Lembeck welcomes all challenges

The adage states to be the best, you have to beat the best.

Cedar Rapids Xavier's Clint Lembeck wanted to face the best to prepare for the best. The attitude will come in handy when he opens the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 3A state wrestling tournament today at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Action begins at 9 a.m.

Third-ranked Lembeck wrestles Bettendorf's second-ranked Paul Glynn in the opening round of 132-pound bracket. The pairing is one of the marquee matches of the first day.

Lembeck has wrestled quality opponents, including a move to face Lisbon's two-time state champion Carter Happel, who is the top-ranked 138-pounder in 1A. He embraces the challenges of tough competition, benefiting from them in the future.

'Losses and records early in the season don't mean a whole lot,” Lembeck said. 'If I get those big matches in and can be more prepared for the harder matches at state.

'Basically, that's the point of not running away and doing what I can do.”

Xavier Coach Ryan Chambers praised Lembeck for his daily work ethic. The effort fuels his need to test his ability against top wrestlers.

'He's not afraid to compete against anybody,” Chambers said. 'He loves wrestling the best.”

Lembeck (40-2) has not previously faced Glynn (44-5). He has a nothing-to-lose approach, noting that Glynn and top-ranked Henry Pohlmeyer have more pressure being in their last meet as seniors.

'There have been some crazy ups and downs with the rankings,” Lembeck said. 'I'm not paying attention to that at all. Ultimately, I just go out and wrestle the best I can and not hold anything back,”

Lembeck, a junior, is making his third trip to the state tournament, reaching the podium last year. He is more confident from his prior state experiences. He has higher expectations, and is set to improve last year's fourth-place finish.

'I think it pushes him,” Chambers said. 'Fourth is not what he wrestled or settled for. He's going back hungrier this year.”

Chambers said Lembeck has the ability to contend for a title. He can catch foes off-guard, scoring in a variety of ways and using strong hips.

'He's real mat savvy,” Chambers said. 'He knows where he's at from the tips of his toes to the ends of his finger tips, as far as leverage and positioning. It really sets him apart.”

Lembeck will be the only judge of a good performance.

'First place is always the goal,” Lembeck said. 'If I think I wrestled my best and put in some good matches, no matter what happens, I'd be fine.”

FIRST TIME'S A CHARM

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Dennis Hynek started planting the seeds last spring. He couldn't have predicted how junior Dalles Jacobus blossomed in his first year wrestling for the Cougars.

'It's one of those deals where you have a heck of an athlete at Kennedy,” Hynek said. 'We talked to him. We pushed him to think about coming out and he did.”

Jacobus was a member of the Cougars' state tournament baseball team, was a state placewinner as thrower in track and started for the football team in the fall. Despite less than two full seasons of junior high wrestling, Jacobus (25-6) earned a berth to the state meet, taking on Western Dubuque's seventh-ranked Dylan Hoefler (38-8) in the first round of the 220-pound bracket in Class 3A. Jacobus has an aggressive style.

'He's a big strong kid,” Hynek said. 'He is fun to watch when he gets after it.

'We knew after the first week of practice we had someone who could do damage. He has had fun.”

UNBEATEN BROTHERS

Highland twin brothers Drew and Bryce West enter the Class 1A state tournament with a combined 90-0 record.

Last season as freshmen, Drew West captured the 106-pound state title, while Bryce West was third at 113, falling to eventual state champion Josh Portillo, of Clarion-Goldfield.

Drew West (44-0) is top-ranked at 113 and takes on Don Bosco's Jeremy Schmitz (28-11). Second-ranked Bryce West (46-0) is the highest rated 120-pounder in the field, opening with Nodaway Valley's Ben Freese (35-8).

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