Union of LaPorte City wins the battle
of #1 teams at the Belle Plaine Invite

By Jim Thompson

#1(in 2A) Union of LaPorte City claimed 5 individual crowns on it’s way to capturing the team title at the hotly contested Belle Plaine Invitational. The Knights also got a pair of runner up finishes and trio of third place finishes to outdistance #1(in 1A) Hudson. The Pirates had 5 champs as well, but didn’t have enough depth to surpass Union. Host Belle Plaine claimed 1 individual crown, but had a strong team finish overall to place 3^rd just 5 points behind Hudson. 4^th ranked in 2A Mt Vernon, fresh off their runner-up finish in class 3A football, did not wrestle their elite talent Saturday.

Finals matches of note…

At 112, Joel Neve lost a 6-5 lead as Cole Zemple escaped with just a few seconds left in the 3^rd period, but was able to get the takedown in overtime to secure the victory, 8-6.

At 119, Union Freshman Zach Williams stunned two ranked wrestlers on the day and pinned Benton’s Zach Lazenby in the finals.

At 125, Hudson’s Dane Reiter controlled the match from the start beating his cousin Brock Reiter of Union, 5-0.

At 215, Union’s Nic Hanna dominated Benton’s Tyler Lafler in a battle of ranked wrestlers, 10-2.

Full Results of 1-2 and 3-4 matches:
103- Brady Jacobi(BP) wbf Beige Turner(K) in 1:09
3^rd: Wes Yates(U) wbf Justin Marx(DNH) in 1:41

112- Joel Neve(VS) dec Cole Zemple(U) 8-6(ot)
3^rd: Tyler Weeda(BP) wbf Kayen Turner(K) in 2:59

119- Zach Williams(U) wbf Zach Lasenby (BC) in 3:03
3^rd: Zach Ingles(H) md Mark Purk(BP) 14-3

125- Dane Reiter(H) dec Brock Reiter(U) 5-0
3^rd: Ryan Kurovski (BP) wbf Blake Leftler(K) in 4:00

130- Jacob Pedersen(H) md Adam Dunning(BP) 13-0
3^rd: Casey Watts(U) wbf Zach Svoboda(VS) in 2:15

135- Josh Swanson(K) wbf Matt Herkelman(H) in 3:42
3^rd: Beau Jack(BP) wbf Dustin McLaughlin(U) in 1:36

140- Charlie Ettelson(H) wbf Eric Lennie(BP) in 2:42
3^rd: Chris Nelson(K) md Scott Becker(BC) 12-3

152- Brett Hakeman (U) wbf AJ Gray(K) in :36
3^rd: Brandon Kurovski(BP) dec Jeremiah Koch(H) 8-6

160- Jacy Watts(U) wbtf Mitch Patterson(DNH) in 4:30
3^rd: Rueben Zacharakis-Jutz (MV) wbf Charles Fisher(VS) in 2:45

171- Jonahthan Theisen(H) wbf Mike McNeal(VS) in :52
3^rd: Ben Wenzel(DNH) wbf Keaton Burge(MV) in 3:42

189- Josh Northcutt(BC) dec Kyle Blanchard (BP) 12-9
3^rd: Dwain Caldwell(U) dec Jon Theurauf(MV) 6-4

215- Nic Hanna(U) md Tyler Lafler(BC) 10-2
3^rd: Ian Davis(DNH) wbf Bryan Goff(K) in 2:40

275- Ben Dunkelberger(U) wbf Ian Davis(VS) in 1:30
3^rd: Drew Becker(DNH) wbf Justin Pierce(BP) in 2:13

Final Team Scores

1. Union……………….. 218.5
2. Hudson…................... 191.5
3. Belle Plaine………… 186.5
4. Knoxville…………… 135
5. Benton Community… 116
6. Dike New Hartford…. 110
7. Vinton-Shellsburg….. 104
8. Mt Vernon…………. 82