Prairie's Witte excited to face Dream Team

Cedar Rapids Prairie's Zach Witte doesn't have anything to prove in wrestling.

He is a three-time state finalist and two-time state champion, finishing his his title runs unbeaten. Witte will continue his wrestling career at the University of Northern Iowa and Panthers head coach Doug Schwab.

Witte jumped at the opportunity to test himself against the nation's best Friday night in the Cliff Keen Athletic and Wrestling USA Dream Team Classic, pitting some of Iowa's best seniors against a national elite team. The dual begins at 7 at Iowa City West High School.

"I feel fortunate," Witte said about being a part of the all-star meet. "This is big. It's going to be fun wrestling someone who is supposedly better than you. It will be fun to show who I am."

Witte, who won 129 matches for the Hawks, will take on top-ranked Brian Realbuto of Somers, N.Y., at 152 pounds. Witte wrestled in a preseason national meet before his sophomore season at Prairie, but this will be his first high-quality opponent from another state.

"I'm just going to go out there and wrestle how I normally wrestle. Whatever happens happens," Witte said. "I feel like I'm ready to go. It should be a good dual all around."

Witte has been training with other coaches and wrestlers since his prep season ended in February. He said he is excited to participate and doesn't feel much pressure. Witte will do his best to represent Iowa well.

"There's going to be a lot of people watching. Ninety percent are going to be from Iowa," Witte said. "You don't want to go out there and lay an egg, that's for sure."

University of Iowa fans will get a preview of some of their incoming talent, including Southeast Polk four-time state champion Cory Clark and Nate Skonieczny, of Walsh Jesuit, Ohio.

Clark faces Jimmy Gulibon, of Derry, Pa., will wrestle at 126. Gulibon is ranked No. 1 nationally while Clark is third. Skonieczny will wrestle North-Linn two-time state champion and three-time Class 1A state finalist Logan Mulnix at 138.

The host school will be well represented. The Trojans will have two wrestlers competing. West's Phillip Laux and Justin Koethe fill the lineup at 113 and 160. West also hosted the all-star dual in 2008.

Tickets are $10 apiece and are available at the door.

For more information, visit The Predicament

DREAM TEAM CLASSIC LINEUP

(Includes national ranking)

113  pounds - #3 Phillip Laux (Iowa City West) vs. #6 Gunnar Woodburn (Claremore, Okla.)

120 - #5 Dylan Peters (Denver-Tripoli) vs. #1 George DiCamillo (St. Ignatius, Ohio)

126 - #3 Cory Clark (Southeast Polk) vs. #1 Jimmy Gulibon (Derry, Pa.)

132 - Kyle Larson (West Des Moines Valley) vs. #3 Mark Grey (Blair Academy, NJ)

138 - Logan Mulnix (North-Linn) vs. #2 Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio)

145 - #2 Gabriel Moreno (Urbandale) vs. #1 Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Ind.)

152 - #6 Zach Witte (C.R. Prairie) vs. #1 Brian Realbuto (Somers, NY)

160 - #12 Justin Koethe (Iowa City West) vs. #2 Zac Brunson (Winston Churhill, Ore.)

170 - #6 Alex Meyer (Southeast Polk) vs. #7 Zach Nevills (Clovis, Calif.)

182 - #11 Jared Bartel (Mason City) vs #1 Jordan Rogers (Mead, Wash.)

195 - Tarin Phillips (West Des Moines Valley) vs. #1 Devin Peterson (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.)

220 - #1 Willie Miklus (Southeast Polk) vs. #2 (at 285) Michael Kroells (Scott West, Minn.)

285 - Collin Bevins (Creston-OM) vs. #4 Austin Goergen (Caledonia, Minn.)

USA Dream Team Coaches: Brad Smith (Iowa City High) and Bruce Bittenbender (Stevensville-Lakeshore H.S., Mich.)