ALLEMAN — Top-ranked junior Cody Fisher (220 pounds), fellow junior Tyler Lawrenson (285) and freshman Aidan Honkomp (113) all earned the right to compete for a spot at the state wrestling tournament after competing Saturday in a Class 1A sectional at North Polk.
Sectional winners face runner-up placers in the four-man district brackets. W-G will compete in Adel, where they will draw advancers from the Webster City sectional that also included Perry, Gilbert, Nevada, Roland-Story and West Marshall.
Five Hawks just missed advancing after placing third, leaving head coach Dave Smeltzer somewhat chagrined.
“It did not go as well as we wanted it to today,” he said. “I think our guys went out and wrestled hard, but in some matches we made a few mistakes and in others just didn’t catch any breaks.”
Fisher (38-1) improved to 140-10 in an already-stellar career, and Smeltzer said his star grappler “is truly a man on a mission after being second his first two years.”
“He (Fisher, who will wrestle at Iowa State) does not do anything fancy,” Smeltzer said. “I always describe it as Cody going out and ‘doing what he does’ which is to never get in a bad position and simply control his matches. It isn’t flashy, but it is impressive to watch.”
Fisher pinned Ballard’s Sam Andrews (20-12) in 1 minute, 1 second, then scored a 3-0 win over ADM’s Kaden Sutton (31-5), ranked eighth, in the finals.
Lawrenson (35-6) pinned Rylee Davidson (19-19) of Ballard in 3:43, then dropped a tough 2-0 decision to fourth-ranked Derrin Sesker (35-1) of Van Meter/Earlham. He moved on when Davidson won his consolation match, allowing Lawrenson to advance on a “prior.”
“Tyler is doing really well,” Smeltzer said. “He has six losses, but four have been to Sesker, and all were good matches. He lost to a Pleasantville kid who was ranked at the time and to a good kid from Southeast Valley, so he is having a good year. I am pleased with how he is wrestling and look forward to Saturday.”
Honkomp (28-15) won by decision, lost a 9-3 decision to sixth-rated Zane Dodson (31-6) of VM/E in the finals, but then topped Ballard’s Chris Lee with an 11-1 major decision in a wrestle-back to advance.
“Aidan is peaking at the right time, which is what we want all of our guys to do,” Smeltzer said. “He has winnable matches ahead of him at districts, and if he wrestles smart he can make it to state. The key at districts is to come out on fire and make sure you win that first match and control your destiny.”
Colt Palmer (26-14) was third at 132 after a 2-2 mark with two decisions, with Dustin Harney (23-22) third at 138 with a 1-1 record that included a pin while Joel Harney (17-16) was 1-2 with a pin in placing third at 106. All were turned aside via ‘rule/prior’ when the grapplers they had lost to then lost in the finals, denying a shot at a wrestle-back.
Gabe Yingst (28-12) earned a wrestle back after a pair of pins but was stuck in a brutal bracket. He had been handed a 10-0 major decision loss by No. 8 Caleb Swalla (32-4) of VM/E when Swalla upset top-ranked Skyler Noftsiger (32-1) of Ballard, 5-4, in the finals. That sent an angry Noftsiger against Yingst, with the Bomber prevailing in a 10-1 major decision.
Yingst, who ends his prep career with 126 victories, was joined by Palmer and 120-pounder Dilynn Lewiston (10-15) as the only seniors in action for W-G. Lewiston won a major decision but lost twice to finish fourth.
Kade Polich (19-13) won by fall and decision before losing in the finals at 182 and then losing in a wrestle-back to finish third for the Hawks.
Matthew White (15-16) was 0-2 and finished fourth at 120, with Cale Pritchett (34-9) 0-2 and fourth at 170 pounds. Jon McKeever (10-18) was 0-2 and sixth at 152 while Jayden Dorenkamp (9-24) was 1-1 with a pin for fifth at 145 and Nathaniel Rosen (7-31) 0-2 and sixth at 195.
