TRURO — A total of 16 teams competed in the Rich Gray Invitational Saturday, with Woodward-Granger placing fifth with 149 teams points.
Van Meter/Earlham was 187 points to win the event, narrowly topping host Interstate-35, who finished with 185.5 points. Des Moines East was third at 168 and Class 1A No. 9 Central Springs fourth at 165.5.
Defending state champion and top-ranked Cody Fisher (220 pounds) was the lone weight class champion for the Hawks. Fisher was 3-0 with a trio of pins to improve to 36-0 overall. He stands at 184-10 for his career.
Three Hawks finished second, with all losing to ranked wrestlers in the finals.
Cale Pritchett (30-4) was 2-1 with two pins at 170. He lost a major decision to seventh-rated Caleb Swalla of VM/E to finish as runner-up.
Also second was Kade Polich (26-10) at 182. He was 3-1 with two pins and a 5-2 decision before losing by fall in the finals to top-ranked Sage Walker of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.
W-G 106-pounder Peyton Nixon (28-5) was a runner-up as well. Nixon was 2-1 with a pin and a 9-4 decision before losing by fall to No. 5 Carter Anderson of Albia.
Tyler Lawrenson (15-3 at 285) was one of three Hawks to finish fourth. Lawrenson followed an opening bye with a win by pin, then dropped a tough 3-1 decision to third-ranked (1A) Ryley Snell of host I-35. Lawrenson was forced to give a medical forfeit to Central Springs grappler Dalton DeWitt.
Matthew White (24-13 at 132) and Dustin Harney (27-11 at 152) were both 2-2, with each placing fourth at their respective weights.
Also earning a podium spot was 195-pounder Devan Brown (20-20), who was 2-2 at the event.
The remaining six Hawks were all unable to collect wins in either of the two matches each competed in. Hitting the mats were Joel Harney (16-22 at 113), Corbyn Atwell (9-21 at 120), Tjaden Smeltzer (13-24 at 126), Jayden Flugge-Smith (11-26 at 138), Jayden Dorenkamp (6-17 at 145) and Kolby Fogarty (0-2 at 160).
W-G will join Iowa Falls-Alden for a triangular at North Polk Tuesday and will visit Carlisle with Creston/Orient-Macksburg for a triangular Thursday. The Hawks will then compete at the traditionally tough Charger Invite at AC/GC Saturday.
