Lopez brothers eye more state glory

NEW LONDON - During a time of uncertainty in Iowa High School sports, New London's Marcel and Dominic Lopez always had a way to practice. While most of the state's top matmen were figuring out ways to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two brothers had all they needed to stay sharp.

'I basically live with my practice partner,” said Dominic, a sophomore who sits at No. 2 in Class 1A's 145-pound rankings. 'It made it very easy when they didn't have wrestling rooms open. I can just spar with him at the house.”

Dominic's partner, of course, is one of the most successful wrestlers in Southeast Iowa history. Marcel, the top-ranked wrestler in Class 1A's 120-pound weight class, will be looking for his third state title in three tries when the state wrestling tournament kicks off in Des Moines this weekend.

Marcel says a daily-dose of competitiveness keeps him on the top of his game.

'It is always competitive with everything we do,” Marcel said. 'It doesn't matter if it is wrestling. Everything in life is competitive, and who can do it the best.”

Marcel will be going into the 2021 state tournament at 56-0. He has only lost four matches in his entire high school career. After winning his second-straight state title as a sophomore, he immediately said he wasn't about to settle, and the back-to-back champ still hasn't changed his mind.

'I like to think of myself as the best,” Marcel said. 'The best doesn't settle for two. The best goes for four, and gets four.”

While little brother Dominic couldn't stand at the top of the podium in 2020, the Lopez brothers hope 2021 can be the first year of a double championship. Dominic holds a 55-2 record coming into the state meet and hopes to improve on last year's fourth-place finish.

'It has been in the back of my mind ever since last year,” Dominic said. 'I've just been hungry.”

Lopez will start his third state run with a matchup against freshman Kaden Abbas (AGWSR) in the first round on Thursday. Dominic will wrestle shortly after against senior Duncan Clark of Treynor.