Area teams looking for first state duals berth

As the prep wrestling season is winding down, a few area programs are trying to extend the season by another week.Three area teams are poised to accomplish a first for their respective schools as wrestlers in Class 1A and 2A participate in Iowa High School Athletic Association regional duals Tuesday. Semifinals begin at 6 p.m. followed by regional finals.Alburnett and West Branch in 1A and Williamsburg in 2A will attempt to earn their first berth to the State Duals tournament Saturday, Feb. 26 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. Champions in eight regional duals advance.Williamsburg has knocked on that door, but has yet to earn its way into the field. The Raiders have competed in regional duals four straight seasons and five of the last seven years. Williamsburg is 21-2 and ranked fifth by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association."We've been looking at it the last couple years and we haven't been good enough to get there," Williamsburg Coach Grant Eckenrod said. "It's been something we've been gunning for."Williamsburg opens with Fairfield and the winner takes on the winner between Solon and Davis County at Washington (Iowa). The Raiders find themselves in a different role than previous appearances, expecting to advance out of the regional. Eckenrod said he tells the wrestlers not to put stock in any rankings and to continue to focus on the immediate task, which is the approach they have had all season."We've never had to deal with that before," Eckenrod said about being favored. "Our mindset is we're worrying about us. We're worrying about what we have to do to get ourselves better."The Raiders took a big step just by getting healthy for the postseason. The team has battled injury and has yet to put its best dual lineup together. Williamsburg had 12 district qualifiers Saturday, winning the sectional title by a whopping 93 points over host Solon. Ten of those wrestlers have more than 23 wins, including top-ranked heavyweight Austin Blythe (42-1), No. 4 Tom Malloy (44-1 at 215), fifth-ranked 130-pounder J.C. Vercande (41-3) and No. 10 Brett Waughop, who is 42-5 at 171."We're going to have our 14 best kids in the lineup for the first time in a dual meet situation," Eckenrod said. "We're pretty excited about that."There have been a lot of excited surrounding the West Branch and Alburnett programs this season. The Bears (16-2) are ranked ninth, while the Pirates (21-3) are ranked fourth.West Branch travels to Louisa-Muscatine High School Letts to face Iowa Valley, and BGM takes on Wilton, who the Bears beat for their first Cedar Valley Conference title and sectional title, where they advanced eight to district led by seventh-ranked Jake Slocum (30-8 at 140) and No. 3 Rilen Carew (36-3) at 152, the last two weekends. It's the second straight year West Branch has reached the regional duals.Alburnett and West Branch bowed out last year in the semifinal round at the same regional duals site, which was won by Lisbon. The Pirates will face Wapsie Valley in the opening dual at North-Linn High School in Troy Mills. No. 5 Lisbon will face East Buchanan, which it beat to reach the state duals last year.The Pirates have reached new heights all season, claiming their first Tri-Rivers Conference title and capturing its first sectional crown at home Saturday.“Our goal was to win sectionals so we could go to regional duals,” Alburnett Coach Kane Thompson said Saturday. “Win regional duals and qualify for State Duals that way.”Alburnett sent nine to this weekend's district meet, including defending state champions Tyler Shulista (41-1), who is ranked first at 119 after winning the 112 title last year, and two-time state champion Christopher Halblom (38-0), who won last year at 119 and is No. 1 at 125. Zach Fowler (35-9 at 103), Colton Martin (38-3 at 130), Dylan Windfield (37-9 at 145) and Zach Hoyle (32-15 at 152) also won sectional titles for Alburnett.The key has been a more balanced lineup and filling all weight classes. Hoyle said a full lineup has helped them improve. Thompson said the team is hungry for more success after claiming the school's first state trophy, placing third at last year's traditional meet in Des Moines.“They work their tail off,” Thompson said. “They really want to win. They want to win as a team.”

REGIONAL DUAL SEMIFINALS

Tuesday

CLASS 2A

At Algona

Forest City vs. Estherville/Lincoln Central

Spirit Lake Park vs. Clear Lake

At Creston

Winterset vs. Clarinda

Creston vs. Albia

At LeGrand (East Marshall High School)

Union Community vs. Nevada

Grinnell vs. Webster City

At Maquoketa

Davenpoort Assumption vs. Independence

West Delaware vs. DeWitt Central

At New Hampton

Denver-Tripoli vs. New Hampton

Charles City vs. Decorah

At Alleman (North Polk High School)

Ballard vs. Perry

Dallas Center-Grimes vs. PCM Monroe

At Ida Grove (OA-BCIG High School)

Atlantic vs. Boyden Hull/Rock Valley

Sergeant Bluff-Luton vs. OABCIG

At Washington

Williamsburg vs. Fairfield

Davis County vs. Solon

CLASS 1A

At Eddyville (Eddyville-Blakesburg High School)

Lynnville-Sully vs. Martensdale-St. Mary's

Truro I-35 vs. Sigourney-Keota

At Emmetsburg

Graettinger-Terrill vs. Clarion-Goldfield

Manson-NW Webster vs. Emmetsburg/RA

At Guthrie Center

Tri-Center vs. Nodaway Valley

Audubon vs. Guthrie Center

At Hudson

Sumner-Fredericksburg vs. Dike-New Hartford

Don Bosco vs. Clarksville

At Letts (Louisa-Muscatine High School)

BGM vs. Wilton

West Branch vs. Iowa Valley

At Mapleton (Maple valley-Anthon-Oto High School)

Logan-Magnolia vs. Akron-Westfield

Woodbury Central vs. Underwood

At Troy Mills (North-Linn High School)

Alburnett vs. Wapsie Valley

Lisbon vs. East Buchanan

At Jewell (South Hamilton High School)

Nashua-Plainfield vs. Carroll Kuemper

Fort Dodge St. Edmond vs. Central Springs