Kennedy Wrestling

J-Hawks flatten Kennedy, 40-15

It was "good to be blue" Thursday night at the Jefferson gym when the J-Hawks tangled with Kennedy in a makeup Mississippi Valley Conference wrestling meet.

Jefferson got a nice draw starting at 195 pounds, got an early lead and controlled the Cougars all night en route to a 40-15 win.

“The J-Hawks did a nice job tonight” Jefferson Coach Dick Briggs said with a smile. “It is good to be blue. Kennedy is a tough team and it has been awhile since we have beat them.”

Briggs said starting the meet at 195 proved to be a big break for the J-Hawks.

“It was a nice place for us to start and finish,” he said. “I thought we battled well in the middle, too.”

The J-Hawk big guys came out and jump started the J-Hawks with a pair of decisions and a forfeit for senior Mic Vesey to go up 12-0.

Jefferson switched things up, starting Drake Allen at 195 and moving Brandon Leary up to the 220 spot. Allen beat Dakoda Aldrich, 3-1 in overtime, to start the meet, and Leary posted an 8-3 decision over Zack Goodall.

“Allen isn’t 220. He has weighed 195 all year. We just wanted to see how this could work,” Briggs said of moving Allen down. “We will see where Drake lands, but I don’t think it will be at 195.”

The little guys kept things rolling as the J-Hawks got two more decisions. Senior Griffin Bollman scored a major decision over Kobi Cowen, 15-1, and Patrick Rashed scored and 11-17 decision over Nathan Waterhouse at 113. Those wins pushed the J-Hawks' lead to 19-0.

The Cougars picked up their first points in the 120 bout when Taylor Moss beat Cody Hensel, 5-4.

“The guys came out and got the ball rolling right away,” Briggs said.

The Cougars managed just two more wins by decision and a pin by third-ranked Luke Kremer at 132.

Jefferson controlled the mat all night but didn’t get a pin until the final match of the night when freshman Dalton Kuehl managed to stick Curtis Stacey at 182 to finish off a well-rounded performance.

“I am really excited about our freshman,” Briggs said. “(Luke) Sedlacek wrestled tough, (Kelly) May got a win, and Dalton got the pin.”

Sedlacek was beaten by Ryan Rodriguez, 7-3, at 138 and May scored a 4-1 decision over Ben Feuerhelm at 145.

Jefferson senior Shavez Butler also got into the act with a 15-10 upset win over Shane Williams at 160.

To make things even more special it was senior night for the J-Hawks.  Four of the five J-Hawk seniors - Leary, Vesey, Bollman and Butler - picked up wins. Spencer Brosseau had the misfortune of being matched against Kremer.

JEFFERSON 40, KENNEDY 15
195 - Drake Allen (CRJ) dec. Dakoda Aldrich, 3-1 (OT)
220 - Brandon Leary (CRJ) dec. Zack Goodall, 8-3
285 - Mic Vesey (CRJ) won by forfeit
106 - Griffin Bollman (CRJ) major dec. Kobi Cowen, 15-1
113 - Patrick Rashed (CRJ) dec. Nathan Waterhouse, 11-7
120 - Taylor Moss (CRK) dec. Cody Hensel, 5-4
126 - Michael Moncivais (CRJ) dec. James Ruzicka, 12-6
132 - Luke Kremer (CRK) pinned Spencer Brosseau, 1:45
138 - Ryan Rodriguez (CRK) dec. Luke Sedlacek, 7-3
145 - Kelly May (CRJ) dec. Ben Feuerhelm, 4-1
152 - Keenen Nosek (CRK) dec. Shane Lockhart, 5-3
160 - Shavez Butler (CRJ) dec. Shane Williams, 15-10
170 - Josh Allen (CRJ) won by forfeit
182 - Dalton Kuehl (CRJ) pinned Curtis Stacey, 3:24

These Kennedy wrestlers belong to exclusive club

There's a sign on the wall in the Kennedy wrestling room that lists all the members of the "100 Win Club" in school history, but it's time to add a few names.

Seniors Luke Kremer, Shane Williams and Ryan Rodriguez have joined the exclusive fraternity that now includes 10 men. Kremer cracked the century mark last season as a junior, while Williams and Rodriguez made it this season.

"It's a pretty cool thing to do," Rodriguez said Tuesday before practice. "I've been wrestling my whole life, so it's something you can say you achieved."

Kremer has climbed to fourth on the list with a career mark of 129-25. Williams is tied for seventh with a four-year record of 110-45 and Rodriguez is ninth at 104-56.

Williams is tied with Kennedy Coach Brent Paulson for seventh place with 110 wins, so he's about to knock his own coach down a peg in the all-time standings.

Joey Slaton tops the chart at 165-11, followed by Kyle Blood (151-29) and Zach Paulson (146-29). Kremer passed Ryan Sheldon (127-43) and Mike Russell (128-42) last weekend at the Clinton tournament to jump from sixth to fourth.

Justin Hauge is the 10th member of the "100 Win Club" at 100-44.

Kremer qualified for the state tournament as a freshman, finished sixth as a sophomore and placed third as a junior. Naturally, he's looking to move up again and hopes to reach the top step of the victory stand at the state tournament in Des Moines next month.

"It's definitely something to shoot for," said Kremer, who is ranked third at 132 pounds. "I guess my chances are just as good as anybody else that's out there."

All three Cougars have been wrestling since they were in the first or second grade. They enjoy the sport and enjoy being successful.

"I like to win," said Williams, who is ranked sixth at 160 pounds. "I like knowing that your hard work paid off and you go out and dominate somebody."

Kremer said he began wrestling when he was six years old and enjoyed it from the start. "In my pictures I was smiling," he said.

These days he keeps a fairly stoic expression when he's competing. "It's just how I am," he said. "I just feel like you look kind of goofy if you celebrate all the time, especially in not big matches."

Rodriguez, who wrestles at 138 pounds, moved to Iowa from Colorado when he was in grade school. He said he appreciates what he's learned from the demanding sport.

"I think it teaches you a lot of lessons," he said. "It's one of the few sports than can teach you a lot of things, like dedication and toughness and all those kind of things. I guess it helps develop you into an adult, and it's nice to go out there and dominate kids."

Kremer enjoys the self-satisfaction that comes with the sport. "Just getting respect from people who know wrestling well and know how hard it is," he said.

Rodriguez qualified for the state tournament in 2010 and 2011, but did not place either year. He'd like to change that next month and finish his career with a medal.

"Just getting on the podium is what I'm focused on this year," he said. "I'll try to do everything I can to make it happen."

Williams was a state qualifier in 2009 and 2010, but finished third in the district meet last year and did not make it to Des Moines. He'd like to get a medal as well.

"Place as high as I can and maybe beat some guys I'm not supposted to beat and surprise some people down in Des Moines and go as high as I can on the prodium," he remarked.

Kennedy will wrestle in the Mississippi Valley Conference meet this Saturday at Iowa City West with Kremer, Rodriguez and Williams all aiming for the top.

"Saturday is important, but we really want to peak at the state tournament," said Williams. "We haven't always wrestled our best at the state tournament as a team, so we want to max together and go as high as we can on the podium."

Kremer, Williams help Cougars flatten foes

Luke Kremer and Shane Williams had a pair of pins apiece to lead Kennedy to a pair of wins Thursday night in Mississippi Valley Conference wrestling at Kennedy.

The Cougars whipped Dubuque Wahlert, 46-26, then held off Iowa City High, 40-33.

Kremer pinned Wahlert's Charlie Smith in 3:03 at 132 pounds, then moved up to 138 and flattened City High's Deven Duarte in 3:36.

Williams, wrestling at 160, pinned Wahlert's Riley Hasken in 3:01 before dropping City High's Gage Olson in 47 seconds.

Kennedy's Kobi Cowen (106), Taylor Moss (120), Dakoda Aldrich (195) and Zack Goodall (220) also had pins against Wahlert.

Ben Feuerhelm (152) and Curtis Stacey (182) had falls against City High. Both also won by decision against Wahlert.

KENNEDY 46, DUBUQUE WAHLERT 26

106 - Kobi Cowen (CRK) pinned Kyler Pape, 1:40
113 - Nathan Waterhouse (CRK) major dec. Matt Wigginton, 10-2
120 - Taylor Moss (CRK) pinned Jake Lange, 5:09
126 - Greg Vance (DW) tech. fall AJ Losch, 18-3
132 - Luke Kremer (CRK) pinned Charlie Smith, 3:03
138 - Shane Broderick (DW) dec. Ryan Rodriguez, 7-5
145 - Ben Feuerhelm (CRK) dec. Weslee Haynes, 5-3
152 - Jake White (DW) pinned Keenen Nosek, 3:16
160 - Shane Williams (CRK) pinned Riley Hasken, 3:01
170 - Adam Knier (DW) won by forfeit
182 - Curtis Stacey (CRK) dec. Andrew Turner, 8-2
195 - Dakoda Aldrich (CRK) pinned Ries Bohr, 1:40
220 - Zack Goodall (CRK) pinned Brightin Kisting, 1:23
285 - Ryan Seaman (DW) pinned Trevor Brunk, 2:27


KENNEDY 40, IOWA CITY HIGH 33

106 - Alex Lemus (ICH) dec. Kobi Cowen, 3-0
113 - Nathan Waterhouse (CRK) major dec. Seth Schwarting 13-5
120 - Taylor Moss (CRK) tech. fall Ethan Vermace, 16-0
126 - Evgeney Kolyvanov (ICH) pinned JD Ruzicka, 5:02
132 - Tyler Hansen (CRK) dec. Colin Donnelly, 12-5
138 - Luke Kremer (CRK) pinned Deven Duarte, 3:36
145 - Ryan Rodriguez (CRK) major dec. Carlos Garza, 9-0
152 - Ben Feuerhelm (CRK) pinned Harrison Whitlow, 1:38
160 - Shane Williams (CRK) pinned Gage Olson, :47
170 - Kody Dailey (ICH) won by forfeit
182 - Curtis Stacey (CRK) pinned Levi McCurn, 3:04
195 - Ryan Maas (ICH) pinned Dakoda Aldrich, 1:54
220 - Steve Ferentz (ICH) pinned Zack Goodall, 3:45
285 - Tanner Odle (ICH) won by forfeit

Kremer wins crown at Geneseo

GENESEO, Ill. - Prairie crowned four champions and claimed the title Saturday at the Geneseo Invitational wrestling meet.

The meet ran Friday and Saturday. Prairie totaled 232.5 points. Waverly-Shell Rock was second with 207. Kennedy finished eighth with 88.

Prairie's champions were Josh Wenger at 113, Zach Witte at 152, Austin Gould at 182 and Andrew Netolicky at 220.

Kennedy's Luke Kremer won the 132-pound weight class.

Witte, the defending state champion at 145 pounds, was competing in his first meet. He broke a bone in his left arm during the football season. Witte pinned Chad Whitford from Granite City, Ill., in the championship bout at 152.

Prairie also got second-place finishes from Chris Walters at 120 and Cam Rathje at 170. Kennedy's Shane Williams finished second at 160.

GENESEO INVITATIONAL

1. Cedar Rapids Prairie          232.5
2. Waverly-Shell Rock           207
3. Granite City                     159
4. Arrowhead                      153.5
5. O’Fallon                           124
6. New Lenox Providence      121.5
7. Chatham Glenwood           101.5
8. Cedar Rapids Kennedy         88
9. Geneseo                           67
10. Palos Hills Stagg                62
11. Moline                             58
12. Chicago Heights Marian Catholic    55
13. Dixon                              46
14. United Township              45.5
15. Belvidere                         38
16. Normal Community            31


Championship Matches

106:  Jeronnie Steward UTHS dec. Ronald Triche NLP 3-1
113:  Josh Wenger CRP dec. Bryce Steiert WSR 5-1
120:  Andrew Crone ARR dec. Chris Walters CRP  12-5
126:  Eddie Kilmara NLP fall Eric Devos WSR  3:21
132:  Luke Kremer CRK  TFall Nick Wisely BEL  5:13
138:  Adam Yde ARR dec. Drew Wise OFA 6-0
145:  Kevin Moylan PHS TFall Kolton Rottink WSR 5:00
152:  Zach Witte CRP  fall Chad Whitford GRC 4:56
160:  Bryan Pierson OFA  dec. Shane Williams CRK  8-5
170:  Nate Jackson CHM fall Cameron Rathje CRP  3:24
182:  Austin Gould CRP  dec. Alex Brooks GRC  6-4
195:  Adam Walther WSR dec. Zak Ryder ARR 3-1
220:  Andrew Netolicky CRP  dec. Vince Ambrose 7-1
285:  Adarios Jones MOL dec. Cole Whitford GRC 4-2


Prairie placewinners: 

1st:  Josh Wenger, Zach Witte, Austin Gould, Andrew Netolicky
2nd: Chris Walters, Cameron Rathje
4th:  Skyler St. John, Jamie Day, Casey Becker
5th:  Zack Fiser
6th:  Trey Blaha