Prairie High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Witte wins; Hawks' season ends

WAVERLY -- Prairie state champion Zach Witte recorded a pin to end an undefeated season in the Hawks' 48-13 loss to Waverly-Shell Rock in the Class 3A regional dual meet tournament Tuesday night.

Witte pinned Casey Becker in 5 minutes at 145 pounds. Prairie also got a major decision from Andrew Netolicky at 189 and Peyton Wagner had a decision at 160.

Waverly-Shell Rock recorded four pins and a technical fall.

Waverly-Shell Rock won the traditional state meet Saturday. The Go-Hawks are second second in the state dual meet tournament. Their first round match is against Linn-Mar at 12 p.m. Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 48, CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 13
103 - Andrew Steiert (WSR) dec. Trey Blaha 9-2; 112 - Spencer Derifield (WSR) major dec. Jayden Flege 13-4; 119 - Eric DeVos (WSR) dec. Chris Walters 8-2; 125 - Tanner Werner (WSR) pinned Zach Becicka, 3:34; 130 - Seth Ebling (WSR) dec. River Whitters 10-3; 135 - Kolton Rottink (WSR) pinned Jamie Day, 2:33; 140 - Jordan Rinken (WSR) pinned Casey Becker, 4:33; 145 - Zach Witte (CRP) pinned Blake Seehusen, 5:00; 152 - Cody Caldwell (WSR) technical fall over Cameron Rathje 16-1, 5:47; 160 - Peyton Wagner (CRP) dec. Shawn Miller 9-5; 171 - Adam Walther (WSR) dec. Alex Steenblock 6-5; 189 - Andrew Netolicky (CRP) major dec. Collin Heidemann 9-0; 215 - Kaleb Staack (WSR) dec. Tyler Zacek 6-1; 285 - Cody Krumwiede (WSR) pinned Dillon Brunscheen, 4:28.

Waterloo West ends Prairie boys season

WATERLOO — It’s been a long time coming, but Monday night at Siddens Gymnasium, the Waterloo West boys basketball team won its first postseason game since the 1999-2000 season. 

The Wahawks led the entire game, taking the lead when Dale Jones stroked a 3-pointer from the corner and never looking back on the way to a 68-59 victory over Cedar Rapids Prairie.

“This is the first time that a West Waterloo team has won a postseason game in 11 years,” said a Wahawk Coach Justin Little. “These seniors did not want to go out without a victory, and that’s huge for them and I’m proud of them.”

One of the critical building blocks for the West program over the past four years has been point guard Trent Washington, and Monday night he was playing for the last time at Siddens Gymnasium. He didn’t disappoint, netting 28 points as he ignited the Wahawks.

“I was crying a little bit ago,” said Washington after the game. “This was my last time ever playing at West High, and I wanted to go out with a bang.

“I was forcing shots earlier in the season and coaches told me to let the game come to me. I was trying to get everyone involved tonight and knock down the shots when I needed to.”

Prairie didn’t go quietly. Back on Dec. 14, West whipped the Hawks, 85-68.

“I’ll take it,” said Little. “The kids gutted it out, and we had to play a little bit more man-to-man than we usually do, but that’s alright. We did what we needed to get the win.”

Prairie made a run in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 46-44 with 5 minutes, 24 seconds remaining, but Washington took control by netting floaters and penetrating the lane. Then a thunderous dunk by Jones with 2:50 remaining sealed the win.

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Witte claims 145 crown at state tourney

DES MOINES -- Zach Witte could write a thriller about his high school wrestling career someday.

Chapter 1: Witte finishes a surprising second at the 2009 state tournament as a starry-eyed freshman.

Chapter 2: Witte fails to qualify for state as a sophomore in 2010 and dedicates himself to winning the 2011 state title, vowing to climb to the top of the podium.

Chapter 3: He does it.

Witte became Cedar Rapids Prairie's first state champion in five years Saturday night when he edged Gabriel Moreno of Urbandale, 6-5, for the Class 3A 145-pound crown at Wells Fargo Arena.

"I've done it. I've finally done it," an exuberant Witte declared. "Wow. Wow is all I've got."

Wow was good enough.

Witte capped his perfect season with a 38-0 record and became Prairie's first state champion since Phil Sexton won the 140-pound crown for the Hawks in 2006.

Witte won the title in style. He defeated Chad Ryan, a 2010 state champion, in the semifinals in overtime Friday night. Then he nipped Moreno, who placed third at state in 2010, before a sellout crowd in Des Moines. Ryan, from Sioux City North, and Moreno were ranked 1-2 in the state coming to Des Moines, but Witte will be ranked No.1 heading out of town.

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Witte works overtime for title shot

DES MOINES -- Conner Herman could sing the national anthem before the state wrestling championships Saturday night if he had the time, but he's got more important things on his mind.

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson senior will be competing for the 3A state title at 215 pounds at Wells Fargo Arena. He's also a member of the Jefferson Show Choir when he's not wrestling, but he'll leave the singing to someone else this time.

Herman upset top-ranked Jesse South of Urbandale, 5-2, Friday night in the semifinals in his bid to become Jefferson's first state champion since 1998.

"According to the rankings, I wasn't supposed to beat him," said Herman, who is ranked fifth at 215. "I wasn't supposed to even be in the semifinals, according to the rankings. I am excited, because I'm where I'm not supposed to be."

Herman needs one more victory to give Jefferson its first state champion since Tim Ironside 13 years ago.

"It doesn't mean anything just to be in the finals," Herman insisted. "It means everything to win the finals."

Zach Witte of Prairie also upset a top-ranked wrestler in the semifinals and will join Herman in the Grand March Saturday night. Witte ran his record to 37-0 with a dramatic 5-1 overtime victory against Sioux City North's Chad Ryan, who won the Class 3A 130-pound title last year and was 47-1 before meeting Witte.

"I am so happy," said Witte. "After last year, losing in districts, to get to where I am now. I'm so glad I'm finally there."

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