Iowa dominated Columbia with some notable happenings on the periphery of competition. The Lions rebounded against UNI. Upper Iowa opened GLVC action successfully and Luther swept two duals at UW-Stevens Point in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.
Action from the Mount Vernon Invitational high school wrestling Dec.9, 2023
There have been holiday races, backyard football games and living room scraps. Mikey Ryan honed his competitive edge at home as the youngest of nine athletically gifted siblings. The returning state medalist claimed the 150-pound title at the Mount Vernon Invitational on Saturday. The Mustangs won the team title.
Jackson Hird learned a cowcatcher move in middle school. He relies on it when he needs a big maneuver. It came in handy for a pin in Mount Vernon’s 43-26 Wamac Conference dual victory over Clear Creek Amana.
This week’s episode of the Pinning Combination podcast starts out west, where Iowa State won the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Then we move east to break down Iowa’s win over Penn. Hall of fame coach Dick Briggs shares his thoughts on the NIL era before moving into the high school segment, where we look back at last week’s big tournaments.
For the first time, states had the opportunity to choose the number of weight classes for competition. Iowa remained with 14 weights that include new division in the middle to upper weights.
In track and field, Kylie Shoop qualified for the state meet for North Linn. And, on the wrestling mat, she punched her ticket to the inaugural Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s state tournament with West Delaware.
Williamsburg High School hosted the Williamsburg girls’ wrestling invitational at Williamsburg High School in Williamsburg, Iowa on Dec. 4, 2023.
Iowa State claimed its first Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational team title since 1996, receiving a title from heavyweight Yonger Bastida. UNI’s Parker Keckeisen won the 184 title there. Iowa dropped Penn and the Dan Gable Donnybrook highlight high school meets. This is the Wrestling Weekend That Was.
Each of his first two seasons, Alburnett’s Preston Klostermannwas forced to settle for second the opening weekend of the season. Not this time. Klostermann tallied four pins in the two-day competition, including a third-period fall over Clear Creek Amana’s Ryker Jones, to claim the 144-pound title Saturday at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational.
Naomi and Anastasia Simon are sisters. They attend Decorah High School together. They share a bedroom together. And, on Friday night, they were wrestling in the finals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook wrestling tournament together.
Independence hosted the 2023 Cliff Keen Independence Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday at Independence High School.
Linn-Mar’s Grant Kress has dedicated his time to wrestling, working on his own skills and improving by helping with the program’s youth club. The Lions’ second-ranked 157-pounder opened the season with a pin, but No. 13 Dubuque Hempstead topped No. 5 Linn-Mar, 37-36, on tiebreak criteria.
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