Phetxoumphone, a Webster City sophomore and the No. 1-ranked 106-pounder in Class 2A, is used to that tactic. He’s a small guy, even by 106-pound standards, but he’s learned to counter the brutish approach with skill and technique.

And his bread and butter tilt.

Phetxoumphone gave up an opening-period takedown to the fourth-ranked Nelson in the title bout, but a takedown of his own and a two-point tilt in the second put the WCHS grappler in command. Phetxoumphone gave up a late takedown, but it was too little, too late for Nelson, who suffered his third loss of the season to Phetxoumphone, 6-4.

Phetxoumphone, who became the 18th WCHS wrestler to win multiple NCC titles, wasn’t overly thrilled with his performance. Still, standing on top of the podium once again allowed him to shake off whatever frustration he felt.

WCHS freshman CJ Hisler (top) is unable to complete a reversal in the closing moments of the 170-pound final at Saturday’s NCC tournament in Iowa Falls. Hisler took second following a 13-12 loss to Iowa Falls-Alden’s Kyler Hadwiger. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“It feels all right I guess,” he said after improving to 27-0 on the season with two wins on the day. “I wish I had a better mindset in that moment, but I just need to keep on working.”

Nelson attempted to stay out of the bottom position by choosing neutral to start the second period, but his game plan went out the window when Phetxoumphone got to his legs early in the stanza. Nelson was staring at the lights a few seconds later and Phetxoumphone was in front to stay.

“He knows (the tilt) is coming every single time, so I knew he was going to pick neutral,” Phetxoumphone said. “I just try to win every position and prove that I’m better at those positions.”

Phetxoumphone, who built a 20-5 lead before he decked St. Edmond’s Ronnie Oress in three minutes in the semifinal round, pushed the Lynx streak of having at least one league gold medalist to nine consecutive seasons. Freshman CJ Hisler (170) attempted to join him later in the finals, but dropped a wild 13-12 decision to Iowa Falls-Alden’s Kyler Hadwiger — a match in which both wrestlers found themselves fighting off their backs.

Hisler fell behind 7-1 in the first period, but a takedown and turn in the second closed the gap to 9-8 going into the third. Hisler notched a pair of takedowns in the final period and held a 12-11 lead, but Hadwiger was able to score the go-ahead points on a reversal with seven seconds remaining.

WCHS 152-pounder Evan Estlund (left) dumps Hampton-Dumont’s Tate Schmitt to the mat at Saturday’s NCC tournament in Iowa Falls. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“It was a good day for CJ,” Chad Hisler said. “He’s been tentative at times, but he didn’t give up. He came back, he got ahead and he battled.”

WCHS had 11 wrestlers place among the top six at their respective weights, but it wasn’t an easy day. The Lynx finished in sixth place and their 1111⁄2 points accrued was their lowest total since a 108-point performance in 2005.

WCHS went just 2-9 in the quarterfinal round and found itself in seventh place, ahead of only St. Edmond, at various times during the tournament. But with such a young squad, Chad Hisler says he expected some growing pains.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys and it’s good to be in this environment,” he said. “After Iowa Falls won the (team) title, I told them that’s what we need to be going for over the next few years.

“There were at least four matches that we just gave away. I don’t know if we got caught up in the moment, but hopefully we learn from it and don’t make those mistakes the next time.”

WCHS heavyweight Trey Shannon works for the fall against Humboldt’s Josh Beldin on Saturday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Evan Estlund (152) and Trey Shannon (285) both had solid outings en route to bronze medals.

Estlund won three of four matches, his lone setback coming against eventual champion Garrett Seaba of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows in the semifinal found. He capped his day with a dominant 9-4 decision over Tate Schmitt of Hampton-Dumont in the consolation final.

Shannon, who was undersized at heavyweight, cranked out a pair of falls and played a role in denying CGD the team crown late in the tournament with a 5-0 win over the Cowboys’ Daniel Chavez in the third-place match.

“Evan and Trey both had really good days and wrestled well,” Chad Hisler said. “We had a lot of guys come back and get wins in fifth-place matches too.”

Brayden Henely (113) and Reece Sadler (120) both won by fall to take fifth, and Nick Gasca (145) joined them with a technical fall in the placing round.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Chase Rattenborg (132) settled for fourth place. Jordan Vankham (138), Dylan Burnette (195) and Broden Miller (220) were all sixth.

As a team, WCHS went 15-26 on the mat.

NCC Tournament

Saturday at Iowa Falls

Team Standings

1. Iowa Falls-Alden 198 1/2; 2. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 192 1/2; 3. Humboldt 187 1/2; 4. Hampton-Dumont 175; 5. Algona 158; 6. Webster City 111 1/2; 7. Clear Lake 102; 8. St. Edmond 14.

Championship Matches

106 — Cam Phetxoumphone (WC) dec. Cole Nelson (HUM), 6-4. 113 — Jack Showalter (H-D) dec. Tyler Stein (CGD), 5-1. 120 — Cresten Craven (HUM) dec. Jakyb Kapp (H-D), 5-1. 126 — Jack Ites (IF-A) dec. Tomas Cavazos (H-D), 5-3. 132 — Jaycob Martzahn (H-D) maj. dec. Conner Morey (CL), 11-1. 138 — Alberto Salmeron (IF-A) dec. Carl Barkema (H-D), 12-7. 145 — Reed Abbas (CGD) pinned Cayden Howland (IF-A), 1:43. 152 — Garrett Seaba (CGD) dec. Riley Burke (IF-A), 9-8. 160 — Levi Naeve (HUM) dec. Thomas Gansen (CL), 4-3. 170 — Kyler Hadwiger (IF-A) dec. CJ Hisler (WC), 13-12. 182 — Logan Nilles (HUM) dec. Bryan Flores (H-D), 5-2. 195 — Cole Lewis (ALG) dec. Dylan Krukenberg (CL), 7-3. 220 — Andrew Hamilton (ALG) dec. Colton Goodell (HUM), 7-5. 285 — McKade Eisentrager (IF-A) pinned Gavin Meints (ALG), 4:47.

Webster City Results

106 — Cam Phetxoumphone 2-0, 1st. 113 — Brayden Henely 1-2, 5th. 120 — Reece Sadler 1-2, 5th. 126 — Ryan Zeutlau 0-2, DNP. 132 — Chase Rattenborg 1-2, 4th. 138 — Jordan Vankham 1-3, 6th. 145 — Nick Gasca 2-2, 5th. 152 — Evan Estlund 3-1, 3rd. 160 — Cole Bingham 0-2, DNP. 170 — CJ Hisler 1-1, 2nd. 182 — Truman Klein 0-2, DNP. 195 — Dylan Burnette 0-3, 6th. 220 — Broden Miller 0-3, 6th. 285 — Trey Shannon 3-1, 3rd.