Boys wrestling notes: Battle of Waterloo serves as tough early-season test

The old adage states that to be the best you have to beat the best.

Wrestling programs will get a crack at, and see how they stack up against, some of the state’s top dual teams this weekend.

The Battle of Waterloo has been the marquee regular-season dual event, consisting of 24 girls teams and 32 boys teams in a three-day event at Young Arena. Girls teams will compete Thursday, while the boys tournament will be held Friday and Saturday.

“It is always a tournament we look forward to every season,” Linn-Mar co-head coach Beau Westpfahl said. “ It's always a good early-season test to see where we are as a team and how we stack up against many of the best teams in the state. We will get several big individual matchups throughout the tournament, but we love the opportunities for different guys throughout our line-up to step up and make their impact. It is great for the team.”

The tournament started in 2010. The first day is four eight-team bracket competition. The final day is comprised of eight placing pools based on bracket finish. Saturday’s championship pool will consist of Friday’s four bracket winners.

The field is comprised of 21 ranked dual teams, including 10 in Class 3A and eight in 2A.

"We get excited for this each year," Alburnett Coach Clayton Rush said. "We find out where we fit in, not only from a 2A standpoint, but in the state."

Linn-Mar’s schedule is loaded the first half of the season. They wrestled in the Dan Gable Donnybrook the opening weekend and wrestle in their second multi-day event after the 3A No. 14 Lions host No. 13 Iowa City West for a Mississippi Valley Conference dual Thursday night.

“We love it,” Westpfahl said. “These early-season tests give our team the opportunity to be battle-tested early on. It's important to expose the areas we need to work on at both an individual and team level.

“We compete in conference duals on the Thursdays before these two-day events giving the guys an opportunity to establish their routines for preparation and how to manage weight to compete at their highest potential with the multiple-day weigh-ins. That experience is critical in February. Over everything at these tournaments, we want to see our guys fighting and competing hard.”

Don Bosco, ranked No. 1 in 1A, 2A No. 1 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, 3A No. 1 Southeast Polk and 3A No. 3 Indianola are the top seeds. Independence is the No. 2-seed with the Dons. Cedar Rapids Prairie is the third seed with CGD and second-seeded Pleasant Valley in the B Bracket.

Prairie Coach Derick Ball isn’t concerned with the bracket draws.

"Every team at the Battle is tough," Ball said. "We are focused on controlling what we can control and battling every position."

Linn-Mar is the third seed with Indianola and No. 2-seed Davenport Assumption. Alburnett is seeded second with SE Polk and third-seeded Bettendorf. The Pirates competed in the championship pool last season, placing second with the likes of SE Polk, Waverly-Shell Rock and Don Bosco. Three teams – Alburnett and Don Bosco in 1A and SE Polk in 3A – reached the State Duals finals. WSR was fourth in 3A.

"Much like any other weekend, we’ll get exposed in areas we need to improve in, but we’ll also see areas that yep make us successful," Rush said. "As a team, we can learn where we need flexibility to win high level duals."

The team format still produces exciting individual matchups. The field boasts 134 ranked wrestlers from all three classes, including 21 ranked No. 1. The Battle of Waterloo promises competitive duals that come down to the final bout and individual matchups that could occur again at the state meet.

"The challenge is always about rising to the level of your competition and staying disciplined," said Ball, echoing the importance of three straight days of weigh-ins. "We constantly preach to stay in the moment and stay focused on the present task. Control what you can control. Bring the fight every match and have a strong finish to the first half of the season."

INDEPENDENCE AUDIBLES FOR WIN AT NASHUA-PLAINFIELD

Independence was originally supposed to wrestle at the South Tama Duals on Saturday. Coaches were notified the tournament was canceled Friday, sending wheels in motion to find another competition. The Mustangs were welcomed to the Nashua-Plainfield tournament. They weren’t friendly guests, winning the team race with 300, 78.5 ahead of the host Huskies.

Independence placed 13 in the finals and all 14 in the top three of their respective weights, receiving titles from Ben Anderson (120), Adam Carey (132), Sawyer and Carver Wieland at 138 and 144, 150-pounder Kam Kremer, Austin Buckman (157), 190-pounder Braylen Bieber and Carter Eddy at 215.

IOWA CITY HIGH TAKES ZIMMERMAN TITLE

Iowa City High claimed the team title Saturday at Maquoketa’s Zimmerman Invitational. Malachi Clement (138) and Kane Willey at 215 won individual titles for the Little Hawks, who scored 265 1/2 points.

City High finished with seven finalists overall, beating runner-up Clinton by 45 points.

THIS AND THAT

Decorah’s Edisen Fullhart (106) and 132-pouder Mason Avila won individual titles to help the Vikings with the South Winneshiek Invite, scoring 244 1/2 points …Clear Creek Amana won the Oelwein Invitational, getting crowns from Cole Kasparek (113), Brody Schrock (165), 175-pounder Nolan Dao, Aidan Schrock at 190 and heavyweight Karl Westerman … Jesup crowned seven champions and won the Springville Invitational with 290 points.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com