Watch or listen to the January 11, 2023 Pinning Combination podcast, talking all things wrestling in Iowa. On this episode: Big wins for Iowa, UNI and Iowa State and a packed weekend of high school tournaments.
Wrestling action resumed at full-throttle this weekend. College teams competed at all levels with conference duals and multi-divisional national duals. High schools held their first Saturday of tournaments since the break. Here is the Wrestling Weekend That Was.
West Delaware’s Will Ward battled back from a considerable deficit with a third-period pin to claim the 195-pound title and help the Hawks to a runner-up finish Saturday at the Bobcat Jerry Eckenrod Invitational at Benton Community.
Photos from the 2023 edition of the Jerry Eckenrod Invitational wrestling tournament at Benton Community.
No. 4 Linn-Mar beat No. 9 Iowa City High in a boys’ wrestling dual at Linn-Mar, 49-21.
Iowa City High’s Kael Kurtz and Linn-Mar’s Brayden Parke added another chapter to a competitive rivalry between the two ranked Class 3A wrestlers. City High’s top-ranked Gabe Arnold edged the Lions’ No. 2 Tate Naaktgeboren in a battle between nationally-ranked seniors. Linn-Mar dominated the rest of the dual for a 49-21 victory.
Watch or listen to the January 4, 2023 episode of the Pinning Combination podcast, talking all things wrestling in Iowa.
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union opened 2023 with a notable announcement. Girls’ regionals and the Iowa City High at Linn-Mar boys’ dual are among the wrestling events to watch in January.
Former Union Community prep Jack Thomsen has enjoyed a successful redshirt season this year at South Dakota State, wrestling unattached and advancing to the finals of the Soldier Salute college wrestling tournament Friday at Xtream Arena.
Former West Delaware prep Wyatt Voelker is redshirting this season as a freshman 197-pounder for the University of Northern Iowa. He already has won three open tournaments this season as an unattached wrestler, and has qualified for the semifinals of the Soldier Salute at Xtream Arena.
West Delaware’s Addison Burger suffered physical and mental adversity in her first 18 months of high school sports. She has overcome those challenges and has thrived as a member of West Delaware’s first girls’ wrestling team.
The response to the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s first sanctioned season of wrestling has been deafening. Participation numbers have rapidly grown in the first half and many are excited about trajectory, even though officials work toward improvements.
Doug Streicher has transformed Linn-Mar into a top wrestling program during his 26-season tenure, becoming the elder statesman of current Mississippi Valley Conference head wrestling coaches. He still finds reward in the progress athletes make on and off the mat.
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