Two wrestlers win 4th state titles

DES MOINES - John Meeks and Cory Clark joined an elite group of Iowa high school wrestlers Saturday night when they became four-time state champions.

Meeks, a senior at Des Moines Roosevelt, beat Bettendorf's Connor Ryan 9-6 at 138 pounds in the Class 3A finals to finish 168-0 in his career, making him just the sixth Iowa prep to go unbeaten.

Clark, a senior at Southeast Polk, earned his fourth title with a 6-2 victory over Eric DeVos of Waverly-Shell Rock at 126 in Class 3A. He came within one match of an unbeaten career, finishing 179-1.

Meeks and Clark became the 20th and 21st Iowa wrestlers to win four state titles. Meeks is the first 3A wrestler to go unbeaten since Iowa City High's Jeff McGinness went 172-0 from 1990-93.

Both four-time champions received two standing ovations from the 25th straight sellout crowd at the state finals, the first immediately after the match and the second while they stood on the victory stand with medals draped around their necks.

"It took a lot of discipline," said Meeks, who's uncomfortable in the spotlight. "I owe my coaching staff, my teammates my family, I did it for everybody. I just didn't do it for myself."

Clark had been unbeaten until losing to Jack Hathaway of Iowa City West, a defending state champion, on a last-second takedown on Jan. 21. An Oregon State recruit, Clark avenged that loss with a 3-0 victory in the state meet quarterfinals.

Davenport Assumption's Topher Carton was denied a fourth title when he lost to Denver-Tripoli's Brandon Sorensen 3-1 in the Class 2A finals at 132. Carton won his first two titles in Illinois when he wrestled at Rock Island Alleman, then added another last year at Assumption.

Eddyville-Blakesburg's Megan Black, who assured herself of becoming the first girl to medal at the state tournament with a consolation victory Friday, had to forfeit on Saturday because of a shoulder injury and settled for eighth place at 106 in Class 1A.

Black injured the shoulder in her final consolation match Friday night. In the opening round on Thursday, she became the first girl to win a contested match at state. Casey Herkelman of Cedar Falls was awarded a forfeit victory last year when her first-round opponent refused to wrestle her, citing religious reasons.