MARION — With a first-year coach and just three returners in the lineup, a culture shift is occurring within the Cedar Rapids Washington wrestling team.
It is off to a winning start.
“I think they’re all buying into it,” Washington Coach J.P. Graham said after the Warriors defeated Marion, 37-31, in a non-conference dual meet Tuesday night at Marion High School. “Trying to keep things positive and constantly trying to get better every day. … We can actually see our growth every day. We’re taking big steps.”
Graham — the longtime boys’ soccer coach at Washington — was tabbed to lead the wrestlers after a 2017-18 season in which the Warriors were winless in 13 duals. Against the Indians, Washington (1-0) won eight matches, which included pins by 132-pound sophomore Joe Foreman, junior Tyler Hansen at 195 and sophomore Luke Waller (220).
The Waller pin gave Washington the lead for good at 28-25.
“Just a lot of fight,” Graham said. “Guys battling. We had to move some guys around in the lineup to try to fill it up. … We did our best tonight.”
Washington junior Aden Abram helped the Warriors leap out to a 13-0 lead with a pivotal 4-1 decision at 126 over Gaven Hiler of Marion, who was one match short of reaching the state tournament last season.
Abram had not faced Hiler since losing a match in middle school that cost him a berth at the AAU state tournament.
“I’ve always wanted that match to happen,” Abram said. “I just knew that I had to get my takedowns and stay neutral with him and make sure I wasn’t getting into any scrambles.”
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After Marion scored 13 unanswered points and tied the dual, Washington senior Hashim Herz overpowered Ben Gibson of Marion in a 160-pound tussle that ended in a 6-5 decision and a 16-13 Warriors’ advantage.
“I just had to battle through it,” Herz said. “I was getting tired there in the late rounds. … I just had to keep going. The win feels good. I knew how a loss would feel on the bench.”
Carter Scott (152), Abraham Duval (170) and Nate Miller (182) recorded pins for Marion (0-1).
Prep wrestling
AT MARION
Cedar Rapids Washington 37, Marion 31
120 — Dakota Herber (CRW) maj. dec. Rafe Boucher (Marion), 12-3.
126 — Aden Abram (CRW) dec. Gaven Hiler (Marion), 4-1.
132 — Joe Foreman (CRW) pinned Ashton Berbich (Marion), 0:38.
138 — Braden Garringer (Marion) maj. dec. Lukas Engledow (CRW), 10-1.
145 — Austin Fritz (Marion) dec. Perry Lindeman (CRW), 5-2.
152 — Carter Scott (Marion) pinned Jason Techau (CRW), 3:12.
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160 — Hashim Herz (CRW) dec. Ben Gibson (Marion), 6-5.
170 — Abraham Duval (Marion) pinned Romen Young (CRW), 1:47.
182 — Nate Miller (Marion) pinned Michael Holderness (CRW), 0:18.
195 — Tyler Hansen (CRW) pinned Aaron Rose (Marion), 3:31.
220 — Luke Waller (CRW) pinned Ayden Baker (Marion), 3:24.
285 — Tavius Sykora-Matthess (CRW) dec. Logan Hangartner (Marion), 6-0.
106 — Jack Bierbaum (CRW) wins by forfeit.
113 — Niyo Gady (Marion) wins by forfeit.
l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com