WEBSTER CITY – Ranked No. 12 in the nation by InterMat, it’s not always easy for Southeast Polk to find wrestling tournaments where it’s welcomed with open arms.

Host schools like to compete for titles. And with the Rams in the field, well, that’s usually thrown out the window.

But Webster City happily welcomed Southeast Polk into the ninth annual Dick Kennedy Memorial Duals on Saturday and as the main attraction the guests went out and lived up to the lofty billing.

Outscoring their three foes by a combined count of 202-31, the Rams claimed the team crown over runner-up Webster City, as well as Clear Lake and Ankeny. In the final round that also served as the de facto championship dual, Southeast Polk – No. 3 in Class 3A in the Predicament’s team dual rankings – won 11 of 14 weights and cruised by the Lynx, 63-12.

“We’re super thankful that Webster City would have us because not everybody would do that,” Southeast Polk head coach Jason Christensen said. “I’ve been in wrestling for a long time and I knew Dick … he was a great man and a great coach, so it’s an honor for us to be here.”

The final dual notwithstanding, WCHS was relatively pleased with its performance, which included wins over Ankeny (57-24) and Clear Lake (38-31). The team compiled 21 victories, 10 coming by fall.

“We went 2-1 and lost to a team that is usually nationally ranked, so we’ll take that,” WCHS coach Chad Hisler said. “Even in that last dual, we got some good matches in and I liked the attitudes that the kids took. They went out and battled and competed.”

The poster boy for Southeast Polk’s success was two-time state champion and Oklahoma State recruit Ethan Andersen, who is top-ranked at 220 pounds in the state’s largest class and No. 4 nationally. In the day’s feature match, he showed why he was sought after by multiple colleges by handling fellow No. 1-ranked (2A) Gavin Dinsdale, a WCHS senior. Andersen, who is 105-1 since the start of his sophomore season, notched 10 takedowns before putting Dinsdale on his back for the fall in 2:49.

It was Dinsdale’s first loss of the season, but he wasn’t angry. It was more like wowed.

“He came out and took it to me,” Dinsdale said. “He has such a nasty outside single … he’s just a great wrestler. But this will help me. It shows me I’m not on top of the world.”

Christensen has had a front row seat for all of Andersen’s dominant showings, but even he was impressed with the latest one.

“That match was the best I’ve seen him wrestle probably in two years, including his state finals match (in 2015),” Christensen said. “He’s a special talent and when he’s on, he’s lightning. He’s one of the best kids in the country for a reason.”

WCHS ended the day on a high, as freshman 113-pounder Drake Doolittle remained unbeaten with a 9-4 victory over the Rams’ sixth-ranked Gauge Perrien. Doolittle put Perrien on his back in the second period and again in the third to pull away.

Doolittle piled up 14 takedowns in back-to-back first-period pins in his earlier matches.

“I thought I wrestled well, but I still need to improve a little more on my feet and defending my legs,” Doolittle said. “(In the final match) I had my adrenaline going and I just kept going forward.”

Experienced beyond his years, Doolittle caught the attention of his teammates.

“That kid is a stud,” senior 160-pounder Ryan Ferrari, the only other WCHS grappler to finish the day 3-0, said. “His pace, he just doesn’t stop, and he doesn’t care who he’s wrestling. He’s got a bright future, that’s for sure.”

Ferrari bounced back nicely after what he considered a sub-par performance at the previous weekend’s DC-G Mustang Invite where he placed sixth. The returning state qualifier went on the attack Saturday, finishing off his first two bouts with first-period falls in 54 and 35 seconds. He scored a takedown and two-point near fall in the first period en route to a 4-0 win over the Rams’ Gavin Babcock.

“(The DC-G Invite) sucked,” Ferrari said matter-of-factly. “I was doubting myself and I was wrestling not to lose off the pressure from last year. But my coaches talked to me and now I’m just having fun.”

Carson Hartnett (120), Cole Nokes (126), Luke Rohmiller (132), Rocco Miller (195), Dinsdale and fourth-ranked Cooper Lawson (285) all went 2-1. Trey Nelson (106), Carter Rholl (145) and Caleb Olson (170) had their arms raised once.

Miller was particularly key in the tight dual against Clear Lake, as his 8-5 decision over Kade Hambley put WCHS up for good at 26-25. He also decked Ankeny’s Ryan Gordon.

“All of those kids that don’t have much experience – Olson, (Hunter) Hayes and Miller – were all fighting and looking to score points,” Hisler said. “They’re coachable, they keep working hard and I just think we’re going to see them continue to improve.”

WCHS will be in Humboldt on Thursday where the North Central Conference dual title could very well be decided. The Lynx will come face to face with No. 1-ranked (2A) Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and Humboldt, as well as Pocahontas Area in a non-conference confrontation.

Wrestling will get underway at 5 p.m.