WRESTLING: Evans, Patten leave Boone Invite with gold; Lynx fifth overall

BOONE - The two-week holiday break was exactly what Josh Evans needed to recharge his batteries and get in the proper mindset for the stretch run of the wrestling season. The proof is in the results.

For whatever reason, since returning from the extended hiatus, Webster City's senior heavyweight has been on the attack. He's won his last seven matches - five of those coming by fall - including three straight on Saturday en route to his first tournament title at the Boone Invitational.

"Ever since we've come back from break, I've really liked the way Josh has been wrestling," Webster City head coach Ted Larson said. "He's aggressive and he's confident and he has so much potential if he can keep this ball rolling."

Sophomore 112-pounder Tyler Patten also grabbed the gold on Saturday, helping Webster City place fifth overall with 147 points in the 10-team field. Dallas Center-Grimes took the team title with 189.5 points, followed by Cedar Rapids Kennedy (183.5), Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove (177.5) and Spencer (155).

The tournament seedings were anything but kind to the Lynx, as a handful of grapplers were forced into pig-tail matches. It translated into a tumultuous first round that left the squad near the back of the pack.

"We've wrestled some real tough competition this year, so we had some kids that came in with losing records and that wasn't good for seeding," Larson said. "So that first round was brutal on us, but I was really proud of our guys because they picked themselves back up and rallied. We kept fighting and working to move up, and that's hard to do."

Ten Lynx placed among the top six at their weights. Tyler Raygor (119) and Caleb Kennedy (145) claimed bronze medals. It was a much-needed jolt of confidence for Kennedy, who won three of four matches.

"It was huge for Caleb because he's been pretty down on himself," Larson said. "He had more than one close match that he came out on top in, and I'm proud of how he's picked himself up and he's fighting back."

Evans, who improved to 15-5 on the season, hammered Spencer Emmerson of West Des Moines Dowling by major decision, 12-3, in the championship round. He opened his day with a pin and later won a five-point decision.

Patten (17-2), fifth-ranked in Class 2A at 112, captured his 10th, 11th and 12th victories in a row. He stuck his first two foes and then put on a clinic in the finals with a technical fall win in 5:25 over Shane Williams of Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

"Tyler really wrestled well and he made it look a lot easier than it was," Larson said. "Right now I think we've turned the corner here a little bit with him, but we're not all the way there yet."

Freshman Joey Powers (125) and senior Nate Sego (215) also reached the consolation finals. Both finished the day 2-2.

Webster City will put all of its focus on its return meeting with 2A second-ranked Clear Lake in a Thursday night dual in Clear Lake. The North Central Conference leading Lions schooled the Lynx, 56-15, back on Dec. 13 at the Dick Kennedy Memorial Duals in Webster City.

Webster City was the last conference team to knock off Clear Lake. That Lynx win came one year ago.