Ranked Go-Hawks sweep Comets in wrestling double varsity dual

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WAVERLY — Wherever Waverly-Shell Rock ends up after its final season in the Northeast Iowa Conference — the Go-Hawks’ departure date is after the 2023-24 school year — it will likely take a formidable wrestling program with it.

The Go-Hawk boys are ranked as the No. 1 Class 3A team in the state according to IAwrestle as they are the defending Class 3A State Dual Meet champion.

The WSR girls team is also currently ranked by IAwrestle (No. 5 among all sanctioned girls teams).

On Thursday, the Go-Hawks wrestling program held its “Senior Night” while hosting both of Charles City’s boys and girls varsity squads.

With the Comets giving up plenty of open-weight forfeits, the Go-Hawks were one-sided winners in both duals, winning the girls meet 72-12 before taking the boys meet 68-12.

Two-time state champion and University of Iowa-bound Lilly Luft maintained her undefeated senior season record when she pinned Go-Hawk sophomore Evie Wagner just 16 seconds into their 135-pound match.

That was only one of two victories the Comet girls were able to record in the eight matches wrestled. The other came from Charles City 190-pound sophomore Leah Stewart, who pinned Go-Hawk junior Alexis Johnson 2:22 into their bout.

Go-Hawk sophomore Lilly Stough, ranked No. 5 among 130-pounders according to IAwrestle, was able to pin Comet Katie Miller in the first varsity bout wrestled during the night.

Junior Kiara Djoumessi, who is WSR’s highest ranked girl (No. 3 among 140-pounders), got a rare fall victory over Comet senior Liz Oleson at 4:22 of their bout.

Go-Hawks Haidyn Snyder and Madison Hinrichs, both ranked No. 5 in their respective 145- and 235-pound classes, “respectively” pinned Comet senior Morgan Malloy (1:32) and Ava Thompson (2:20).

Ali Seegers pinned Nyssa Salinas 32 seconds into their 155-pound bout; and Kariss Oldenburger stopped Savannah Baldus at the 3:45 mark of their 170-pound bout for the other varsity girl wins for the Go-Hawks.

The boys dual ended on a high note for the Comets.

Sophomore Carter Haberkorn, who normally gets Charles City off to a good start when the meet starts at 106, instead wrestled the last varsity match of the evening and got the fall victory over Go-Hawk freshman Taylor Kibbee (3:45).

Returning district qualifier Kayden Blunt earlier earned the Comets’ other fall victory of the meet when he pinned Isaiah Perez 3:05 into their 185-pound bout.

Go-Hawk senior Ryder Block, who is one of the top-rated 145-pounders in the country, pinned Comet senior Nathan Lopez 3:20 into their bout after taking a 20-8 lead.

Two-time state champion McCrea Hagarty pinned Comet senior Trevor Peterson 1:11 into their 195-pound bout.

Zane Behrends pinned Comet junior Dylan LaPolice 1:19 into their 132-pound bout; Brady Roling earned a 9-4 decision over Comet freshman Jacob Vance in the 138-pound bout; WSR senior Danny Diaz compiled a big enough lead over Comet senior Colton Anderegg to get a technical-fall victory at the 4:57 mark of their 160-pound bout; and Go-Hawk senior Tyler Gast pinned Comet senior Blake Wilson 34 seconds into their 220-pound bout.