invitational on Saturday, receiving titles from Kyle Hefley (138), Jarvis (152), Omar (160) and unbeaten Jordan Buckland at 220. The Little Hawks host Cedar Falls Thursday night. They have come a long way but much more work remains.

'There has been growth,' said Connell, the 2010 Class 1A Coach of the Year who coached three state champions, 17 state medalists and 27 state qualifiers in six years at Eddyville-Blakesburg before taking over at City High. 'I've seen the growth from week-to-week and from match-to-match. It's been a fun year to coach.'

HYLAND REMAINS UNBEATEN

Vinton-Shellsburg's Nick Hyland continued a strong season with a 145-pound title at Benton Community's Bobcat Jerry Eckenrod Invitational on Saturday in Van Horne. He improved to 20-0 and is currently ranked seventh at 138 in Class 2A by The Predicament.

'He's been putting things together,' Vikings Coach James Locke said. 'He's been flying under the radar.'

But, Locke had big expectations for Hyland, the defending 138-pound Wamac champion who missed a state berth with a third-place district finish, going 39-4. Seeing people he beat earn state medals motivated him, according to Locke.

'I think it was that disappointment that pushed him,' Locke said. 'I was hoping he'd respond the way he has.'

Locke said Hyland rarely leaves the mat satisfied, striving to improve each match. Locke said he has stressed wider margins of victory and Hyland has been receptive, believing in his ability.

'He wants to be the most dominant wrestler in the state,' Locke said. 'He doesn't just want a state title. He wants to win a state title.'

COACHES MEETING

Cedar Rapids Jefferson will honor a group of assistant coaches who have served on staff during the 33-year tenure of co-head coach Dick Briggs at the J-Hawks' home dual Thursday night against Cedar Rapids Xavier. Junior varsity competition begins at 6 p.m.

Briggs began as head coach at his alma mater for the 1983-84 season. Fifteen of his past assistants will be honored before the varsity dual, including former University of Iowa All-American Brooks Simpson, nationally honored assistant coach John Hegarty, former Cedar Rapids LaSalle head coach Tom Miller and current co-head coach Matt Orton's father, Henry Orton.

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