Comet state-qualifiers stopped short of Saturday session at Traditional Wrestling Tournament

Press Staff Report

DES MOINES — All three of Charles City’s qualified wrestlers — seniors Talan Weber and Jordan Young; and freshman Carter Cajthaml — added more than one victory to their win totals at the State Wrestling Championships last week, and two advanced as far as the quarterfinals.

But they were all stopped short of Saturday’s session, which ultimately crowned all the state champions and determined the other podium-placement medalists.

One of the more heartbreaking of Thursday’s quarterfinal bouts was in the Class 2A 150-pound bracket where Weber — a returning state-qualifier and two-time district champion — faced No. 3-ranked Tate Slagle of Algona.

Down 1-0 with time running out in the third period, Weber almost advanced to the semifinals by way of a match-winning takedown in the final seconds. But Weber didn’t get a favorable ruling by the officials and was sent to the consolation bracket.

Like Weber, Cajthaml in the 132-pound bracket, also won his first two matches on Wednesday to get to Thursday’s QF. One of the few freshmen in the state that was ranked by multiple publications and websites throughout his entire first high school season, Cajthaml also was dropped to the consolation bracket by way of a loss to a No. 3-ranked wrestler — Glenwood’s Matthew Beem, who pinned Cajthaml at the 2:52 mark of their QF.

With the action spread out throughout the course of four days at Wells Fargo Arena, those wrestlers who lost during the quarterfinals only wrestled once for the whole day, giving them time to “think about it” before coming back on Friday to battle in what is referred to as the “blood round” where a win guarantees podium placement whereas a loss ends one’s tournament.

Weber lost to Williamsburg’s Nile Sinn with a 6-2 decision while capping his final high school season with a 28-10 record.

Cajthaml lost a 11-3 major decision to Bettendorf’s Steele Diercks in his “blood round” bout while finishing his rookie campaign with a 37-8 while leading the Comets in victories this season.

Young also finished the season with an impressive record (35-7) while going 2-2 at his first state tournament.

After winning his first match in his 126-pound bracket, Young lost his second-round match before rebounding on Thursday to defeat Kooper Waugh 10-6 in the second round of consolations.

But Young was unable to get to Friday’s “blood round” as he was later eliminated by way of a 6-5 decision loss to Conner Pickerell of Albia.