Local youths compete in state mat events

Young wrestlers from Creston and Lenox recently performed among the best in the state at a statewide tournament in Waterloo.

The Express Wrestling Club of Creston placed 16th and Tiger Cats of Lenox finished 17th among 260 teams represented at the Iowa Super Pee Wee State Tournament held March 5-6 at Young Arena. The annual event is hosted by Waverly Wrestling Club and draws more than 1,000 competitors each year in age divisions of pre-kindergarten through second grade.

Several competitors from Creston, Lenox and Afton in older age groups also competed one week earlier at the State AAU Wrestling Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. That tournament is for youngsters in third-eighth grades and qualifiers are determined at district meets held at various locations around the state.

At the Super Pee Wee tourney, the Express Club had championships earned by Heston Harris (first grade 61 pounds) and Brooks Malmanger (kindergarten 38 pounds). Taking second from the region were Elias Buck (kindergarten 44 pounds), Emmett Samo of Lenox (kindergarten 70 pounds) and Jackson Samo of Lenox (second grade 64 pounds).

Brayden Graham of Lenox was third place (kindergarten 61 pounds). Placing fifth was Tyler Owen of Lenox (second grade 87 pounds). Graeson England of Lenox was sixth place (first grade 80 pounds). Harris Samo of Express (second grade 66 pounds) placed seventh. Drew Buck of Express Club took eighth place (kindergarten 52 pounds).

Express Club participants at Super Pee Wee also included Rex Downing, Chandler Malmanger, Easton Sharp, Calvin Hudson, Cooper Kramer and Carter Buck.

Hank Shinn, Brock Studer and Dylan Wallace wrestled at state AAU from Express Club. The club had 107 total participants this season. Willie Harris and Matt Buck, both former Creston wrestlers, are coaches of the Express Club and said it was a valuable experience for the group at both tournaments.

“We really tried to sell it to the kids that there were other tournaments outside of the local stuff that they could get to for more competition,” Harris said.

Buck said only two club members went to Super Pee Wee state last year. Heston Harris took fifth place and Eli Buck competed but did not medal in the top eight. The success was much deeper this year.

“We had also wrestled this year at the Rookie Ruckus Tournament at Mid-America in Council Bluffs,” Harris said, “so the kids had been to a big venue before. When they got to Super Pee Wee state they realized you just have to wrestle one kid at a time, even though you look around and see so many people in a large arena.”

Creston head wrestling coach Cody Downing has often said the foundation of the high school program’s success has been the long tradition of the Express Club. Some of this year’s parents and coaches participated in the early days under coaches Mark Loudon and Dennis Leith.

“Our biggest thing is, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose right now,” Buck said. “We’re not going to get too high on the wins or too low on the losses. We’ll start worrying about that in high school. Just learning how to compete is a big thing.”East Union’s Charlie Dike place first in fifth-sixth girls division at 94 pounds and Joe Hayes placed third in fifth-sixth grade boys division at the State AAU Wrestling Tournament Feb. 26-27 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. They are shown with coaches Jake Hayes and Ben Clear. Other East Union state qualifiers were Axel Neisemier, Caden Clear, Silas Hayes, Talon Smith, Ace Neisemier, Max Dukes, Nolan Gannon and Quynn Foster.Other participants from Lenox were Carver Horton, Trey Larsen and Crew Larsen. Every member of the Lenox Mat Cats who participated in the tournament won at least one match to contribute to the team’s point total. Jackson Samo also qualified for AAU State in the third-fourth grade division as a second grader. The team was coached by Wade Samo.

Mat Cats participants at AAU State besides Jackson Samo were Cal Crill (state champion), Wylie Brokaw (seventh place), Bruce Parrish, Cooper Horton, Mack Parrish, Chase O’Reilly and Landen Lilly.

At AAU State from East Union, Charlie Dike took first place at 94 pounds in fifth-sixth grade girls division and Joe Hayes was third place at 103 pounds in boys fifth-sixth grade.

Coaches were Jake Hayes and Ben Clear. Other East Union participants in the state tournament were Axel Neisemier, Caden Clear, Joe Hayes, Silas Hayes, Talon Smith, Ace Neisemier, Max Dukes, Nolan Gannon and Quynn Foster.