Three HC wrestlers win SEISC titles

RIVERSIDE - Henry County small schools produced three conference champions this weekend at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference meet in Riverside. Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union's Jarod Kadel and Chance Malone each won their bracket, as did New London's Marcel Lopez.

Kadel, who is currently the No. 3 ranked wrestler in Class 2A at 138 lbs., dominated the first two matches. He pinned Mediapolis' Lucas Wagenbach in 1:@2 and finished off Highland's Caedon Harbison in 1:01. In the championship match, Kadel faced off with Pekin's Zach Hammes, the 10th-ranked 138-pounder in Class 1A. Kadel won the bracket via a 6-2 decision.

Malone began his run to a 220 lbs. championship with a 50-second pin against Notre Dame's Ethan Eilers. Malone followed that with a 6-2 decision win over Landon Provino of WACO, and then took down Keegan Akers of Mediapolis 5-1 in the championship match.

Lopez, the fourth-ranked 106-pounder in Class 1A, was on a collision course with Notre Dame's Blaine Frazier, ranked No. 2 in Class 2A in the championship match. Lopez pinned Pekin's Madeline Black in 28 seconds and took down Wapello's Chase Witte on a 22-5 technical fall in the second period to set up a class of freshman titans in the finals.

Lopez grinded out a 4-3 decision win over Frazier in the 106 lbs. championship to pick up an individual title for New London.

Highland won the team title by just one point, finishing the day with 133. Wapello finished second.

WACO was actually the top team among the Henry County trio. The Warriors scored 103 points to finish seventh in the team standings. New London was eighth with 100.5 points and Columbus/W-MU was ninth with 88 points.

All three teams will be in postseason tournament action on Saturday, Feb. 2. New London and WACO will be at Sigourney for their 1A sectional and Columbus/W-MU will be at Solon for their 2A sectional.