Linn-Mar fueled by physical, aggressive wrestling style in win over Cedar Rapids Prairie

CEDAR RAPIDS — Message received. Mission accomplished.

Linn-Mar Coach Doug Streicher watched the Lions display the brand of wrestling his staff has emphasized.

Class 3A seventh-ranked Linn-Mar won 10 matches and dominated Cedar Rapids Prairie, 50-17, in a Mississippi Valley Conference dual Thursday night at Prairie. The Lions snatched sole possession of first place in the MVC Mississippi Division, tallying six pins and a technical fall.

“I thought we wrestled more physical and aggressive,” Streicher said. “Just like we’re trying to preach.”

Linn-Mar (15-1, 5-0 MVC Mississippi) took control from the start, building a 26-0 lead after five matches. Brayden Park and Kane Naaktgeboren provided a sparked that set the dual’s tone.

Parke, ranked fourth at 126, opened the dual with a first-period fall over Tyler Lee after two takedowns and two nearfall points. Naaktgeboren, No. 3 at 132, needed just 37 seconds to pin Wyatt Vlasek in the next bout. The duo has consistently produced.

“That’s how they’ve been all year,” Streicher said. “There’s a reason they’re ranked as high as they are.”

The snowball picked up momentum. Austin Vandersee (138) won by decision, sixth-ranked 145-pounder Grant Kress amassed a 14-2 lead before a second-period fall and Grant Boddicker added a technical fall at 152, giving the Lions more than enough points for the win.

Another successful stretch helped Linn-Mar pull away. Top-ranked 170-pounder Tate Naaktgeboren notched a pin for one of five victories in a six-match spell. Tate Naaktgeboren scored three takedowns and three nearfall before pinning Tate Joens in 1:20. Griffin Schultz won by fall at 220. Third-ranked heavyweight Luke Gaffney used a third takedown to set up a 4:46 pin over Carter Dawley, making it 47-7 with the three lightest weights remaining.

Landen Bushman, who moved up to 170, and Malik DeBow (106) earned decisions for Linn-Mar.

“I know we were favored in five,” Streicher said about the five ranked Lions. “We won a lot of those tossups.”

Streicher was pleased by the intensity and the Lions’ strong hand-fighting that helped dictate the pace and direction of each match.

“It’s more fun to watch,” Streicher said. “I hope it is that way from the stands. I know it is from the sidelines.”

Prairie (11-5, 4-1 MVC Mississippi) got on the board with Nick Smith’s 17-5 major decision over Jack White at 160. Smith scored six takedowns and collected nearfall at the end. Collin Velky (195) won by decision.

The Hawks closed with their two strongest performances. Top-ranked and returning state finalist Blake Gioimo and Alex Bumba recorded 19-3 technical falls. Gioimo used five takedowns and four turns to drop Nate Fish in the second period. Bumba had four takedowns and 11 nearfall points all in the first period to beat Evan Pulis.

AT C.R. PRAIRIE

Linn-Mar 50, C.R. Prairie 17

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

126 pounds – Brayden Parke (LM) pinned Tyler Lee, 2:00 (2,0); 132 – Kane Naaktgeboren (LM) pinned Wyatt Vlasek, :37 (1,0); 138 – Austin Vandersee (LM) dec. Casey Kelley, 6-0 (2,0); 145 – Grant Kress (LM) pinned Logan Redig, 3:38 (3,0); 152 – Grant Boddicker (LM) tech. fall Rigley Koch, 19-3 (3,0); 160 – Nick Smith (CRP) major dec. Jack White, 17-5 (6,1); 170 – Landen Bushman (LM) dec. Cole Smith, 6-1 (3,0); 182 – Tate Naaktgeboren (LM) pinned Tate Joens, 1:20 (3,0); 195 – Collin Velky (CRP) dec. James Bouska, 7-3 (2,0); 220 – Griffin Schultz (LM) pinned Muhanned Al-Suleiman, 3:05 (1,1); Hwt. – Luke Gaffney (LM) pinned Carter Dwley, 4:46 (3,0); 106 – Malik DeBow (LM) dec. Dylan Munson, 7-6 (1,3); 113 – Blake Gioimo (CRP) tech. fall Nate Fish, 19-3 (5,0); 120 – Alex Bumba (CRP) tech. fall Evan Pulis, 19-3 (4-0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Linn-Mar 23, C.R. Prairie 21. Reversals – Linn-Mar 3, C.R. Prairie 1. Escapes – Linn-Mar 16, C.R. Prairie 9. Nearfall points – Linn-Mar 22, C.R. Prairie 28. Penalty points (awarded) – Linn-Mar 2, C.R. Prairie 1. Total match points – Linn-Mar 92, C.R. Prairie 82.