All in all, that’s not bad. But Lynx head coach Chad Hisler walked away wondering how much better it could have been.

WCHS settled for a split, which pushed the squad into the conference win column for the first time. The Lynx dropped a 39-33 decision to Algona, but rebounded to take down Clear Lake in the nightcap, 49-30. Algona went home with the sweep following a 49-23 dismantling of Clear Lake in the middle dual.

Hisler was happy with what he saw out of his team against the Lions, but the veteran leader felt the Lynx had a chance to pick off Algona and simply didn’t convert.

“It was a good night, but I thought we left a dual out there,” he said. “I’ll take the blame for that. I didn’t have the guys ready to come out and wrestle against Algona because there were several matches that could have gone the other way. We rebounded against Clear Lake though and looking at it from the beginning of the year until now, we’re getting better.”

WCHS heavyweight Trey Shannon (left) works out of the tie against Algona’s Gavin Meints last night inside the WCHS competition gymnasium. DFJ photo/Brendan Hoffman

Top-ranked 106-pounder Cam Phetxoumphone — now 12-0 on the season — spent a blink-and-you-might-miss-it 34 seconds on the mat in his two matches, both pins over Algona’s Joel Lentsch in 18 seconds and Clear Lake’s Marcus Skidmore in 16 seconds. Brayden Henely (113), Chase Rattenborg (132), Nick Gasca (145), Evan Estlund (152) and CJ Hisler (170) joined the team’s leader with two wins.

Henely, Rattenborg and Gasca all collected the maximum points for the Lynx. They combined to pile up four falls and two wins by forfeit.

Codey Berg (126), Dylan Burnette (195) and Trey Shannon (285) all went 1-1.

Algona (7-1, 5-1 NCC) captured eight of the 14 weights against WCHS (4-5, 1-3 NCC), five of them by fall. The Lynx accumulated four pins and matched the Bulldogs in bonus points, 15-all.

WCHS turned the tide against Clear Lake (4-9, 1-3 NCC) by taking nine of the weights. The Lynx were the beneficiaries of 12 free points on forfeits.

Brayden Henely looks for the fall during his 113-pound bout against Algona’s Jacob Zabka last night. Henely, a Webster City freshman, finished Zabka off in 30 seconds and later picked up a forfeit victory against Clear Lake. He was one of six Lynx wrestlers to finish 2-0 on the night. DFJ photo/Brendan Hoffman

Shannon ignited the momentum with a fall in the second match at heavyweight, and the Lynx lightweight duo of Phetxoumphone and Henely pushed the lead to 18-6. Rattenborg and Gasca added falls, and a 23-12 major decision for Estlund upped the cushion to 40-18.

CJ Hisler gritted out a 3-2 decision over Conner O’Tool and Burnette collected his first varsity win on the mat with a fall of his own.

WCHS will close out the pre-Christmas portion of its schedule at Saturday’s Don Miller Invite in Fort Dodge, always one of the team’s tougher challenges during the winter months.

“Our kids need to be challenged and wrestle tough matches,” Chad Hisler said. “Tournaments like this get you ready for what’s coming down the pipe later.”

Algona 39, Webster City 33

WCHS 220-pound wrestler Broden Miller stares down his opponent last night. The Lynx split duals against Algona and Clear Lake. DFJ photo/Brendan Hoffman

182 — Spencer Long (A) pinned Truman Klein, 1:58 (6-0). 195 — Cole Lewis (A) pinned Dylan Burnette, 0:25 (12-0). 220 — Andrew Hamilton (A) pinned Broden Miller, 0:48 (18-0). 285 — Gavin Meints (A) dec. Trey Shannon, 7-3 (21-0). 106 — Cam Phetxoumphone (WC) pinned Joel Lentsch, 0:18 (21-6). 113 — Brayden Henely (WC) pinned Jacob Zabka, 0:30 (21-12). 120 — Reece Eakins (A) dec. Reece Sadler, 4-0 (24-12). 126 — Hayden Thompson (A) dec. Codey Berg, 5-2 (27-12). 132 — Chase Rattenborg (WC) forfeit (27-18). 138 — Gavin Bowman (A) pinned Austin Mason, 4:56 (33-18). 145 — Nick Gasca (WC) pinned Brandon Harris, 4:13 (33-24). 152 — Evan Estlund (WC) dec. Hunter Berry, 7-5, SV-1 (33-27). 160 — Luke McKenna (A) pinned Cole Bingham, 5:02 (39-27). 170 — CJ Hisler (WC) pinned Collin Murphy, 1:49 (39-33).

Webster City 49, Clear Lake 30

220 — Dylan Kruckenberg (CL) pinned Miller, 0:23 (0-6). 285 — Shannon (WC) pinned Alex Flickinger, 0:055 (6-6). 106 — Phetxoumphone (WC) pinned Marcus Skidmore, 0:16 (12-6). 113 — Henely (WC) forfeit (18-6). 120 — Max Currier (CL) pinned Sadler, 4:44 (18-12). 126 — Berg (WC) forfeit (24-12). 132 — Rattenborg (WC) pinned Conner Morey, 3:49 (30-12). 138 — Isaiah Smith (CL) pinned Ryan Zutleau, 1:35 (30-18). 145 — Gasca (WC) pinned Anthony Aragon, 3:07 (36-18). 152 — Estlund (WC) maj. dec. Sasha Hrubes, 23-12 (40-18). 160 — Thomas Gansen (CL) pinned Bingham, 2:48 (40-24). 170 — Hisler (WC) dec. Conner O’Tool, 3-2 (43-24). 182 — Hunter Trenary (CL) pinned Klein, 4:26 (43-30). 195 — Burnette (WC) pinned Austin Larson, 2:37 (49-30).