By Ross Shinberg
Regional Sports Editor
In the final tournament action before winter break, West Liberty scored an 11th place finish at last weekend’s two-day event in Fort Madison.
The Comets scored 228.5 team points to stay in the top half of the standings during this 23-school event.
Dubuque Hempstead (382 team points) narrowly defeated Clear Creek-Amana (376.5) for the championship. In third through fifth place were Ottumwa (341), Columbus Community/WMU (328) and Benton Community (319).
Leading the Comets’ charge was Joe Akers who finished fourth in the 190-pound bracket. He alternated wins and losses over his first five matches, and was granted a boon via medical forfeit in the consolation semifinals.
He battled for third place against Troy Kupka of Benton Community but fell in a tough 6-2 decision.
At 115, Ryan Cassady finished odd with a win in his fifth-place against Jose Mendieta of Clear Creek-Amana. The match ended in 57 seconds with a Cassady pin.
Isaac Aragon also finished fifth, in the 126-pound bracket, with a 10-0 major decision victory over Highland Riverside’s Brock Thomann.
The Comets also had a handful of wrestlers compete in the seventh-place match in their respective brackets.
Winners included Tully Griffith (120), Gable Underbakke (150) while Kaden Wiele (157) and Tytan Griffith (175) fell just a bit short.
The Comets will wrestle in a triangular with Muscatine and Louisa Muscatine before taking exactly two weeks off for the holiday break.
On January 4, the Comets will return to action at a quad meet with Monticello, Maquoketa and Beckman Catholic.
Fort Madison Invitational Results
113
Ryan Cassady (15-6) placed 5th and scored 28.0 team points. Round 1 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 won by fall over Justin Moore (Solon) 7-14 (Fall 1:37). Round 2 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 won by decision over Max Anderson (Washington) 1-4 (Dec 4-0). Round 3 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 won by decision over Jacob Nelson (Columbus Community/WMU) 16-4 (Dec 4-0). Quarterfinal - Jose Mendieta (Clear Creek-Amana) 12-11 won by fall over Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 (Fall 3:56). Cons. Round 1 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 won by fall over Dayton Wood (Cardinal Community) 12-13 (Fall 1:19). Cons. Semi - Landon Gottschalk (Dubuque Hempstead) 15-2 won by fall over Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 (Fall 3:34). 5th Place Match - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 15-6 won by fall over Jose Mendieta (Clear Creek-Amana) 12-11 (Fall 0:57).
120
Tully Griffith (11-8) placed 7th and scored 20.5 team points. Round 1 - Cale Nash (Clear Creek-Amana) 21-1 won by fall over Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 (Fall 0:58). Round 2 - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 received a bye () (Bye). Round 3 - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 won by tech fall over Brock Corrigan (Benton Community) 4-4 (TF-1.5 5:00 (18-2)). Round 4 - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 won by fall over Michael Mason (Cardinal Community) 8-7 (Fall 4:00). Round 5 - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 won by fall over Rara Cisneros (Van Buren County) 2-13 (Fall 3:39). Quarterfinal - Kane Forseen (New London) 13-2 won by major decision over Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 (MD 18-4). Cons. Round 2 - Ian Estudillo (Columbus Community/WMU) 6-6 won by major decision over Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 (MD 11-0). 7th Place Match - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 11-8 won by decision over Zander Johnson (Mediapolis) 9-8 (Dec 1-0).
120
Isaac Aragon (16-10) placed 5th and scored 30.0 team points. Round 1 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 won by fall over Malachi Clement (Clear Creek-Amana) 5-16 (Fall 1:36). Round 2 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 won by fall over Buxton Carlson (Burlington) 5-8 (Fall 2:53). Round 3 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 received a bye () (Bye). Round 4 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 won by major decision over Bradly Snook (Cardinal Community) 14-10 (MD 9-1). Round 5 - CJ Davis (Notre Dame, Burlington) 20-1 won by fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 (Fall 1:28). Quarterfinal - Evan Bratten (Dubuque Hempstead) 14-2 won by fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 (Fall 0:40). Cons. Round 2 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 won by medical forfeit over Caden Greiner (Washington) 13-4 (M. For.). Cons. Round 3 - Robert Howes (Keokuk) 13-3 won by fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 (Fall 0:39). 5th Place Match - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 16-10 won by major decision over Brock Thomann (Highland, Riverside) 12-9 (MD 10-0).
150
Gable Underbakke (14-11) placed 7th and scored 23.0 team points. Round 1 - Braylon Griffiths (Ottumwa) 20-0 won by fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 (Fall 1:15). Round 2 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 received a bye () (Bye). Round 3 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 won by fall over Jackson Meek (Van Buren County) 2-7 (Fall 0:47). Round 4 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 won by fall over Anthony Stice (Keokuk) 12-5 (Fall 2:50). Round 5 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 won by fall over Trevor Phillips (Columbus Community/WMU) 9-12 (Fall 2:23). Quarterfinal - Dirk Boyles (Notre Dame, Burlington) 16-3 won by tech fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 (TF-1.5 5:01 (19-3)). Cons. Round 2 - Cael Smithhart (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 14-7 won by fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 (Fall 0:37). 7th Place Match - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 14-11 won by medical forfeit over Mason Johnson (Mediapolis) 12-6 (M. For.).
157
Kaden Wiele (16-3) placed 8th and scored 18.0 team points. Round 1 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 won by fall over Sheaden Adams (Columbus Community/WMU) 5-13 (Fall 1:30). Round 2 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 won by injury default over Maddix Kite (Van Buren County) 3-6 (Inj. 0:00). Round 3 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 won by major decision over Chale Lewis (Muscatine) 15-6 (MD 10-1). Quarterfinal - Louden Bloxham (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 15-4 won by medical forfeit over Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 (M. For.). Cons. Round 1 - Trace Robertson (Clear Creek-Amana) 11-9 won by medical forfeit over Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 (M. For.). 7th Place Match - Kaden Hubbell (Ottumwa) 12-6 won by medical forfeit over Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 16-3 (M. For.).
175
Tytan Griffith (9-14) placed 8th and scored 19.0 team points. Round 1 - Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 received a bye () (Bye). Round 2 - Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 won by fall over Liam Kilgore (Mackinaw) 4-3 (Fall 0:47). Round 3 - Andy Franke (Muscatine) 17-2 won by fall over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 (Fall 5:24). Round 4 - Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 won by fall over Jack Benner (Fort Madison JV) 4-4 (Fall 2:43). Round 5 - Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 won by fall over Caden Hauenstein (Mediapolis) 6-7 (Fall 1:46). Quarterfinal - Wyatt Wheeler (Prairie City Monroe) 18-6 won by fall over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 (Fall 1:42). Cons. Round 2 - Peyce McCoy (Dubuque Hempstead) 9-9 won by major decision over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 (MD 16-7). 7th Place Match - Clayton Isham (Clear Creek-Amana) 4-4 won by fall over Tytan Griffith (West Liberty) 9-14 (Fall 1:40).
190
Joe Akers (13-10) placed 4th and scored 34.0 team points. Round 1 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 won by fall over Riley Kaalberg (Columbus Community/WMU) 13-3 (Fall 2:28). Round 2 - Ethan Williams (Clear Creek-Amana) 16-6 won by decision over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 (Dec 16-12). Round 3 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 won by fall over Branson Mosley (Mediapolis) 4-17 (Fall 0:17). Quarterfinal - Troy Kupka (Benton Community) 15-4 won by fall over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 (Fall 1:19). Cons. Round 1 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 won by fall over Kyler Jensen (Solon) 12-10 (Fall 5:02). Cons. Semi - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 won by medical forfeit over Nate Richards (Prairie City Monroe) 11-5 (M. For.). 3rd Place Match - Troy Kupka (Benton Community) 15-4 won by decision over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 13-10 (Dec 6-2).
215
Perry Lehman (11-8) placed 9th and scored 19.0 team points. Round 1 - Carson Nash (Clear Creek-Amana) 13-10 won by fall over Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 (Fall 3:10). Round 2 - Evan Franke (Muscatine) 16-0 won by fall over Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 (Fall 0:46). Round 3 - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 won by fall over Kaiden Valcore (Prairie City Monroe) 1-8 (Fall 5:21). Quarterfinal - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 received a bye () (Bye). Semifinal - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 won by fall over Parker Lange (Mediapolis) 15-6 (Fall 4:41). 9th Place Match - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 11-8 won by fall over Aaron Warner (Fort Madison) 11-8 (Fall 3:49).
285
Julio Flores (3-16) placed 16th and scored 1.0 team points. Round 1 - Logan Johnson (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) 13-4 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 0:23). Round 2 - Hunter Hahn (Louisa-Muscatine) 15-5 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 0:25). Round 3 - AJ Wilson-Myles (Benton Community) 5-9 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 0:18). Quarterfinal - Ezekiel Payton (Ottumwa) 4-4 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 1:28). Cons. Round 1 - Bobby Thomason (Mediapolis) 3-16 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 1:06). 15th Place Match - Isaac Davis (Notre Dame, Burlington) 3-9 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 3-16 (Fall 0:52).