Broghammer's fall helps West Delaware to team title

MANCHESTER - The lights went out as parents, fans and wrestlers mingled in the West Delaware gymnasium.

That occurred shortly after heavyweight Dean Broghammer helped the host Hawks turn the lights out on the competition.

Broghammer scored a fall in the final match, propelling the Class 2A second-ranked Hawks to the team title over No. 3 Davenport Assumption Saturday at West Delaware's Hawk Invitational. The two bonus points from Broghammer's third-period pin over Waterloo East's Darrion Caldwell made the difference, giving the Hawks a 253 1/2-252 advantage.

Team standings weren't in Broghammer's mind when he wrestled. Hawks Coach Jeff Voss urged him to get a pin.

"He said to go out there and stick the kid," Broghammer said. "That is my goal every match."

Broghammer held a 3-0 lead when he started the third period on top. Two attempts to turn Caldwell failed, but Broghammer succeeded the third time.

"I was in better position the third time," said Broghammer, who heard the Hawks crowd chant his name and cheer for the win. "I was pretty excited. It was intense."

The pin came in the final period but the win was a result from his early work.

"He won that in the first period," Voss said. "The score might have been close but the pressure he put on the kid first period allowed him to do what he did."

Plenty of the Hawks helped put him in position. West Delaware had five champions, including 152-pounder Jake Voss and Nolan Zumbach at 170. Jacyn Goebel and Adam Reth had key pins at 182 and 220, respectively, leading to the late heroics. Every match was crucial with the team title hinging on each wrestler.

"When you start looking at the overall scheme of things, a match anywhere can decide it," Jeff Voss said. "A great team effort."

Davenport Assumption crowned five champions, including Kyle Springer (126), Topher Carton (132), 138-pounder Eric Clarke and top-ranked Nick Georgean at 160. Carton, ranked second and an University of Iowa signee, built a 17-5 lead before pinning Linn-Mar's seventh-ranked Joel Northrup in 5:54.

The Lions, ranked fifth in 3A, finished third 194 points, capturing four titles including three dominant wins in the first three weights.

Linn-Mar's Matt Wempen and Alijah Jeffery opened the championship round with pins.

Jeffery, ranked second in Class 3A, handled West Delaware's 2A top-ranked Zach Less in 3:50.

Jeffery was dominant, scoring a takedown and turning Less for back points, leading 5-0 after one. He added another takedown before turning Less with the same move for the fall. Linn-Mar Coach Doug Streicher said the returning medalist's track records speaks for itself, and he is a big, strong 113-pounder that can dominate most opponents.

"You pair that with the style," Streicher said. "You are big, have length, the leverage and he incorporates a lot of what he does then that's what makes the whole package really good."

The finish mirrored Wempen's win in the previous match, but three seconds sooner.

The win fired up sophomore Damon Griffin. The Lions' 120-pounder won his second title at West Delaware, handling Assumption's fifth-ranked Tony Devriese, 16-8. He stuck to his strategy, allowing him to five takedowns.

"I knew exactly what I needed to do," Griffin said. "I actually executed it."

Wempen, the next in a line of strong Linn-Mar light weights, decked West Delaware's No. 6-ranked Pat Woods to ignite the Lions.

Woods led 2-0 late in the second when Wempen shot and dumped Woods to his back for the fall. Linn-Mar sophomore Ross Lembeck added a major decision for the 145-pound title.

Streicher said the Lions lost matches by not wrestling smart, but the light wrestlers carried the most weight Saturday.

"The young, lighter guys did a really nice job for the most part," Streicher said. "They attacked and taking the match and being aggressive."

Decorah placed fourth behind runners-up Kellan O'Shea (126), Gayge Samuelson (160) and 195-pounder Tyler Hovey.

Teams - 1. West Delaware 253.5, 2. Davenport Assumption 252, 3. Linn-Mar 194.5, 4. Decorah 176, 5. West Delaware JV 96.5, 6. Fairfield 78, 7. Marion 35, 8. Waterloo East 25.

106 pounds - Matt Wempen (LM) pinned Pat Woods (WD), 3:53;

113 - Alijah Jeffery (LM) pinned Zach Less (WD), 3:50;

120 - Damon Griffin (LM) major dec. Tony Devriese (DA), 16-8;

126 - Kyle Springer (DA) tech. fall Kellan O'Shea (Dec), 21-5;

132 - Topher Carton (DA) pinned Joel Northrup (LM), 5:54;

138 - Eric Clarke (DA) dec. Zach Muller (WD), 2-0;

145 - Ross Lembeck (LM) major dec. Grant Rosenboom (DA), 11-2;

152 - Jake Voss (WD) dec. Tony Parks (DA), 5-4;

160 - Nick Georgean (DA) major dec. Gayge Samuelson (Dec), 9-1;

170 - Nolan Zumbach (WD) won by disqualification over Andrew Holladay (LM);

182 - Jacyn Goebel (WD) pinned Seth Davisson (F), 1:34;

195 - Bradley Grothus (DA) pinned Tyler Hovey (Dec), :36;

220 - Adam Reth (WD) pinned Sean Easler (DA), :40;

Hwt. - Dean broghammer (WD) pinned Darrion Caldwell, 4:57.