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South Tama denied state duals

13th-ranked Trojans upended by No. 4 Ballard in regional finals

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • South Tama County senior Isaac Judge, right, works on flipping Atlantic/CAM’s Kenny Jimmerson during their match at 160 pounds in the semifinals of the regional duals on Tuesday night. The Trojans beat Atlantic/CAM 36-30 but fell to Ballard 53-26 in the finals.

HUXLEY — While it was single-digit temperatures and snowing outside Ballard High School on Tuesday night, there was plenty of action on the wrestling mats in the gym to keep everyone in attendance warm as the Class 2A No. 13 South Tama County wrestling team competed in the 2A regional duals.

The Trojans started great by winning their first eight matches against Atlantic/CAM on their way to winning in the semifinals, 36-30.

Things started off great in the finals against No. 4 Ballard as well, with Colton Vest and Isaac Judge each earning technical-fall wins over Josh Borg at 145 pounds and Ben Hokel at 152 pounds respectively, but then the Bombers won the five of the next six tilts and built up a lead that ultimately gave them the finals win, 53-26.

STC head coach Nate Van Dyke said his guys competed strong on the day, but ultimately they lost to a better team.

“They are a good team, they outwrestled us and they were the better team tonight,” Van Dyke said. “When I was looking at the lineup, I thought we were favored in four matches and we ended up winning four matches, but I don’t think we ended up getting enough bonus points. Then I thought there were seven or eight more matches that were swing matches, and we lost those all and that makes it tough to beat a good team.”

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • South Tama County senior Dalton Rosenburg, top, drives Ballard’s Joe Hofbauer to his back during the third period of their match at 195 pounds in the finals of the regional duals on Tuesday.

After Vest and Judge, the No. 7 and No. 1 wrestlers in their weight classes respectively, won the first two matches, the Trojans only won twice more against Ballard. No. 9 at 182 Dalton Rosenburg going up a class and beating Joe Hofbauer at 195 by major decision, then Brody Chyma winning by a first-period pin over Jordan Thomas at 106 and No. 4 at 132 Brady Fritz won his match against Jim Chism also by first-period pin.

Van Dyke said even against Ballard, his guys didn’t lack for energy in the matches, they just weren’t able to pull out wins in the swing matches.

“I don’t think anyone lost a match on effort or heart,” Van Dyke said. “Those five wins we had were solid, we dominated all positions there. Go back to Atlantic and we had seven or eight guys who competed really well and we won the swing matches in that dual but we didn’t against Ballard so that makes it tough.”

Rosenburg actually had a fantastic day on the mat, adding his win over Hofbauer to a dominant performance against Altantic/CAM’s Marcus Duranceau by first-round pin. Rosenburg is one of six wrestlers competing in the district tournament this weekend, and he said this was a good meet to have before heading to districts.

“I feel like we needed this because more live work makes me better prepared, so it was good,” Rosenburg said.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • South Tama County senior Brady Fritz, top, works on turning Ballard’s Jim Chism over for a pin during their match at 132 pounds on Tuesday in the regional dual finals. Fritz went on to pin Chism in the first period.

Rosenburg, Judge, and Vest all won both of their matches on the day, while Fritz and Mario Moncada went 1-1 and Tanner Probasco won his only tilt. Moncada’s only loss came wrestling up at heavyweight, while Rosenburg, Judge and Vest all won matches at two weight classes. Fritz’s only loss came to Atlantic/CAM’s Chase McClaren, who is ranked just behind Fritz at No. 6.

Van Dyke said now the attention turns to those six as they head to districts, and all six looked good in spots.

“I thought we looked fine, Fritz lost his first one but other than that technically and things like that our shape is fine, we just have to fine tune and continue to fine tune as we go into districts,” Van Dyke said. “That’s our focus right now is those six guys.”

That wasn’t the focus

before Tuesday, however, as the Trojans had circled the state duals meet as a goal for this season. Unfortunately, it is Ballard who heads to Des Moines to take on Williamsburg in the first round next Wednesday, but Van Dyke said you can’t take away the success his team has had this season.

“I said at the beginning of the year that our goal was to make state duals, and we didn’t accomplish that but we still had an excellent season,” he said. “It was our first 20-win season in a long time, that Atlantic dual win of the season.”

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

Now all eyes turn towards districts now, however, and Rosenburg said he is ready to avenge a couple of losses to Trevor Sprague of Saydel.

“I feel pretty good, I am looking to get revenge on the kid who beat me twice last year, so it will be fun,” Rosenburg said.

As for Van Dyke, he said his goals for this weekend are simple.

“Now the goal is to get six to state,” he said.

The Trojans head to Knoxville on Saturday to attempt to accomplish that goal, starting at noon.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

At Ballard

South Tama 36, Atlantic/CAM 30

138: Garrett Arp (STC) dec. Tanner Williamson 4-2; 145: Tanner Probasco (STC) major dec. Colton Mudd 10-2; 152: Colton Vest (STC) pinned Payton Fewson 1:07; 160: Isaac Judge (STC) tech. falled Kenny Jimerson 26-11; 170: Pedro Rodriguez (STC) dec. Connor Pellett 2-0; 182: Dalton Rosenburg (STC) pinned Marcus Duranceau 1:30; 195: Cael Kellogg (STC) dec. Cale Roller 4-2; 220: Mario Moncada (STC) pinned Devin McKay 3:12; 285: John McConkey (A) won by forfeit; 106: Joe Weaver (A) pinned Brody Chyma 2:45; 113: Aybren Moore (A) over (STC) (For.; 120: Steele McLaren (A) dec. Brady Knode 4-0; 126: Kole Hansen (A) pinned Brayden Smith 3:10; 132: Chase McLaren (A) dec. Brady Fritz 8-2.

Ballard 53, South Tama County 26

145: Colton Vest (STC) tech. falled Josh Borg 15-0; 152: Isaac Judge (STC) tech. falled Ben Hokel 22-7; 160: Skyler Noftsger (B) pinned Vincent Brenan 3:17; 170: Tate Battani (B) pinned Pedro Rodriguez 3:02; 182: Ben Lee (B) pinned Payton Vest 3:04; 195: Dalton Rosenburg (STC) major dec. Joseph Hofbauer 12-2; 220: Josh Detar (B) pinned Cael Kellogg :37; 285: Colin Anderson (B) pinned Mario Moncada 4:17; 106: Brody Chyma (STC) pinned Jordan Thomas 1:15; 113: Elijah Colliflower (B) won by forfeit; 120: Alex Bangs (B) tech. falled Brady Knode 18-0; 126: Gage Long (B) pinned Brayden Smith 3:12; 132: Brady Fritz (STC) pinned Jim Chism 1:47; 138: Jarrett Miller (B) pinned Adrian Nunez :19.

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