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Iowa Valley picks up 3 key dual wins
Belle Plaine’s Timm back at full strength
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MARENGO — Iowa Valley came in ranked No. 20 in Class 1A in the latest Iowa High School Athletic Association team dual rankings that came out this week.
In a home quad Thursday, the Tigers solidified their case for earning one of 24 spots in 1A for the regional dual meets, going 3-0 on the evening.
The final rankings will be released Jan. 27.
“For me it is always important and a goal to be wrestling in those regional duals,” Iowa Valley head coach Jeremy Kriegel said. “To be in the top 24 in the state (in 1A), I think is big deal, and for a small school like us, it takes a grind.”
The Tigers certainly had to grind out a few of their dual wins on the night.
Montezuma led Iowa Valley 30-12 after four straight wins in the Tigers second dual on the night.
The Tigers clawed back and led 41-35 with a match to go. Since Montezuma owned the tiebreaker advantage, Caleb Huber had to avoid being pinned.
The Tigers’ sophomore did exactly the opposite, executing an attack and getting the pin in 45 seconds.
“He got pinned by him a couple weeks ago,” Kriegel said. “For him to learn from that match and finish that dual and win for us was big. We need that confidence out of our younger kids and I’m super happy for him.”
In the final dual of the night, Iowa Valley faced No. 22 Belle Plaine.
It was all Plainsmen early. They jumped out to a 27-3 lead after five straight wins, three coming by fall from Hayden Neuhaus (132 pounds), Will Sankot (138) and Aidan Timm (144).
The match of the dual, and the turning point in the Tigers’ 41-27 win, came in a ranked head-to-head matchup between Iowa Valley’s Chance Hoyt and Wade Sankot for the Plainsmen.
Hoyt jumped out to an 9-8 lead in a high-scoring first period.
Hoyt got a quick takedown and two nearfall points for a 5-0 lead. Wade Sankot battled back with a reversal and also got a takedown in the period.
After that, it was all Hoyt, who added an escape and takedown in the second and four nearfall points in the third.
“I had to get to my stuff that worked and ride to ride, and not ride to turn,” Hoyt said. “I knew he was tough on bottom, and he’s really strong. I just tried to stay on top and in control.”
After starting the season at 157, Hoyt is now at 150 and has now rattled off three straight wins over ranked opponents in the last week.
“I like where I’m at and I feel stronger and quicker at 150.”
Even with having six open weights, the 22nd-ranked Plainsmen went 2-1 on the night in duals, picking up wins over Moravia and Montezuma.
“I thought our guys battled,” Plainsmen coach Brandon Heying said.
“The guys we put out there I thought wrestled extremely hard and competed well. We need those challenges and matchups leading into the postseason. When we can get that, win or lose, there is a lot of learning that can happen.”
Battling was exemplified to perfection from Ivan Hamilton at 165 in a match with Montezuma’s Owen Desrochers.
Hamilton was trailing by a daunting 15-2 deficit in the third period, but he kept attacking and secured the pin with 23 seconds to spare.
“We’d love not to be down that much, but when’s there’s time on the clock, there’s time to score points,” Heying said. “He fought back, and I’m proud of him for that.”
The Plainsmen won its dual against Montezuma, 42-41.
Second-ranked Timm, at 144 for the Plainsmen, made his return last week and cruised to 3-0 on the night, winning both live matches by fall in under a minute.
“He’s full strength now and firing on all cylinders,” Heying said.
Montezuma picked up a 51-29 dual win over Moravia.
Wylie Walters at 132 went 3-0 in live matches for the Braves.
Dual Scores
Belle Plaine 39, Moravia 30
Belle Plaine 42, Montezuma 41
Iowa Valley 41, Belle Plaine 27
Iowa Valley 47, Montezuma 35
Iowa Valley 63, Moravia 12
Montezuma 51, Moravia 29
