Webster City freshman 106-pounder Adison Scott, of course. OK, so later on Saturday it was two-time state champion Cam Phetxoumphone that found himself in a similar position, but it was Scott’s performance in the opening meet at the Grinnell Duals that set the Lynx on a course for perfection.

Holding onto a slim 34-31 lead over Cedar Rapids Prairie, Scott cemented the win in the opening round with a pin over Riley Berk for a 40-31 final, and WCHS went on to run the table to take the team championship. The Lynx followed with victories over Grinnell (62-15), Bondurant-Farrar (38-34), East Marshall (65-9) and Mount Pleasant (74-4).

“It was a great day and everyone wrestled really well,” WCHS head coach Chad Hisler said. “That was a huge win for Adison. He hasn’t been wrestling forever, but he’s working at it and he’s getting better every day. So that was a big deal and it was nice to see that smile on his face. That’s a big confidence booster for a freshman to win in that environment.”

It was a big deal for the entire team, too. WCHS (7-1) was coming off a lackluster 48-23 loss to Ballard just two days earlier and Hisler admitted there was some soul searching in the practice room on Friday. But the Lynx answered the bell.

WCHS junior Jordan Vankham (top) pins Grinnell’s Teylor Doty at 145 pounds on Saturday. Vankham went 5-0 at the Grinnell Duals. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“We had a talk in the room and then (the kids) had a talk amongst themselves,” Hisler said. “They knew we didn’t wrestle well (on Thursday), but we turned it around and wrestled more to our capabilities (on Saturday).”

The win over tournament runner-up Bondurant-Farrar was dramatic as well. The Bluejays took a 34-33 lead courtesy of a 7-6 win for sixth-ranked (Class 3A) Connor Fiser over third-ranked (2A) Carson Doolittle in the second-to-last match. Doolittle evened the score at 6 with a takedown with one minute remaining, but opted to release Fiser for what turned out to be the winning point.

That set the stage for Phetxoumphone, ranked No. 1 at 120, to win the dual against No. 9 Cody Hay in the final tussle.

Hey, it’s good to have a two-time state champion on your side.

With a series of takedowns and tilts, Phetxoumphone blasted through Hay by technical fall, 16-1, in less than two periods.

WCHS heavyweight Landon Griffin (back) looks to lock up a cradle against Bondurant-Farrar’s Hunter Lyman at Saturday’s Grinnell Duals. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“I did the calculations and I knew it was going to be really close and that last match could be the difference,” Phetxoumphone said. “I love that pressure being on me, knowing my whole team is counting on me. It was so fun.”

Phetxoumphone, who is now 128-7 in his career, was one of five Lynx wrestlers to go 5-0 on the day. Jordan Vankham (145), Austin Mason (152), Brady Jessen (160) and Jaxon Cherry (220) were also perfect, and the five-some combined for 14 pins and three technical falls.

“We talked before the season about those other kids besides Cam and Carson, if they can make strides, that’s going to make our team really successful,” Hisler said. “We had a lot of guys do a lot of really good things.”

Ninth-ranked (195) CJ Hisler and Landon Griffin (285) both went 4-1 for the Lynx. Adison Scott, Doolittle, Evan Estlund (170) and Skyler Scott (182) were all 3-2.

Doolittle, a 2021 state bronze medalist, had a frustrating day. Prior to the loss to Fiser, he dropped a 7-2 decision to Prairie’s second-ranked (3A) Blake Gioimo. But Hisler says early-season losses against quality opponents trump quick and easy wins over inferior foes.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“Carson got a little emotional in that match (against Fiser) and that took him out of it,” he said. “But this will be good for him. It’s better to lose a couple matches against good kids than have five matches with pins in the first period.”

Phetxoumphone has no doubt his practice room partner will rebound.

“Carson’s going to learn from this,” Phetxoumphone said. “I think he’s going to get a lot better.”

CJ Hisler’s lone loss came against Bondurant-Farrar’s No. 8-ranked John Powers.

WCHS put together an overall record of 51-19 at the tournament and went 39-19 in contested matches with 32 bonus-point victories, including 27 pins.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Up next is a critical North Central Conference triangular on Thursday in Clear Lake against the Lions and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows.

Grinnell Duals

Saturday at Grinnell

Standings

1. Webster City 5-0; 2. Bondurant-Farrar 4-1; 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie 3-2; 4. Grinnell 2-3; 5. East Marshall 1-4; 6. Mount Pleasant 0-5.

Webster City Dual Results

–Round 1: Beat CR Prairie, 40-31.

–Round 2: Beat Grinnell 62-15.

–Round 3: Beat Bond-Farrar 38-34.

–Round 4: Beat East Marshall 65-9.

–Round 5: Beat Mount Pleasant 74-4.

Webster City Individual Results

106 — Adison Scott 3-2. 113 — Carson Doolittle 3-2. 120 — Cam Phetxoumphone 5-0. 126 — Tristan Mason 2-3. 132 — Cole Reiling 2-3. 138 — Luke Estlund 2-3. 145 — Jordan Vankham 5-0. 152 — Austin Mason 5-0. 160 — Brady Jessen 5-0. 170 — Evan Estlund 3-2. 182 — Skyler Scott 3-2. 195 — CJ Hisler 4-1. 220 — Jaxon Cherry 5-0. 285 — Landon Griffin 4-1.