Ames High Wrestling

Source: AMES TRIBUNE

By Luke Plansky
Staff Writer (Ames Tribune)

The Ames High wrestling team wrestled its last duals of the season Saturday as the host of the Jack Mendenhall Invitational.

 Minnesota’s fourth-ranked team in the large-school class, Owatonna, won the 12-team tournament, while the Little Cyclones went 2-2.

 Coach Drew Kelly thought the team-building aspect of the day-long tournament was important.

 “Individual (tournaments), everyone’s spread out, doing their own thing,” Kelly said. “It was good for the team, and a good break up from the traditional tournaments.”

 The Little Cyclones finished the dual season with a 5-8 record. Saturday morning, they opened with a 45-24 loss to Indianola, who went on to the tournament finals.

 Ames then beat Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson (75-3) and Clinton (51-29) before losing to Odebolt Arthur-Battle Creek Ida Grove 44-30 in the consolation finals.

 “We wrestled hard,” Kelly said. “We’re looking to be consistent in our competitions and I thought for the most part we were, up and down the lineup – on the attack, being aggressive and doing solid things.”

 Fifth-ranked Luke Swalla (140) pinned all three of his opponents and won by forfeit, while fourth-ranked Ben Swalla (152) had two pins and a tech fall. Ninth-ranked Jake Agnitsch (112) spent little time on the mat, recording a pin in 31 seconds and winning a decision before receiving two forfeits.

 In the team’s final dual, senior 215-pounder Nathan Lubinus held onto a 4-3 decision over OA-BCIG’s Chaps Wilcke, a returning state qualifier who is ranked eighth in Class 2A at 189 pounds.  Matt Blakely (119) fell behind 8-0 to Evan Salmon, but reversed and pinned the junior late in the third period.

 “Blakely kept wrestling and kept fighting and got the pin after getting down early. (Lubinus) wrestled a solid match and beat a really tough kid,” Kelly said. “So those are two big wins, and that last dual our heavyweight (sophomore Cody Barsch) got a big win. He’s a first-year wrestler, and he’s only got a few wins on the year, so that’s exciting and I’m happy for him.”

 Ames wrestles Friday in the CIML Conference Tournament. The meet begins at 3:30 p.m. in Pleasant Hill at Southeast Polk High School.

Indianola 45, Ames 24

 103 – Matt Victor, I, dec. David Habhab, 3-2; 112 – No. 9 Jake Agnitsch, A, dec. Jacob Howard, 9-6; 119 – Matt Blakely, A, dec. Jacob Putney, 2-1; 125 – Wade Edgington, I, pinned Zach Stuart, 3:34; 130 – No. 7 Vinny Gomez, I, pinned TC Ringgenberg, 1:35; 135 – Connor Humphrey, I, dec. Devin Becraft; 140 – No. 5 Luke Swalla, A, pinned Jacob Powers, 6-0; 145 – No. 2 Cody Swim, I, pinned Nick Mayberry, 1:48; 152 – No. 4 Ben Swalla, A, pinned Nate Fennelly, 2:39; 160 – No. 2 Spencer Belieu, I, pinned Hansen Breitling, :20; 171 – Eric Jones, A, pinned Taylor Schimelfenig, :50; 189 – No. 4 Brandon Abernathy, I, pinned Chris Hinojo, :58; 215 – No. 10 Kyle O’Mara, I, dec. Nathan Lubinus, 7-3; 285 – Don Dawson, I, pinned Cody Barsch, 2-0.

Ames 75, Council Bluffs Thomas

Jefferson 3

 119 – Agnitsch, Ames, pinned Derek Scott, :31; 125 – Blakely, A, dec. Charles Weaver, 9-6; 130 – Stuart, A, winner by forfeit; 135 – Becraft, A, winner by forfeit; 140 – Luke Swalla, A, pinned Mike Davison, 5:50; 145 – Mayberry, a, pinned Josh Skou, 2:37; 152 – Ben Swalla, A, winner by forfeit; 160 – Cody Hammers, CB, dec. Breitling, 3-1; 171 – Jones, A, pinned Mitch Rounds, :51; 189 – Hinojo, A, pinned Kenny Rhodd, 1:52; 215 – Lubinus, A, pinned Jake Morgan, 1:19; 285 – Barsch, A, winner by forfeit; 103 – Habhab, A, pinned Randy Schultz, :18; 112 – Sam Peterson, A, winner by forfeit.

Ames 51, Clinton 29

 130 – Ringgenberg, A, winner by forfeit; 135 – Becraft, A, winner by forfeit; 140 – Luke Swalla, A, winner by forfeit; 145 – Brett Cram, C, pinned Mayberry, 1:36; 152 – Ben Swalla, A, pinned Ryan Judge, 1:36; 160 – Breitling, A, winner by forfeit; 171 – Tamen Ottens, C, pinned Jones, 3:34; 189 – Aaron Brown, C, pinned Hinojo, 3:32; 215 – Lubinus, A, dec. Jon Oldaker-Bahnsen, 3-1; 285 – Boomer Brunson, C, pinned Barsch, 2:38; 103 – Habhab, A, pinned Conner Galloway, :57; 112 – Agnitsch, A, winner by forfeit; 119 – Ronald Genco III, C, tech fall Blakely, 17-2 (5:14); 125 – Stuart, A. winner by forfeit.

OA-BCIG 44, Ames 30

 135 – Patrick Eason, OA, pinned Becraft, 2:50; 140 – Luke Swalla, A, pinned Patt Billings, 2:35; 145 – Tanner Bengford, OA, pinned Mayberry, 2:42; 152 – Ben Swalla, A, tech fall Patrick Patterson, 22-7 (5:38; 160 – Tyler Down, OA, pinned Breitling, 1:07; 171 – Shilby Henningson, OA, major dec. Jones, 10-2; 189 – Dustin Bengford, OA, pinned Hinojo, 2:07; 215 – Lubinus, A, dec. Chaps Wilcke, 4-3; 285 – Barsch, A, major dec. Scott Hoefling, 14-3; 103 – Devon Pierce, OA, major dec. Habhab, 16-2; 112 – Agnitsch, A, winner by forfeit; 119 – Blakely, A, pinned Evan Salmon, 5:38; 125 – No. 3 Darius Dutcher, OA, pinned Stuart, 1:22; No. 10 130 – Dalton Hemer, OA, pinned Ringgenberg, 3:22.

2009-2010 AHS Wrestling Schedule is up now. Please click here for the complete schedule for this season.

Little Cyclone Youth Wrestling

The Little Cyclone Wrestling Program is for youth in grades K-8. The program aims to help participants build strength, endurance, self-esteem, character and good sportsmanship. Most importantly, we aim to have FUN.

Registration: Please download and mail this form to Carrie Elbert (address below) or bring to the first night of practice

Practices: Season begins Monday November 16, 2009 and ends February 11, 2010 and will generally follow the school calendar for vacations and days off.

• K-2nd grade practice Mondays 6-7pm in the Ames High School Wrestling Room3-8 grade practice Tuesdays 6-7:15 pm in the Ames High School Wrestling RoomOn Thursday’s from 6-7pm there will be practice for wrestlers who plan to participate in tournaments. Practice will be geared toward the more serious wrestler
• Kids should wear gym clothes (shorts & fitted t-shirts) for practice
• Street shoes and bare feet are not allowed on the mat
• Head gear and wrestling shoes are optional, but recommended
• Practices will be run by Ames High coaching staff and parent volunteers

Registration Fee: $60/wrestler; $100/family maximum. Fee includes club t-shirt, free entry (with paid adult) to all Ames High home wrestling duals, end of season pizza party and paid registration to the Little Cyclone Wrestling Tournament.

Please mail this form with your payment to: Carrie Elbert, 812 Ridgewood, Ames, Iowa 50010. Checks should be payable to Little Cyclone Wrestling Club. For additional information, please call Carrie Elbert 450-3262 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .