Is Ballard Iowa's all-time best?

By Jeff JohnsonThe Gazette CEDAR RAPIDS  - At last weekend's traditional state wrestling tournament, Trent Weatherman told someone in the media that by the time the season was over, he hoped people would be able to recognize the Ballard team as the best in the history of Iowa.After doing the expected and rolling through the Class 2A field at Saturday's State Duals Tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center, Weatherman was asked if he felt the Bombers were indeed number one all time."I don't know," said the two-time individual state champ and Iowa State recruit. "We didn't quite reach our goals of six state champions last week,"Ballard had nine finalists and five gold-medal winners in a 220-point team effort that broke the all-time margin between first place and second place (131 1/2 points). It missed Waverly-Shell Rock's tournament point record by five. "We wanted to break Waverly's point record, and we didn't quite get that, either. So it's hard to say whether we're the best or not. I can say we're among them."There's no debating that. Ranked eighth nationally by Amateur Wrestling News, Ballard averaged 58 points in three blowouts Saturday, including a 51-16 demolition of Denver-Tripoli in the 2A championship dual. The Bombers finished their dual season with a 32-2 record, the only losses to Minnesota schools. They beat 3A champ Waverly-Shell Rock in the regular season, 39-28, so they can probably lay claim to being the best team in the state this year, although Class 1A traditional and dual state winner Don Bosco might dispute that. "I believe they're the best (ever)," said Ballard Coach Jeff Weatherman. "Just like any other team that's had the success we've had, it didn' start in the high school program. It started 10, 11, 12 years ago when they (first) got on the mat. They had fun with it. And that's one of the strengths they've had since they've gotten to the high school program."The really cool thing about this Ballard team is its family nature, literally. Jeff Weatherman's sons, 152-pounder Trent and 135-pound sophomore Tanner, won individual gold medals last week. So did 171-pounder Brock Weatherman, Jeff's nephew and the son of assistant coach Randy Weatherman. Then there's 189-pounder Dillon Weatherman, a nephew of Jeff and Randy. Did you get all that? "We all grew up together," Tanner said. "We always wanted to be state champ. It has all fallen into place."Ballard went 34-8 in its matches Saturday, whipping La Porte City Union in the first round, 67-9, and Davenport Assumption in the semifinals, 56-12. Assumption beat Clear Lake for third place, 33-22. Independence was a first-round loser to Assumption, 41-23. Denver-Tripoli knocked off Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove in the first round, 51-15.