Charles City hosts 39th-annual North/South All-Star Wrestling Meet

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Sports are never a reliable teacher when it comes to geography.

Maybe that’s why senior state qualifying wrestlers Nate Lasher, Alex Koehler and AJ Maloy, all residents of Charles City which is located in the northern part of Iowa the last time we checked, were members of the South squad at the 39-annual North/South All-Star Wrestling Meet held Saturday at the new competition gym within the new Charles City Middle School.

The Comet trio went 2-1 on the day, but with the two wins accounting for half of the South’s victories, it wasn’t nearly enough to keep North from winning big, 47-12.

In one of the 132-pound bouts, three-time state qualifier Lasher faced Warren’s two-time Class 1A state runner-up Blake Bauer.

The wrestlers were tied at 1 apiece through the first two 90-second periods, before Lasher scored a takedown midway through the third period to go up 3-1. Then after a Bauer escape, Lasher scored another takedown late for the 5-2 decision.

In one of the 220-pound bouts, Maloy — a two-time state qualifier — was able to get a 3-2 decision over Benton Community two-time state qualifier Blade Durbala.

Koehler was pitted against Trevor Byram of Waverly Shell-Rock in a “catchweight” 170/182-pound bout.

Koehler, who recently signed on to continue his football career at Graceland University, was able to take an early 2-0 lead with a takedown, but found himself trailing 4-2 with time running out in regulation.

At the edge of the circle, it appeared that Koehler scored a final-second takedown to force overtime, but the referee waved it off and Byram was awarded the victory.

Four-time state qualifier Dalton Nelson from North Butler also wrestled for the South squad. In one of the meet’s 160-pound bouts, Nelson — who finished his Bearcat career with 151 wins — lost a 3-1 decision to two-time Class 1A runner-up Jacob Krakow of Iowa Valley.

Krakow was one of the few participants who wrestled two bouts during the meet. Earlier, he lost to Lewis Central Council Bluffs Class 3A 160-pound runner-up Mac Southard in a 7-3 decision.

McGwire Midkiff of Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, a Class 3A 126-pound champion as a senior and a 113-pound runner-up as a junior, also wrestled twice and went 1-1 for the day for South.

First, he decisioned Dante Tacchia of Iowa Falls, 8-4, to start the meet before losing a 16-8 major decision to Class 3A 132-pound champion Braden Birt of Epworth, Western Dubuque.

Hudson’s Class 1A 170-pound champion Taylan Entriken wrestled for both sides.

First in a 170-pound bout, Entriken gave the North its first victory — a 9-0 major decision over Gavin Babcock of Southeast Polk.

Then to close the meet, Entriken — now wrestling at 182 pounds while representing the South team — took on Epworth, Western Dubuque’s two-time Class 3A champion Max Lyon.

Lyon capped the scoring with a 6-4 decision.

North Scott’s three-time Class 3A champion Wyatt Wriedt was able to withstand an upset bid by Osage’s Caleb Ring to win a 220-pound bout with a 5-2 decision for North.

Waverly-Shell Rock’s four-time state meet awards stand placer Austin Yant earned North a 14-5 major decision over Westwood Sloan’s Drew Anderson.

The only fall of the meet came in the lone 195-pound bout when Walker Even of Don Bosco took down and pinned Zac Stork of Atlantic in the third period after the match was tied at 1.

Class 3A heavyweight champion Aaron Costello, the third titleist from Epworth, Western Dubuque this past season, decisioned Matt Naig of Sibley-Ocheyedan, 3-0, for another North victory.

Other North winners included Southeast Warren 120-pounder and two-time state runner-up Brady Kyner; Union 132/138-pounder Derek Holschlag, and 145-pounder Zach Barnes from perennial 3A powerhouse Southeast Polk.

The meet was sponsored by the Iowa National Guard in conjunction with the Charles City Mat Club.

The meet has a rich history of featuring future college All-Americans, NCAA champions and Olympic medal winners.

Since 1978, it has been held within Charles City High School’s old gymnasium. This was the first meet held in the new competition gym.