Cadet wrestlers place second at Sectionals, eight advance to districts

DECORAH - Saturday was a sensational day for the Crestwood wrestling team. 

Competing at the Class 2A Section 10 Tournament at Luther College, the Cadets nabbed second in the team standings with 245.5 points and advanced eight individuals to the District Tournament, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10 at noon at Independence.

By taking second at sectionals, Crestwood earned a berth in the Class 2A Region Team Dual Tournament, which was held Tuesday, Feb. 6 at West Delaware High School in Manchester. The No. 21 Cadets faced No. 16 Dubuque Wahlert in one dual while No. 3 West Delaware wrestled No. 32 Union in the other dual. The Cadet results from the Region Team Dual Tournament will be in the Feb. 14 issue of the Times Plain Dealer.

Competing at the Sectional Tournament on Feb. 3, Crestwood crowned five district champions and had three second place finishers. The top two individuals at sectionals qualify for districts. Cadets who took first included: Kaden Anderlik (120), Ryan Steffen (145), Colter Bye (160), Judd Grover (182) and Jacob Knutson (285). Second place finishers included: Nathaniel Bigalk (106), Chris Guest (152), and Stone Peckham (220). 

Third place finishers for the Cadets included: Matthew Slifka (113), Hunter Fousek (126), Hunter Bye (132), Carlos Beascochea (138), Ross Niewoehner (170) and Jared Knutson (195).

Crestwood Head Coach Keith Slifka was thrilled with the way the Cadets wrestled at the sectional tourney.

“I don’t know the last time we had 14 kids who finished in the top three at sectionals, so I was ecstatic and proud to see that,” Slifka said. “We’re pleased to have eight kids qualifying for districts, and we’re happy to have our team qualify for team regionals (on Feb. 6). 

“One of the most exciting matches for us at sectionals was seeing Judd Grover pin Jordan Bries of West Delaware in the finals at 182. We knew Judd had a chance to make it through (to districts), but that was a nice win in the finals.

“Overall, our kids felt comfortable wrestling at Luther College. We compete at summer camps at Luther, so it is kind of a home away from home for us. As a team, I think we are right where we need to be right now. At sectionals, we exceeded every one of our seeds. 

“As a coach, I can’t be any happier with the way we wrestled (at sectionals). From top to bottom, I’m really proud of all of our kids. It’s rare to go to any tournament and place everyone in the top three. At sectionals, we put together probably the best team we’ve had all season,” Slifka said.

 

Team standings: 1. West Delaware 250; 2. Crestwood 245.5; 3. Decorah 170; 3. North Fayette Valley 108; 5. Oelwein 102; 6. Waukon 82.5.

Cadet results

106: Nathaniel Bigalk 2nd 

Quarterfinal - Nathaniel Bigalk (CW)  received a bye; Semifinal - Bigalk (CW) won by dec over Marcus Gibbs (Wauk)  (10-3); 1st Place - Luke Farmer (WD) won by maj dec over Bigalk (CW) (11-0); 2nd Place - Bigalk (CW) won by rule over Gibbs (Wauk).

113: Matthew Slifka 3rd

Quarter - Matthew Slifka (CW) received a bye; Semi - Evan Woods (WD) won by maj dec over Slifka (CW) (14-2);  3rd Place - Slifka (CW) won by fall over Carsen Jeanes (Oel) (Fall 1:00); 2nd Place - Evan Woods (WD) won by rule over Slifka (CW).

120: Kaden Anderlik 1st

Quarter - Kaden Anderlik (CW) received a bye; Semi - Anderlik (CW) received a bye; 1st Place - Anderlik (CW) won by fall over Reily Dolan (WD) (1:13).

126: Hunter Fousek 3rd

Quarter - Hunter Fousek (CW) received a bye; Semi - Alex Maury (WD) won by dec over Fousek (CW) (5-0); 3rd Place - Fousek (CW) won by fall over Blake Smith (Oel) (1:32); 2nd Place - Alex Maury (WD) won by rule over Fousek (CW).

132: Hunter Bye 3rd

Quarter - Hunter Bye (CW) won by fall over Lance Egan (Wauk) (5:34); Semi - Jackson Rolfs (D) won by major dec over Bye (CW) (13-0); 3rd Place - Bye (CW) won in overtime over Wyatt Thompson (WD) (OT 11-9); 2nd Place - Jackson Rolfs (D) won by rule over Bye (CW).

138: Carlos Beascochea 3rd

Quarter - Carlos Beascochea (CW) won by dec over Brendan Lovstuen (D) (9-6);  Semi - Cole Engel (WD) won by maj dec over Carlos Beascochea (CW) (13-4); 3rd Place - Beascochea (CW) won by dec over Joel Grimes (NFV) (10-4); 2nd Place - Engel (WD) won by rule over Carlos Beascochea (CW).

145: Ryan Steffen 1st

Quarter - Ryan Steffen (CW) received a bye; Semi - Steffen (CW) won by fall over Jesse Daughton (NFV) (0:47); 1st Place - Steffen (CW) won by dec over Cael Meyer (WD) (11-4).

152: Chris Guest 2nd

Quarter - Chris Guest (CW) received a bye; Semi - Guest (CW) won by dec over Weston Fantz (NFV) (13-6); 1st Place - Mitchel Mangold (WD) won by dec over Chris Guest (CW) (6-4); 2nd Place - Guest (CW) won by rule over Weston Fantz (NFV).

160: Colter Bye 1st

Quarter - Colter Bye (CW) received a bye; Semi - Bye (CW) won by tech fall over Kale Rodgers (NFV) 5:00 (16-0); 1st Place - Colter Bye (CW) won by dec over Bryan Graves (Oel) (6-3).

170: Ross Niewoehner 3rd 

Quarter - Ross Niewoehner (CW) won by fall over Ernane Da Silva (Oel) (2:35); Semi - Tristan Hansmeier (Wauk)  won by tech fall over Niewoehner (CW) 5:13 (18-2); 3rd Place - Niewoehner (CW) won by fall over Dawson Palmer (D) (3:24);  2nd Place -  Hansmeier (Wauk) won by rule over Niewoehner (CW).

182: Judd Grover 1st 

Quarter - Judd Grover (CW) received a bye; Semi - Grover (CW) won by dec over Andy Murphy (D) (3-2); 1st Place - Grover (CW) won by fall over Jordan Bries (WD) (5:40).

195: Jared Knutson 3rd

Quarter - Jared Knutson (CW) won by fall over Jerad Stewart (Oel) (1:56);  Semi - Harrison Goebel (WD) won by fall over Knutson (CW) (0:45); 3rd Place - Knutson (CW) won by dec over Landon Berns (Wauk) (9-2); 2nd Place - Andy Lillegraven (D) won by fall over Knutson (CW) (3:17).

220: Stone Peckham 2nd

Quarter - Stone Peckham (CW) received a bye; Semi - Peckham (CW) won by fall over Ben Ridenour (WD) (3:24); 1st Place - Jordan Baumler (NFV) won by major dec over Peckham (CW) (11-3); 2nd Place - Peckham (CW) won by rule over Ben Ridenour (WD).

285: Jacob Knutson 1st

Quarter - Jacob Knutson (CW) received a bye; Semi - Knutson (CW) won by fall over Riley McKeeman (Oel) (0:50);  1st Place - Knutson (CW) won by fall over Carson Petlon (WD) (1:43).