They wait their turn at Prairie, then make the most of it

CEDAR RAPIDS - In today's world of instant gratification, so many kids quit whatever sport they're involved in if they don't get to play right away. Just the way it is.But not at Cedar Rapids Prairie when it comes to wrestling. The varsity team is chock full of guys who had to wait to crack the lineup.It makes seasons like this one and wins like Wednesday's extra sweet and satisfying."I bet half the team was JV within the past year or two," said Prairie's Jonah Manson, after his team's 55-17 Class 4A regional dual romp past Mason City. "Half our team at least has really stepped up to the plate to (match) what we had last year. Other teams said we were going to have a rebuilding year this year, but I think we've easily met expectations, if not exceeded them."The beat goes on, and it's because of guys like Manson. It's his first season with the big Hawks after two years with the little ones.The 220-pound junior started the dual with an 8-5 decision of Christian O'Banion. Many of his former JV teammates piled it on from there, as Prairie (16-2) earned its eighth state dual tournament berth in 11 years under head coach Blake Williams."It's a long list. There are so many of them, most of them, who have spent at least a year or two years at that JV level," Williams said. "Not everybody can step in as a freshman and wrestle in a good program. You bide your time and just keep getting better and better. When your time comes, you're ready for it.""Very frustrating to wait, but I knew I wasn't ready," Manson said. "I was in the room every day just waiting for the moment to be on the mat with their best guys."The Hawks won 10 matches, receiving pins from Marcus England (106 pounds), Dylan Kleinschmidt (113), Sam Uthoff (120), Trey Blaha (152), Skyler St. John (160), Jarod Cadena (182) and Jesse Hynek (195). It was St. John's that was the most dramatic.The third-ranked senior trailed No. 4 Andy Bartel late, 3-2, but countered a Bartel shot and recountered Bartel's counter, catching him on his back for the fall with 18.9 seconds to go."It all happened so fast. Got lucky at the end," St. John said. "I was pretty disappointed in that match. I wrestled to his style, didn't open up and wrestle my style."Bartel had a second-period takedown off a double leg and took the lead with an escape to begin the third."He was wrestling a good kid, no doubt," Williams said. "But he let the other guy dictate those first two periods. He wasn't where he needs to be. Once he got into a little motion and scramble, that's where he's best. He knows that, he knows he didn't wrestle the way he is supposed to. The result was fine, but there's more to it than the result."The end result was good for the fourth-seeded Hawks, who will oppose fifth-seeded Linn-Mar at 9 a.m. Wednesday in a 4A first-round state dual in Des Moines."We do get a little (attrition), but we hope that's not the case because they get to see what they can be a part of," Williams said. "They can be a part of something special."Here is the dual boxscore:

Cedar Rapids Prairie 55, Mason City 17

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

220 pounds - Jonah Manson (CRP) dec. Christian O'Banion, 8-5 (3,2);

285 - Tom Schiffer (MC) pinned Corey Meyer, :50 (1,0);

106 - Marcus England (CRP) pinned Cayden Koerber, :57 (1,0);

113 - Dylan Kleinschmidt (CRP) pinned John Kraft, 2:38 (1,0);

120 - Sam Uthoff (CRP) pinned Quinn Slaven, 1:29 (1,0);

126 - Kaz Onoo (MC) technical fall over Zack Fiser, 15-0 (1,0);

132 - Mac Spotts (MC) dec. Seth Wennermark, 8-2;

138 - Josh Wenger (CRP) won by forfeit;

145 - Jacob Carlson (MC) dec. Taylor Mehmen, 9-3 (4,0);

152 - Trey Blaha (CRP) pinned Isaac Bartel, :55 (1,0);

160 - Skyler St. John (CRP) pinned Andy Bartel, 5:41 (1,1);

171 - Nick Hogan (CRP) dec. Billy O'Neill, 9-0 (2,0);

182 - Jacob Cadena (CRP) pinned Hunter Miller, 1:40 (1,0);

195 - Jesse Hynek (CRP) pinned Blake DeVary, :53 (1,0).

Dual Statistics

Takedowns - Mason City 12, Prairie 12.

Escapes - Mason City 3, Prairie 9.

Reversals - Mason City 2, Prairie 1.

Nearfall Points - Mason City 9, Prairie 8.

Penalty Points - Mason City 1, Prairie 0.