Immediately following his 9-1 dusting of 10th-ranked Jack Showalter of Hampton-Dumont/CAL last night, the Webster City junior rushed to his feet and sprinted toward the Lynx crowd with both hands cupped around this ears. He then used his arms to gesture for the crowd to get to its feet before he raced back to the center of the mat and shook hands with Showalter.

Phetxoumphone wasn’t showing off or showing up Showalter. He just wanted to get the small WCHS crowd — thanks a lot, COVID-19 — energized.

“We’ve got to get the crowd moving and loud because it’s awkward when it gets quiet,” Phetxoumphone, who hasn’t lost since the consolation semifinals of the 2019 state tournament nearly 23 months ago, said. “And we just need to get louder as a team and support everybody.”

Quiet or energized, WCHS had no problems with the Bulldogs. The Lynx ripped off four pins in the opening five bouts and won half of the 14 weights by fall to take the North Central Conference dual, 52-24, inside the WCHS gymnasium.

Top-ranked 113-pounder Cam Phetxoumphone (top) controls No. 10 Jack Showalter of Hampton-Dumont/CAL in a 9-1 win last night. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Make no mistake, this was a solid victory. HDC (5-3, 1-3 NCC) won the Jim Kinyon Invitational in Story City last month and also took out Humboldt in a league dual earlier this season. But the Bulldogs didn’t match up well with WCHS (5-2, 4-1 NCC). For the most part, where they were good, the Lynx were just a little bit — or a lot — better.

“They’ve put up some big wins, so I’m just happy with everything we’re doing right now,” WCHS head coach Chad Hisler said. “Even the matches we lost, we were in them and competitive. They’ve been working hard and doing the little things they need to do to be a championship team and we just need to keep getting better.”

The Lynx took nine of the 14 weights and eight of the 13 contested matches — HDC avoided eighth-ranked Chase Rattenborg (132) and offered up a forfeit — to go along with a 25-9 edge in bonus points. They had seven more takedowns (17-10) and scored 10 more match points (47-37).

Phetxoumphone, the 2020 Class 2A state gold medalist at 106, was just glad to get a six-minute match, something he rarely sees. He had no issues with Showalter other than turning the lanky Bulldog. Phetxoumphone notched four takedowns, but was never able to score back points during more than three minutes on top.

“I really wanted to turn him, but he’s long,” Phetxoumphone said. “I’m still moving into the 113-pound weight class and I’m learning how the tilt feels and how to work my way around to make shots easier.”

Sixth-ranked Carson Doolittle takes Hampton-Dumont/CAL’s Jayson Stevens on a ride at 106 pounds last night. Doolittle won by fall. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

CJ Hisler (182), Dylan Burnette-Bingham (195), Trey Shannon (220) and sixth-ranked Carson Doolittle (106) started the pin fest with four in a five-bout span at the start of the dual to put WCHS comfortably in front. Burnette-Bingham connected on a lateral drop to deck Tate Schmitt and that brought his teammates to their feet.

Brayden Henely (120) followed Phetxoumphone’s win with a quick fall of his own and Rattenborg’s forfeit put WCHS in front 40-6 to clinch the dual.

Austin Mason (138) put in one of the best performances for WCHS in a losing effort. He dominated the opening five minutes against previously ranked Jakyb Kapp and led 4-1 when he got out of position for just a moment and was reversed to his back.

“You always want to put it in their face when they bump up and Austin did that,” Hisler said. “He’s in every match he wrestles, but we just have to cut down on those mistakes and he can be really good.”

Jordan Vankham (145) answered the loss for WCHS with a first-period fall, and two bouts later Brady Jessen (160) did the same.

Webster City’s Jordan Vankham (top) works for the fall against Hampton-Dumont/CAL’s Carter Hobson last night. Vankham eventually heard the slap of the mat, as he won the 145-pound bout in 1:15. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Four dual victories in three nights is just what WCHS needed entering Saturday’s Dick Kennedy Duals.

“We’re just gunning for the top,” Phetxoumphone said. “We know we have the potential to be conference champs and we have nothing to lose.”

Algona and Greene County will join the Lynx on Saturday. Wrestling will get started at 10 a.m inside the WCHS gymnasium.

Webster City 52, H-D/CAL 24

Thursday at Webster City

Reece Sadler clutches the ankle during a scramble against Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Tomas Cavazos at 126 pounds last night. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

182 — CJ Hisler (WC) pinned Bryan Flores, 1:27 (6-0). 195 — Dylan Burnette-Bingham (WC) pinned Tate Schmitt, 2:41 (12-0). 220 — Trey Shannon (WC) pinned Isaac Heilskov, 1:11 (18-0). 285 — Carter Heilskov (HDC) dec. Landon Griffin, 3-2 (18-3). 106 — Carson Doolittle (WC) pinned Jayson Stevens, 4:52 (24-3). 113 — Cam Phetxoumphone (WC) maj dec Jack Showalter, 9-1 (28-3). 120 — Brayden Henely (WC) pinned Carson Hisler, 1:13 (34-3). 126 — Tomas Cavazos (HDC) dec Reece Sadler, 8-5 (34-6). 132 — Chase Rattenborg (WC) forfeit (40-6). 138 — Jakyb Kapp (HDC) pinned Austin Mason, 5:16 (40-12). 145 — Jordan Vankham (WC) pinned Carter Hobson, 1:15 (46-12). 152 — Carl Barkema (HDC) pinned Evan Estlund, 2:22 (46-18). 160 — Brady Jessen (WC) pinned Tristan Kurth, 0:38 (52-18). 170 — Braden Hansen (HDC) pinned Skyler Scott, 4:31 (52-24).