Lynx rally by DC-G, get handled by Indianola
Doolittle picks up two wins over ranked foes at 120 pounds
INDIANOLA — Drake Doolittle doesn’t get rattled, not by an opponent and certainly not by a deficit. If there’s time left on the clock, the Webster City sophomore is going full throttle until he’s told to stop.
If anyone could handle a daunting night against a pair of highly ranked opponents, it’s Doolittle. But he did more than handle it; he shined.
Doolittle, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A at 120 pounds, knocked off the Nos. 3 and 4 ranked grapplers in 3A inside Blake Fieldhouse last night. The 2016 state bronze medalist at 113 improved to 8-0 on the season.
“Drake can score so many points and he’s good in any position. He’s just never out of a match,” WCHS coach Chad Hisler said.
Doolittle dominated third-ranked Max Tracy of Dallas Center-Grimes in the Lynx opening dual before eventually winning by fall in 4:34. Against Indianola’s fourth-ranked Kobey Pritchard, Doolittle fell behind 8-2 after one period, but staged a furious rally to win, 10-9, on a takedown in the final 20 seconds.
Pritchard, a state medalist at 106 a season ago who wrestles on one leg, hit a granby roll and a tilt in the first period to build the sizable lead. Doolittle trimmed the deficit to 9-6 after two periods and continued to apply the pressure over the final two minutes.
“(Pritchard) is a really good wrestler,” Hisler said. “(Falling behind) was maybe the best thing because Drake kept his composure and battled back.”
Luke Rohmiller, a junior 145-pounder, was the only other WCHS wrestler to win two matches in the non-conference duals. The Lynx (3-1) won the final three weights to rally by Dallas Center-Grimes, 38-31, but were no match for Indianola in a 60-12 loss.
WCHS won eight of the 14 weights against the Mustangs, but had just three victories against the Indians.
“We came out and wrestled well in the first (dual), but then we went up a level against Indianola,” Hisler said. “It wasn’t a lack of effort, but we were just making some mistakes that are definitely fixable.”
WCHS was without top-ranked heavyweight Cooper Lawson, who rested his injured left ankle he sustained last weekend, but James Cherry more than held his own in that spot. Weighing in at 231, Cherry dominated DC-G’s Jacob Comer for a 19-4 technical fall win, and then was locked in a 2-2 tie with fourth-ranked Eagan Lickess in the third period before he ran out of steam. Lickess, who tipped the scales at 283, was able to get the turn and fall in 5:15.
“James had a really good night,” Hisler said.
Rohmiller earned two wins by decision, 7-0 over DC-G’s Luke Fistler and 6-2 over Indianola’s Nick Bonanno.
Also going 1-1 on the night for WCHS were Trey Nelson (106), Carson Hartnett (132), Zane Williams (170), Brandon Peck (182), Rocco Miller (195) and Hunter Collicott (220).
Williams, Peck and Miller claimed the final three weights against DC-G to bring the Lynx back from a 31-23 deficit. Williams decked Bain Broderick in the first period, Peck dominated Ty Chambers for a 10-4 win and Miller had his hand raised on a forfeit.
Nelson, who suffered a narrow 9-7 loss to the Mustangs’ Peyton Braunschweig, rebounded in a big way by sticking Indianola’s Gage Twombly in 43 seconds.
Hartnett also had a pin against DC-G’s Jacob Majava with just 10 seconds remaining in the first period.
Peck was just a few seconds away from a 2-0 night, but suffered a 4-3 setback in the ultimate tiebreaker against Indianola’s Chayton Reif. Forced into a 30-second rideout to win, Peck was called for locked hands with less than 10 seconds remaining.
WCHS will be at home on Saturday to host the Dick Kennedy Memorial Duals at 10 a.m. Also in attendance will be Clear Lake, Pocahontas Area and second-ranked (3A) Southeast Polk.
Webster City 38, DC-Grimes 31
220 — Hunter Collicott (WC) dec. Karter Jorgensen, 5-3 (3-0). 285 — James Cherry (WC) tech fall Jacob Comer, 19-4, 5:04 (8-0). 106 — Peyton Braunschweig (DC-G) dec. Trey Nelson, 9-7 (8-3). Ayden Kovaleski (DC-G) forfeit (9-8). 120 — Drake Doolittle (WC) pinned Max Tracy, 4:34 (14-9). 126 — Drew Kearney (DC-G) maj. dec. Brady Auderer, 13-4 (14-13). 132 — Carson Hartnett (WC) pinned Jacob Majava, 1:50 (20-13). 138 — Bryce Murano (DC-G) pinned Sean Godfredsen, 1:24 (20-19). 145 — Luke Rohmiller (WC) dec. Luke Fistler, 7-0 (23-19). 152 — Zane Mulder (DC-G) pinned Harrison Hayes, 1:34 (25-23). 160 — Ben Fisher (DC-G) pinned Carter Bedford, 2:17 (31-23). 170 — Zane Williams (WC) pinned Bain Broderick, 1:34 (31-29). 182 — Brandon Peck (WC) dec. Ty Chambers, 10-4 (32-31). 195 — Rocco Miller (WC) forfeit (38-31).
Indianola 60, Webster City 12
285 — Eagan Lickess (IN) pinned Cherry, 5:15 (6-0). 106 — Nelson (WC) pinned Gage Twombly, 0:43 (6-6). 113 — Connor Sexton (IN) forfeit (12-6). 120 — Doolittle (WC) dec. Kobey Pritchard, 10-9 (12-9). 126 — Jordan Henry (IN) pinned Auderer, 3:23 (18-9). 132 — Lance Runyon (IN) pinned Hartnett, 5:37 (24-9). 138 — Zach Fisher (IN) pinned Godfredsen, 3:55 (30-9). 145 — Rohmiller (WC) dec. Nick Bonanno, 6-2 (30-12). 152 — Hunter VanderWaal (IN) dec. Hayes, 7-5 (33-12). 160 — Brayden Elbert (IN) pinned Bedford, 2:46 (39-12). 170 — Kade Kolarik (IN) pinned Williams, 2:59 (45-12). 182 — Chayton Reif (IN) dec. Peck, 4-3, UTB (48-12). 195 — Reece Bowlin (IN) pinned Miller, 5:24 (54-12). 220 — Sam Wolff (IN) pinned Collicott, 2:52 (60-12).