Jack Boland was a rugged 215-pound linebacker for the Xavier High School football team this season. Now he's a rugged 182-pound wrestler, about six weeks later.

Same tough kid.

Boland enjoyed a strong performance at the Doug Philipp Duals Saturday at Xavier with three pins and a technical fall. He also won a match by forfeit to go 5-0.

Some people who shed 30 pounds in a relatively short period of time might feel weak and lethargic. Not Boland. He looks strong, aggressive and ready to wrestle.

Boland accidentally hit an opponent so hard in the face Saturday that the kid was crying after the match. "Maybe it was a little too hard," he conceded.

"Wrestling is a rough sport by nature," Boland said. "It's a lot like football. It's rough, it's intense.

"It's a man's sport. Man's and woman's sport," he added, bowing to equal rights.

Xavier Coach Ryan Chambers, who happens to be Boland's uncle, preaches a physical style of wrestling. It's something he learned while wrestling for Dan Gable at Iowa.

"One of the Iowa mottoes I use: It's intense legal pain," Chambers said. "I like for my guys to be physical, I like for them to wrestle from whistle to whistle. Yes, he does like that physical pain."

Boland (13-4) began the tournament by pinning Gage Shellady of West Liberty in 1 minute, 22 seconds, then followed with an 18-3 technical fall against Brendon Armbruster of Sioux City North.

Boland flattened Spencer Hinrichsen of Anamosa in 26 seconds and finished the day by pinning Ethan Lamm of Mediapolis in 73 seconds. He also accepted a forfeit against Hempstead.

"Pretty good," he said, modestly summing up his day.

Boland began the football season at 215 pounds, but finished at approximately 210 when the Saints lost in the first round of the 4A playoffs on Oct. 26. He began the wrestling season in the 195-pound bracket in November and finished the journey to 182 last week.

"Just running, lifting," he explained of the weight loss. "Coach Chambers runs a heck of a practice. It's easy to lose weight there.

"I feel great," he said. "This week was kind of hard. I felt tired all week. I felt a lot better today."

He did not need a starvation diet to drop 30 pounds in six weeks. There are no hollow cheeks or gaunt limbs.

"I'm fairly healthy," he said. "I don't drink pop or anything. I stay away from McDonald's and stuff like that."

Boland compiled a 23-18 record last season and is fairly happy with his 13-4 mark this year as a senior.

"17-and-0 would be a lot better. I'm not satisfied yet," he said. "I'd like to be up in Des Moines come February (at the state tournament). I have to keep working at it."

Chambers likes the way his nephew is wrestling.

"Jack does well. He's learning," Chambers said. "He's coming along strong. He's starting to get a lot more mat savvy.

"He's taken it to a new level and he's taking a lot of young kids with him. His work ethic helps a lot in the room."

Boland helped the Saints compile a 2-3 record in the duals with victories over Dubuque Hempstead and Anamosa. The Saints lost to West Liberty, Sioux City North and Mediapolis.

Mediapolis won the six-team event with a 5-0 record. Sioux City North, which has won multiple titles at the Xavier tournament and was the defending champ, placed second.

Tyler Laska won three matches at 138 pounds for Xavier with two pins and a decision. Kory Donithan also won three times for the Saints at 145 with two sticks and a decision.

DOUG PHILLIP DUALS
Team Standings
1. Mediapolis 5-0, 2. Sioux City North 4-1, 3. Xavier 2-3, 4. Hempstead 2-3, 5. West Liberty 2-3, 6. Anamosa 0-5.

Round 1
West Liberty 54, Xavier 21
Hempstead 40, Anamosa 30
Mediapolis 39, Sioux City North 30

Round 2
Sioux City North 61, Xavier 17
West Liberty 54, Anamosa 30
Mediapolis 55, Hempstead 18

Round 3
Xavier 48, Anamosa 30
Mediapolis 54, West Liberty 27
Sioux City North 55, Hempstead 22

Round 4
Xavier 33, Hempstead 31
Mediapolis 72, Anamosa 3
Sioux City North 49, West Liberty 25

Round 5
Mediapolis 57, Xavier 9
Hempstead 42, West Liberty 36
Sioux City North 69, Anamosa 6

WEST LIBERTY 54, XAVIER 21

106 - Mueller (WL) won by forfeit.
113 - Henderson (WL) won by forfeit.
120 - Wheeler (WL) dec. Duball, 10-6.
126 - Drahozal (X) dec. Rodriguez, 3-0.
132 - Arensdorf (WL) pinned McGraw, 2:45.
138 - Laska (X) pinned Gallayos, 2:17.
145 - Donithan (X) pinned Coreas, 1:01.
152 - Campbell (WL) pinned Blake, 1:56.
160 - Sagastume (WL) won by forfeit.
170 - Rosezell (WL) dec. Joens, 3-2.
182 - Boland (X) pinned Shellady, 1:22.
195 - Wiele (WL) won by forfeit.
220 - VanDusen (WL) pinned Gloede, :50.
285 - Martinez (WL) pinned Meyers, :32.

SIOUX CITY NORTH 61, XAVIER 17

106 - Hoogers (SC) won by forfeit.
113 - Hanson (SC) won by forfeit.
120 - Gill (SC) major dec. Duball, 14-3.
126 - Lozano (SC) dec. Drahozal, 6-2.
132 - Jurado (SC) pinned McGraw, 1:27.
138 - Laska (X) pinned McKinney, 5:56.
145 - Stewart (SC) pinned Donithan, 1:45.
152 - Freeman (SC) pinned Blake, 1:59.
160 - Martin (SC) won by forfeit.
170 - Thomas (SC) pinned Joens, 3:24.
182 - Boland (X) tech fall Armbruster, 18-3.
195 - Drey (SC) won by forfeit.
220 - Jamison (SC) pinned Gloede, :47.
285 - Meyers (X) pinned Wagner, 3:20.

XAVIER 48, ANAMOSA 30

106 - Durgin (A) won by forfeit.
113 - Chicchelly (X) won by forfeit.
120 - Duball (X) won by forfeit.
126 - Drahozal (X) won by forfeit.
132 - McGraw (X) pinned VonBehren, 1:39.
138 - Bowers (A) pinned Laska, :52.
145 - Rundle (A) pinned Donithan, 5:49.
152 - Overman (A) pinned Blake, 1:09.
160 - Hansen (A) won by forfeit.
170 - Joens (X) pinned Frasher, 1:18.
182 - Boland (X) pinned Hinrichsen, :26.
195 - Double forfeit.
220 - Gloede (X) won by forfeit.
285 - Meyers (X) won by forfeit.

XAVIER 33, HEMPSTEAD 31

106 - Chicchelly (X) won by forfeit.
113 - Double forfeit.
120 - Feldman (H) dec. Duball, 8-3.
126 - Drahozal (X) pinned Greenwald, :55.
132 - McGraw (X) dec. Duccini, 7-4.
138 - Laska (X) dec. Brown, 9-4.
145 - Donithan (X) pinned Dahlman, 3:47.
152 - Blake (X) dec. Daack, 8-3.
160 - Dochee (H) won by forfeit.
170 - Owens (H) pinned Kortemeyer, 1:25.
182 - Fritsch (H) major dec. Joens, 14-0.
195 - Boland (X) won by forfeit.
220 - Haas (H) pinned Gloede, :49.
285 - McMahon (H) pinned Meyers, :14.

MEDIAPOLIS 57, XAVIER 9

106 - McNeil (M) won by forfeit.
113 - Andrews (M) won by forfeit.
120 - Erickson (M) pinned Duball, 1:21.
126 - Foster (M) dec. Drahozal, 5-0.
132 - Conley (M) pinned McGraw, 2:20.
138 - Buster (M) dec. Laska, 13-12.
145 - Donithan (X) dec. Hostetter, 3-1.
152 - Holloway (M) pinned Blake, :29.
160 - Drain (M) won by forfeit.
170 - Beckman (M) dec. Joens, 6-1.
182 - Boland (X) pinned Lamm, 1:13.
195 - Double forfeit.
220 - Jamison (M) pinned Gloede, :53.
285 - Wagner (M) pinned Meyers, 1:39.