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9 to medal in 1A

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Donavon Hanson of West Bend-Mallard celebrates on Friday in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — The goal of a state championship was taken away from a handful of area wrestlers here Friday, but many made sure to position themselves for medals.

Nine Class 1A athletes will compete Saturday inside Wells Fargo Arena in consolation semifinal and finals.

Eagle Grove’s Joel Mendoza and South Central Calhoun’s Blake McAlister advanced to the final four of their respective weight classes during the last session, but were unable to take that next step.

Mendoza, a senior who earned the top-seed at 220 pounds, was topped by Ogden’s Blake Haub, 4-2. He had posted a fall in the quarterfinals over Tanner Hagen from West Hancock.

A fifth place finisher last year, Mendoza will try to improve upon that performance. He is currently 41-5 on the season.

Mark Dawson, a senior teammate of Mendoza’s, fell in the quarters at 145 to Lawson Losee of Riceville, 8-6, and was bounced by Gabe McGeough from MFL-MarMac by fall.

McAlister, a sophomore, worked his way to the 160-pound semis before being upended by Iowa Valley’s Benjamin Smith, 7-3. Earlier in the day, the Titan downed Trystin Ross of Colfax-Mingo, 6-2.

A returning state qualifier, McAlister is now 46-4 on the year and 83-15 in two years.

Jordan Khommanyvong will give South Central Calhoun a second medalist after surviving at 138 pounds. The junior fell to Dominic Lopez of New London in the quarters, 5-3, but stayed alive with a 12-7 decision over McKade Munn from Nashua-Plainfield.

In the consolation third round, Khommanyvong was pinned by North Linn’s Heath Moyer, dropping him to 36-5 on the year.

Kevin King had his state tourney run come to an end in the consolation second round, falling to Denver’s Joe Ebaugh, 9-0.

All three wrestlers from Clarion-Goldfield/Dows fell in the quarters, with two of them rebounding to secure medals.

Tyler Stein lost to Clayton McDonough of Central Springs, 8-2, but bounced back with a 9-0 major decision over Ryan Steinlage of Interstate 35 at 113 pounds.

Stein fell to North Linn’s Cael Bridgewater in the third round of consolations, 10-8.

Reed Abbas, in his second state tournament, lost in the quarters to Don Bosco’s Cael Rahnavardi, 6-0. he claimed a 7-5 decision over Sumner-Fredericksburg’s Owen Kime to secure a medal before coming up short vs. McGeough, 8-6.

Garrett Seaba came up short in his hopes of claiming a medal. After falling in the quarters to Blake Thomsen of Underwood, 11-1, he lost in the consolations to Bryer Subject from West Hancock, 10-3, ending at 39-12.

It was a strong day for West Bend-Mallard’s Donavon Hanson and Connor Fehr. The two picked up three wins on the consolation side, securing spots as the first medalists in school history.

Hanson scored a 6-2 decision over Quincy Happel of Lisbon at 106 pounds before falling to Mikey Baker from West Sioux, 3-2. The junior is 30-5 overall.

Fehr bested Max Kohl of Lisbon in sudden-victory, 12-10, and Ty Schmidt from Northeast in the ultimate-tiebreaker, 7-6, to improve to 33-10 on the year.

Nate Thomsen from East Sac County will end his prep career on the podium after scoring a pair of consolation wins.

Thomsen, a senior, fell to Easton Larson of Don Bosco in the quarters at 132. He rebounded with a fall in 3:57 vs. Waco-Wayland’s Jalen Collins before topping Isaac Schimmels from Denver, 3-2.

Pocahontas Area’s Dane Johnson will earn a medal after posting two wins in the consolations. Johnson fell in the quarters vs. Chandler Redenius of West Hancock, 3-2.

Johnson, though, bounced back with a pair of pins, besting Louisa-Muscatine’s Gabe Hayes in 5:42 and Kody Timm from Victor-HLV in 4:56.

Manson Northwest Webster senior John Schuttler ended his career in the consolation second round, falling to Treyten Steffen, 9-6. Schuttler went 42-8 this year.

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