Union conquers Battle of Waterloo

WATERLOO - Union Community wrestlers wear shirts that say it's the Knights against the world.

They probably would take it on the way they embrace challenges. So far, they have risen to each one in front of them this season.

Top-ranked 145-pounder Max Thomsen capped their team title Saturday in the Battle of Waterloo at Young Arena, recording his third pin in the final bout of the day to secure the Knights' 39-37 victory over Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Class 2A second-ranked Union conquered a tough field, including the championship pool that included 3A fourth-ranked Prairie, 2A No. 1 Davenport Assumption and No. 4 Independence.

'You want to see how good you can be,” Union state champion Jacob Holschlag said. 'We want to wrestle the best guys to see how we stack up.”

The answer is very favorably. The Knights trailed for only once for 1:01 the entire day.

Prairie received consecutive pins from Dylan Kleinschmidt (120), Sam Uthoff (126), Seth Wennermark (132) and 138-pounder Josh Wenger to take a 37-33 lead with one match left.

Thomsen, a three-time state champion, wasted little time building a 5-0 lead and getting the decisive pin midway through the first period. He welcomes that position.

'If it's going to come down to someone I want it to come down to me, because I know I can control the outcome,” Thomsen said. 'I'd rather have it on my back than anyone else's back.”

Thomsen, Holschlag and his brother, Derek Holschlag, also won all three of their matches by pin. For the Holschlags, a little sibling rivalry comes in to play for bragging rights. Union Coach Pat Hogan said both Holschlags are pinners.

'It has always been a competition,” Jacob Holschlag said. 'It makes us work harder. If you lose, the other one is going to make sure you know.”

The Knights powered their way to victory by pin. Eighty percent of their wins were by fall, tallying six or more in each dual and 19 total against some of the state's best.

Union dropped the Hawks in an 18-0 hole, opening with consecutive pins from Teal Lademann, Trevor McLaughlin and Jacob Holschlag. They emphasize getting as many points as possible for the team and the wrestlers feed off one another, according to Hogan.

'Momentum us huge,” he said. 'You hear it all over this tournament. … That's definitely a big part of it.”

Union (18-0) handled Independence, 49-21, and dumped 44-31. They hounded Hogan in the preseason to schedule the toughest tournaments possible. The goal is to get them battle-tested for the postseason finale.

'This is the battle right here,” Hogan said. 'These are a couple battles. We want to win the war at the end of the year. We have to keep working and getting better. We'll come Monday to practice and work on the stuff we need to.”

Prairie (10-4) suffered its fourth loss to teams ranked fourth or better in their respective classes in the last. Those four duals were decided by a combined 14 points and all came down to the final match.

The Hawks finished third with a win over Independence (39-26) was sandwiched between a 35-34 loss to Davenport Assumption and the two-point Union setback.

'The first one, we had two opportunities to get a major and only won by seven (and six), plus some others,” Williams said. 'That time we couldn't fight off our back enough and gave up too many pins. The kids are aware how important bonus points are.”

Wenger led the way for Prairie with three pins Saturday. Cadena and Marcus England weren't far behind with two falls and a major decision each.

'Marcus is very confident right now in his wrestling,” Williams said. 'He's a full 106-pounder for the first time in his career. He's a big 106-pounder.”

Cadena rebounded from tough Friday when Prairie won its pool to reach the championship bracket.

'He stepped up,” Williams said. 'He did a much better job today and showed some fights and guts in a couple of those matches.”

Assumption went 2-1 to place second and Independence was fourth.

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