At the 2024 River Valley Conference meet last Saturday, West Liberty posted a solid showing with a fourth-place finish at Bellevue High School.
Wilton remained a dominant force in the conference, winning the meet with 224 team points. Anamosa was second with 202, just ahead of West Branch with 189.5. The Comets finished in fourth with 141.
West Liberty did not have a champion, but it did get multiple wrestlers onto the podium.
None did better than 150-pounder Ryker Dengler who finished as the runner-up in his division. He went 3-1 on the day with pins in each of the first, second and third-periods in his wins. He suffered a pin in the championship match against Hudson Scranton of Anamosa.
Four different Comets were able to end their days with a win in third place.
At 126, Isaac Aragon went 2-1 with an 11-2 major decision win in the quarterfinals and a 9-7 decision win against Durant’s Gunner Klahn in the third-place match.
Briggs Collins placed 3rd at 132 with a 3-1 day on the mats. He recorded his first two pins in a combined 72 seconds but dropped a decision in the championship semifinals.
In the third-place match, he pinned Wildcat Trey Ramer at 4:56 to claim his bronze medal.
Battling through the 144-pound bracket was Gable Underbakke who went 3-1 on Saturday. He recorded two pins to open his day before falling to Wilton’s hammer Jordan Dusenberry in the semifinals.
West Branch’s Auron Marsh met Underbakke in the third-place match, and it was the Comet who ground out a 4-3 decision win.
Lastly, Kaden Wiele continued his stellar season with two more decision wins. He outlasted Tipton’s Aidan Graves 6-2 in the quarterfinals and West Branch’s Cale Seydel 14-4 en route to his podium spot.
Additionally, a handful of Comets earned themselves a fourth-place finish: Ryan Cassady at 113, Tully Griffith at 120 and Perry Lehman at 215.
At 190, Joe Akers finished odd with a fifth-place finish. He pinned Iowa City Regina’s Porter Shelter in the second period in his final match of the evening.
West Liberty did not qualify for this week’s Class 2A duals tournament, so they will participate in duals of their own. They will wrestle Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Davenport Assumption in a triangular on Thursday, February 1 at West Liberty High School.
Then, the Comets will have eight days off before their district meet at Solon High School on February 10.
River Valley Conference tournament results
106
Lincoln Daufeldt (18-15) placed 6th and scored 5.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Lincoln Daufeldt (West Liberty) 18-15 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Ethan Humphrey (West Branch) 29-3 won by fall over Lincoln Daufeldt (West Liberty) 18-15 (Fall 0:48). Cons. Round 2 - Lincoln Daufeldt (West Liberty) 18-15 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Semi - Lincoln Daufeldt (West Liberty) 18-15 won by decision over Keaton Schultz (Tipton) 19-19 (Dec 4-3). 5th Place Match - Logan Edens (Camanche) 25-11 won by decision over Lincoln Daufeldt (West Liberty) 18-15 (Dec 19-15).
113
Ryan Cassady (26-13) placed 4th and scored 13.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 26-13 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 26-13 won by fall over Ethan Edens (Camanche) 20-12 (Fall 4:26). Semifinal - Mason Shirk (Wilton) 40-1 won by fall over Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 26-13 (Fall 3:21). 3rd Place Match - Hudson Welton (Anamosa) 36-8 won by fall over Ryan Cassady (West Liberty) 26-13 (Fall 3:11).
120
Tully Griffith (18-12) placed 4th and scored 11.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 18-12 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 18-12 won by decision over Reeve Graver (Monticello) 18-9 (Dec 5-3). Semifinal - Jayson Johnson (Tipton) 31-7 won by fall over Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 18-12 (Fall 0:53). 3rd Place Match - Lincoln Edwards (West Branch) 26-5 won by fall over Tully Griffith (West Liberty) 18-12 (Fall 0:40).
126
Isaac Aragon (27-13) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 27-13 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 27-13 won by major decision over Gavin Sorgenfrey (Tipton) 22-9 (MD 11-2). Semifinal - Owen Adlfinger (Wilton) 39-9 won by fall over Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 27-13 (Fall 1:25). 3rd Place Match - Isaac Aragon (West Liberty) 27-13 won by decision over Gunner Klahn (Durant) 12-7 (Dec 9-7).
132
Briggs Collins (34-12) placed 3rd and scored 19.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 34-12 won by fall over Riley Koppes (Cascade) 11-19 (Fall 0:26). Quarterfinal - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 34-12 won by fall over Luke Hamilton (Regina, Iowa City) 13-16 (Fall 0:46). Semifinal - Logan Christoffel (West Branch) 30-6 won by decision over Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 34-12 (Dec 0-0). 3rd Place Match - Briggs Collins (West Liberty) 34-12 won by fall over Trey Ramer (Durant) 19-9 (Fall 4:56).
138
Landon Wainwright (19-18) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Tjaden (Anamosa) 26-20 won by major decision over Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 19-18 (MD 12-4). Cons. Round 1 - Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 19-18 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Round 2 - Tucker Miller (Mid-Prairie) 22-6 won by fall over Landon Wainwright (West Liberty) 19-18 (Fall 0:54).
144
Gable Underbakke (31-16) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 31-16 won by fall over Everett Giese (Tipton) 0-5 (Fall 2:39). Quarterfinal - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 31-16 won by fall over Pryce Schueller (Maquoketa) 27-16 (Fall 1:30). Semifinal - Jordan Dusenberry (Wilton) 42-2 won by fall over Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 31-16 (Fall 2:31). 3rd Place Match - Gable Underbakke (West Liberty) 31-16 won by decision over Auron Marsh (West Branch) 15-9 (Dec 4-3).
150
Ryker Dengler (26-9) placed 2nd and scored 24.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 26-9 won by fall over Eli Fritz (Cascade) 10-21 (Fall 1:04). Quarterfinal - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 26-9 won by fall over Logan Lanning (Tipton) 18-15 (Fall 3:45). Semifinal - Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 26-9 won by fall over Hayden Hill (Wilton) 29-12 (Fall 7:18). 1st Place Match - Hudson Scranton (Anamosa) 37-5 won by fall over Ryker Dengler (West Liberty) 26-9 (Fall 1:13).
157
Kaden Wiele (34-6) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 34-6 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 34-6 won by decision over Aiden Graves (Tipton) 33-10 (Dec 6-2). Semifinal - Miken Wheeler (Anamosa) 30-13 won by major decision over Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 34-6 (MD 15-2). 3rd Place Match - Kaden Wiele (West Liberty) 34-6 won by major decision over Cale Seydel (West Branch) 24-7 (MD 14-4).
165
Andre Puentes-Bueno (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Andre Puentes-Bueno (West Liberty) 0-2 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Ayden Antonelli (Anamosa) 34-7 won by fall over Andre Puentes-Bueno (West Liberty) 0-2 (Fall 1:44). Cons. Round 2 - Andre Puentes-Bueno (West Liberty) 0-2 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Semi - Clay Ledger (Wilton) 15-9 won by fall over Andre Puentes-Bueno (West Liberty) 0-2 (Fall 1:39).
175
Austin Pace-Wurr (1-8) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Austin Pace-Wurr (West Liberty) 1-8 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Evan Vogel (Cascade) 26-19 won by fall over Austin Pace-Wurr (West Liberty) 1-8 (Fall 0:32). Cons. Round 2 - Austin Pace-Wurr (West Liberty) 1-8 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Semi - Josh Stepper (Tipton) 6-11 won by fall over Austin Pace-Wurr (West Liberty) 1-8 (Fall 0:34).
190
Joe Akers (25-17) placed 5th and scored 13.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 25-17 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Cayden Rushford (Anamosa) 23-18 won by decision over Joe Akers (West Liberty) 25-17 (Dec 9-4). Cons. Round 2 - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 25-17 won by fall over Nicholas Drake-Metzger (Wilton) 6-12 (Fall 1:10). Cons. Semi - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 25-17 won by fall over Cason Rausch (Cascade) 24-23 (Fall 0:49). 5th Place Match - Joe Akers (West Liberty) 25-17 won by fall over Porter Shetler (Regina, Iowa City) 12-13 (Fall 2:18).
215
Perry Lehman (23-18) placed 4th and scored 11.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 23-18 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 23-18 won by decision over Logan Bell (Anamosa) 18-19 (Dec 5-2). Semifinal - Quintyn Rocha (West Branch) 29-7 won by major decision over Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 23-18 (MD 10-0). 3rd Place Match - Jack Hiland (Bellevue) 27-8 won by tech fall over Perry Lehman (West Liberty) 23-18 (TF-1.5 2:15 (15-0)).
285
Julio Flores (7-25) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Bayne Manternach (Cascade) 24-18 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 7-25 (Fall 1:00). Cons. Round 1 - Julio Flores (West Liberty) 7-25 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Round 2 - Corbin Schear (Anamosa) 8-11 won by fall over Julio Flores (West Liberty) 7-25 (Fall 3:22).