Assumption tops West Delaware for Bobcat title

VAN HORNE - The tournament was bigger. The field was tougher and this time Davenport Assumption was better.

A month ago, second-ranked West Delaware edged Assumption for a tournament title, but had to settle for a distant runner-up finish at the Bobcat Jerry Eckenrod Invitational on Saturday at Benton Community High School.

West Delaware crowned four champions with 12 that placed in the top seven, and scored 241 points, 20 behind the winning Knights, in the tough field, consisting of more than 40 ranked wrestlers from all classes and six ranked teams in 1A and 2A.

Patrick Woods (106), top-ranked 195-pounder Adam Reth and heavyweight Dean Broghammer earned first-period falls in the finals.

Woods pinned his way through the tournament, decking Union's Trevor McLaughlin in 39 seconds for the title. Reth pinned Benton's Isaac Hopkins in 55 seconds to remain unbeaten. West Delaware's Jacyn Goebel notched three pins before beating Centerville's Riley Denny, 8-0, in the 182 finals, and Jake Voss was second at 152.

Assumption advanced sixth to the finals with five champions, including University of Iowa recruit Topher Carton at 132.

Union Community's Max Thomsen impressed many at the tournament. Thomsen, a freshman ranked fifth in 2A, claimed the 113-pound title, pinning Centerville's 2A top-ranked Tanner Cowan in 5:30.

“I've been putting in a lot of work in practice,” Thomsen said. “I have a lot of good partners and (Union Coach Pat) Hogan pushes real hard.”

Thomsen reached the finals with a dominant 13-1 win over West Delaware state finalist and third-ranked Zach Less. He built an 11-0 lead before allowing one escape.

“This is the perfect tournament to see where he's at,” Hogan said. “That Less kid is no slouch and Max beat him pretty well. The Centerville kid is tough too.”

North-Linn's Brendan Schott proved rankings are only worth the paper on which they are printed.

Schott beat a pair of higher rated foes, winning the 170-pound title. Schott, ranked sixth in 1A, topped No. 2 Brett Roberts of Eddyville-Blakesburg, 4-2, in overtime. He advanced to the finals with a 6-5 victory over Independence's 2A top-ranked Nick Fuller.

“I couldn't give up an opportunity to beat the best,” Schott said after his semifinal victory. “I had to get it done.”

Schott has at least 11 pins, including one in 10 seconds, and hasn't been tested much this season. He improved to 26-0 with goals of a state title.

“I tried to work hard in the off-season,” Schott said. “I'm trying to have fun with it, so it's working out good.”

North-Linn's Logan Mulnix, a state champion and two-time finalist won at 138, beating Union's Logan Thomsen, 12-6, for the championship.

Williamsburg had two champions in 145-pounder J.C. Vercande and Corbin Blythe at 220.

Cedar Rapids Washington had two finalists in Jordin Eicher at 126 and heavyweight Tyler Burrell. Eicher, who dropped down from 132, scored a 5-4 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg's third-ranked Jason Crosby in the semifinals.

[gallery columns="2"]