Clutching the medal he had just received in both hands, he simply stared at it, transfixed by its beauty. Then he shook it just to make sure it was real.

It was.

“It’s gold. It’s gold! State champion, baby,” Phetxoumphone said to everyone and to no none at the same time. “It can’t believe it. This is crazy.”

What had seemed like destiny all season for the consensus top-ranked 106-pounder in Class 2A became reality in front of another packed to the rafters arena full of wrestling fans, as Phetxoumphone capped an unbeaten season with a state championship.

Cam Phetxoumphone (right) has his Class 2A 106-pound state championship gold medal placed around his neck by WCHS assistant coach Billy Bertran Saturday night inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Phetxoumphone was dominant, a theme throughout the three-day tournament, as he blanked second-ranked McKinley Robbins of Greene County, 5-0, to become the sixth Webster City individual to capture state gold. He joined three-time champ Bart Chelesvig (1985-87), two-time winner Jamie Taxted (1996-97), Erik Stroner (1991), Gavin Dinsdale (2016) and Drake Doolittle (2019).

Phetxoumphone — 42-0 on the season and 82-6 in his career — and Chelesvig are the only Lynx grapplers to make it through a season unscathed, a feat Chelesvig pulled off three times. They’re also the only two WCHS sophomores to stand on top of the podium.

All of that is great and Phetxoumphone will surely appreciate it in due time, but all he cared about Saturday night was that he’d accomplished his mission.

“It’s a dream come true,” Phetxoumphone, who gave WCHS its ninth state individual state crown overall, said. “I knew with all of the hard work that I put in, that would get me on top. It’s perfect, just perfect in every way. I finished it off in the best way possible.”

Phetxoumphone handed Robbins (37-2), a supremely talented freshman, his only two losses on the season. Phetxoumphone collected a 7-4 win at the Dallas Center-Grimes Mustang Invite in early December, a bout that was still up for grabs until the closing moments.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Saturday’s rematch offered no such late dramatics.

After a scoreless first period in which both wrestlers played it close to the vest, Phetxoumphone seized the lead for good with 44 seconds remaining in the second with a two-point near-fall courtesy of a tilt that has become his signature move. He was able to ride Robbins out to take a 2-0 advantage into the third.

“Top is my position and I can work on top no matter who it is,” Phetxoumphone said. “I think it’s the amount of pressure I put on.”

Phetxoumphone pushed the edge to 3-0 with an escape just five seconds into the third and then added a takedown with 23 seconds remaining to seal the deal.

The celebration wasn’t reserved either. Phetxoumphone tossed his headgear in celebration, which cost WCHS a relatively meaningless team point, and then raced to the corner to jump into the arms of head coach Chad Hisler and assistant coach Billy Bertran.

Webster City sophomore Cam Phetxoumphone has his hand raised in victory following his 5-0 win over McKinley Robbins of Greene County in the Class 2A 106-pound state final Saturday night in Des Moines. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“It’s an awesome feeling,” Hisler, who has been in the corner for five state finalists and three champions in the past five seasons, said. “Throughout the year, Cam never had an off day. That’s hard to do, wrestle all of those good kids and never have a bad day, but he didn’t.”

Phetxoumphone certainly earned his place. In a span of 32 hours, he dominated the second-, third- and fourth-place medalists. It started with a 4-0 win over longtime North Central Conference rival and bronze medalist Cole Nelson of Humboldt in Friday morning’s quarterfinals, and he followed it up by blitzing fourth-place finisher Derrick Bass of Davenport Assumption by major decision, 11-2, in the semifinals Friday evening.

In four state tournament bouts, Phetxoumphone outscored his foes 27-2 in match points.

“He dominated the tournament,” Hisler said. “He worked hard in the offseason, he works hard during the season, and he went after it. It’s exciting to have a guy like him in our room to motivate other kids to get down here.”

How he ran roughshod over the field shouldn’t have come as a surprise though. It’s what he did throughout the season.

Cam Phetxoumphone jumps into the arms of WCHS coaches Chad Hisler (left) and Billy Bertran after winning a state title on Saturday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Phetxoumphone’s 2019-20 resume includes 34 victories with bonus points attached, including 22 by fall. He went 14-0 against state qualifiers in which he outscored those foes 102-24, and 11-0 against state medalists.

The now two-time state medalist — Phetxoumphone was fifth at 106 in 2019 — says he won’t take much time to bask in his success. It won’t be long before he’ll get back to work. He wants to get bigger, he wants to challenge himself against new opponents, and he wants to continue to push himself to be even better.

“It’d like to go up a few weight classes in the next few years just because I don’t want to be too small,” Phetxoumphone said, alluding to his desire to wrestle collegiately. “Next year it’s probably going to be 113, but it just depends on how much I grow.”

Phetxoumphone will take a 43-match win streak into the 2020-21 season.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

The 42 2020 individual state wrestling champions:

106 — (3A) Ryder Block,

Waverly-Shell Rock; (2A) Cam Phetxoumphone, Webster City; (1A) Gable Porter, Underwood.

113 — (3A) Bailey Roybal, Waverly-Shell Rock; (2A) Carter Fousek, Crestwood; (1A) Marcel Lopez, New London.

120 — (3A) Drake Ayala, Fort Dodge; (2A) Colby Lillegard, Bondurant-Farrar; (1A) Brandon Paez, Lisbon.

126 — (3A) Cullan Schriever, Mason City; (2A) Matthew Lewis, Centerville; (1A) Aidan Noonan, Cascade.

132 — (3A) Hunter Garvin, Iowa City West; (2A) Kayden Kauzlarich, Centerville; (1A) Robert Avila Jr., Lisbon.

138 — (3A) Caleb Rathjen, Ankeny; (2A) Jalen Schropp, Williamsburg; (1A) Cael Happel, Lisbon.

145 — (3A) Graham Gambrall, Iowa City West; (2A) Hayden Taylor, Solon; (1A) Nick Hamilton, Underwood.

152 — (3A) Evan Yant, Waverly-Shell Rock; (2A) Will Esmoil, West Liberty; (1A) Marshall Hauck, Lisbon.

160 — (3A) Ben Kueter, Iowa City High; (2A) Adam Ahrendsen, Union; (1A) Benjamin Smith, Iowa Valley.

170 — (3A) Mickey Griffith, Des Moines Lincoln; (2A) Jax Flynn, Solon; (1A) Ethan Fulcher, Hudson.

182 — (3A) Will Hoeft, Iowa City West; (2A) Sage Walker, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; (1A) Thomas Even, Don Bosco.

195 — (3A) Gabe Christenson, Southeast Polk; (2A) Evan Rosonke, New Hampton/Turkey Valley; (1A) Tate Hagen, West Hancock.

220 — (3A) Brayden Wolf, Waverly-Shell Rock; (2A) Cody Fisher, Woodward-Granger; (1A) Blake Haub, Ogden.

285 — (3A) Griffin Liddle, Bettendorf; (2A) Kaden Sutton, ADM; (1A) Chet Buss, North Butler-Clarksville.

Team Champions — (3A) Waverly-Shell Rock; (2A) Osage; (1A) Don Bosco.

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