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ANKENY — Going from a no-win varsity season as a first-year sophomore to state tournament qualifier, Newton High junior Duncan Lee saw his hard work pay off Saturday.
Lee reached the Class 3A District 1 championship match at 195 pounds. He lost only for the fourth time since the winter break in the title match to fourth-ranked Deion Mikesell of Southeast Polk on a 17-2 technical fall in the third period.
Lee (34-10) advances to the 2015 Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships, which runs Thursday through Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. His first-round draw is Boris Petrusic (24-10) of Johnston. Class 3A action begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
“Duncan has done a great job training all year. It’s amazing to see someone who was 0-8 last year go to the state tournament this season,” said Andy Swedenhjelm, Newton head coach. “He has been a great role model for our team.”
Lee opened the district tournament by pinning Ethan Chipps of host Ankeny Centennial in 3 minutes, 7 seconds. He defeated Devan Mann of Marshalltown, 5-2, in the semifinal match. Mann won the third-place match, but there was no wrestle-back for second because Lee had beaten Mann earlier.
Newton had four wrestlers reach the third-place match in their respective weight classes at the district tournament. Juniors Hunter Versteegh finished third at 113, Bryce Tish was fourth at 145, and Jordan Henning was fourth at 220 and freshman Tristin Langmaid was fourth at 160.
Swedenhjelm said it was tough to see Newton’s other wrestlers’ seasons come to an end.
“Jordan was close but was the victim of a very questionable call. Hunter and Bryce were very close and hopefully that motivates them to get there next year,” Swedenhjelm said.
Versteegh, who was a state qualifier a year ago at 113, pinned his quarterfinal opponent, Hunter Ragan of Ankeny in 1:31. He was pinned by Trey Rouse of Ankeny Centennial in 3:35 in the semifinals.
Versteegh defeated Luis Chavez of Marshalltown on an 11-7 decision in the third-place match to run his record to 39-7. There was no wrestle-back for second since Rouse lost in the championship match.
Tish pinned Phillip Sindt of Ankeny in 1:17 in a 145-pound quarterfinal match and lost by a 14-5 major decision to Alex Helmkamp of Ankeny Centennial in the semifinal. Tish (28-18) was pinned by Ryley Smith of Norwalk in the third-place match in 49 seconds.
Langmaid began the day in the 160-pound division with a 6-5 win over Phillip Zuhlke of Ankney, then was pinned by Ben Ribik of Marshalltown in 1:56. Langmaid (13-17) was pinned by Logan Noetisch of Norwalk in 1:04 of the third-place match.
Henning pinned Tyson Luick of Ankeny at the 3:49 mark of their quarterfinal match at 220. He was pined by top-ranked Ethan Anderson of Southeast Polk in 40 seconds in the semifinals. Tenth-ranked Trystan Minnis of Norwalk pinned Henning (13-17) in 50 seconds in the third-place match.
Freshman Ross Hull (8-14) finished sixth at 106, going 1-2 with a bye in the consolation semifinals. He was pinned by Ryan Bitker of Marshalltown in 1:26 in the quarterfinals then lost by a pin to Alanah Vetterick of Norwalk in the fifth-place match.
Junior Jacob Smith (7-17) was sixth at 182 pounds. He was pinned by Peyton Williams of Marshalltown in the quarterfinals, then pinned Stoyn Kirby of Pella in 3:26 of a consolation semifinals. He lost 9-5 to James Reasby of Des Moines Lincoln in the fifth-place match.
Sophomore Caleb Kite (10-17) placed sixth at 285 losing by a fall to Keegan Collins of Norwalk in the quarterfinals, receiving a bye in the consolation semifinals and being pinned by Chase Luethje of Marshalltown in the fifth-place match.
Sophomore Jonathon Lawton (8-21) at 120, freshman Reece Thurmond (10-16) at 138, sophomore Brady Smith (19-28) at 152 and junior Harley Walker (1-27) each went 0-2 at the district tournament.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com