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Titans push all 4 through

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Joel Mendoza of Eagle Grove wrestles in a consolation final at state last season. Mendoza is returning to Des Moines this year.

MAPLETON — South Central Calhoun sent four wrestlers to a Class 1A district meet here Saturday. And all four punched tickets to state.

Jordan Khommanyvong, Blake McAlister and Brian King earned district titles, with Kevin King advancing as a runner-up.

McAlister will be making his second trip in as many seasons to state after qualifying as a freshman. The No. 6 160-pounder scored a pair of falls to improve to 44-3 on the year and 81-14 overall.

In the semifinals, McAlister put Devin Monahan of West Monona on his back in 1:29, following that performance up with a third period fall vs. Teegan Tschampel of Hinton in 4:56.

Khommanyvong, a junior, earned his first trip to state at 138 by downing Kaden Broer of West Monona, 8-2, and Hunter Hanner from Westwood, 11-2.

After reaching districts last year with 30 wins, Khommanyvong will head to state 34-3 this season and with 104 career victories.

“The feeling of winning is great, but the feeling of winning districts and going to state is amazing,” Khommanyvong said. “Last year was a little heart breaker due to an injury, so getting to state this year is awesome.

“This really was a good day considering winning and making it to state not only for myself but for Kevin, Blake and Brian also. I’m really pumped about all four of us making it. We all just feed each other’s fire.”

Brian King punched his first state trip after also reaching this round last year. The senior bested Megaeska Kalskett from West Monona in the semis, 10-5, and pinned Logan Smith from Akron-Westfield for the title.

King now owns a record of 42-8 and 130 wins in a Titan singlet.

Kevin King, a sophomore, secured his first state trip after reaching districts last year. The 113-pounder downed Missouri Valley’s Andrew Bowman, 9-7, before falling to Sean Thompson of Logan-Magnolia, 3-0.

Thanks to his win over Bowman, King heads to state 42-5 and with a career mark of 78-16.

East Sac County’s Nate Thomsen dominated his way to the 132-pound title, earning a major decision and fall.

Thomsen, now 42-4, topped Sam Kyle of Missouri Valley, 13-1, and stuck Logan-Magnolia’s Brady Thompson in 2:52 for gold.

Kipp Corbin came up just short, placing third at heavyweight, with Sterling Rodman finishing fourth at 170. Corbin went 25-8 this year and Rodman 28-15.

Eagle Grove’s Mark Dawson and Joel Mendoza will have the opportunity to add to their 90 wins this season as Class 1A state qualifiers out of Sioux Rapids.

Dawson won the 145-pound bracket here Saturday at districts, while Mendoza captured gold at 220.

Thanks to a 6-5 decision over Reed Abbas from Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, Dawson, ranked seventh, will head to state 51-4 on the year. He picked up a technical fall in the semifinals.

Mendoza (39-4), rated second, pinned Hull Western Christian’s Levi Vanden Bos in the semis in 1:44 before downing Sibley-Ocheyedan’s Alberto Ortiz for the title, 7-1.

Jacob Graham and returning state placewinner Gabe Rolon finished third each for the Eagles, with Josh Graham placing fourth. Jacob Graham ended the year 12-15, Rolon 39-8 and Josh Graham 29-28.

Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, which also advanced to state duals in Des Moines, pushed through three qualifiers.

Garrett Seaba captured gold at 152 pounds, while Tyler Stein and Abbas advanced as runner-ups.

Seaba (38-10) claimed two falls on the day, pinning Cormick Currans of Graettinger-Terril/R-A in 2:44 and Seth Salker from West Sioux in 5:24.

Stein claimed a wrestleback via fall over in 1:20 to earn his spot to go along with a tech fall. Abbas moved on thanks to his semifinal victory over Dillon Lynott of West Sioux, as he advanced with a record of 39-9.

Remington Hanson and Kain Nelson were third for the Cowboys, with Cale Kirstein, Cael Ahrens and Camden Hanson finishing fourth each.

Dane Johnson kept his year going by winning the heavyweight division with a pair of falls for Pocahontas Area. Johnson stuck Jose Rodriguez of West Sioux in the finals in 3:50 to improve to 39-5.

Tyce Ruffridge and Thomas Melohn came up just short, dropping wrestleback matches for second, with Keaton Bindel finishing fourth. Ruffridge went 35-12, Melohn 38-19 and Bindel 13-14.

John Schuttler will head to state at 195 for Manson Northwest Webster after placing second. Schuttler, 41-6 on the year, earned a major in the semis vs. Kyler Bak of West Sioux before falling to Hull Western Christian’s Eli Van Ginkel, 6-5.

Carson Collins, Daniel Thoma, Christopher Krueger and Brodie Anderson were all third for the Cougars, with Ian Kohnen and Grant Calmer finishing fourth.

Collins went 40-7 this season, Thoma 31-14, Kruger 37-11, Anderson 39-9, Kohnen 34-18 and Calmer 16-12.

West Bend-Mallard continues to add to its state wrestling history books, as Donavon Hanson and Connor Fehr punched tickets.

Hanson won a wrestleback at 106 pounds and is 28-3, while Fehr moved through at 170 and is 30-9.

Logan Studer finished fourth at heavyweight for the Wolverines, going 29-14.

North Union’s Trevor Kruse and Jake Anderson came up short, as both finished third. Kruse ended the year 29-6 and Anderson 6-13.

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