April 19, 2024

Robertson, Dunsbergen fail to advance in Class 1A action

By Troy Hyde
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Whose pinning who? Lynnville-Sully freshman Josh Dunsbergen, in blue, is not in charge on this move as Cody Fisher of South Winneshiek scores points on his way to an 14-2 win over Dunsbergen in a Class 1A 106-pound consolation match Thursday at the state wrestling meet in Des Moines. Dunsbergen went 0-2 in his first state meet. (Troy Hyde)

DES MOINES — Both Collins-Maxwell/Baxter junior Charles Robertson and Lynnville-Sully freshman Josh Dunsbergen had never been to the Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships. And neither expected to be eliminated on day one.

Unfortunately for the area grapplers, that’s exactly what happened.

Both Robertson and Dunsbergen draw wrestlers ranked in the top four in the first round but then couldn’t recover in their elimination wrestlebacks at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday.

Robertson was pinned by Class 1A No. 2 Clay Meinders in the second period at 220 pounds.  He was only down 2-1 after one and trailed 4-2 at the time of the pin.

“He was just bigger and stronger than we were. Charles was in it though. He just had a little slip up and a guy that good will take advantage of that,” CMB coach Mike Leslie said.

He got an early takedown and three back points to lead Southwest Iowa’s Bret Blackburn 5-1 after the first period but got put on his back by his own move in the second period.

Blackburn worked his way back into the match with an escape and a takedown and then stuck Robertson with the score tied at 6-all.

Dunsbergen didn’t fare much better at 106.

The young freshman lost 15-1 in the opening round to 1A No. 4 Blake Bauer of Southeast Warren and then struggled to score points in his wrestleback during a 14-2 loss to Cody Fisher of South Winneshiek.

“(Dunsbergen) wrestled that first kid really good, but I’m not sure what happened in the wrestleback,” Lynnville-Sully coach Steve Northcutt said. “He was just as good as that kid who just beat him.

“If he would have wrestled like he did in the first match, he would have won the second one. You have to come to perform in every match, but he may have been down from getting beat. It’s the state tournament though. Anyone can get beat and you have to find a way to pick yourself up and come back.”

It was a short trip to Des Moines for both wrestlers but each will get the chance to return next year. That is the goal for both grapplers moving forward.

“It was my first time and a good experience, but I want to get back here next year,” said Robertson, who finished his season at 24-10. “I learned some things down here and that should help me next year, too.”

Going 0-2 was disappointing, but Leslie hopes his junior wrestler finds a way to use it as motivation for next season.

“I think it will be a big help next year. He looked really good at the end of the year and I hope this gives him the motivation to put in some extra work,” Leslie said. “It was disappointing, but I think he can use the experience to his advantage.”

Northcutt wasn’t sure Dunsbergen showed his best effort in his two matches, but he competed at the state wrestling meet as a freshman and ended his year at 21-14.

“I thought he looked a little flat and had his head down on the mat too much, but I am happy for him that he made the state tournament as a freshman. He’ll learn from this,” Northcutt said.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@newtondailynews.com