What: 2015 Jerry Eckenrod Invitational
Where: Benton Community High School in Van Horne
When: Approximately 9:30am (JV tournament starts at 8am with 1st round of Varsity between 2nd and 3rd rounds of JV)
Who: Benton Community, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Cedar Rapids Washington, Centerville, Davenport Assumption, Don Bosco, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Independence, La Porte City Union, Maquoketa, North Linn, Vinton-Shellsburg, Waterloo West, West Delaware, West Marshall, Williamsburg.
With the holiday tournaments all behind us, it is time to kick off the second half of the wrestling season with the Jerry Eckenrod Invitational at Benton Community High School. This tournament will feature 49 IAwrestle.com ranked wrestlers as well as some of the top teams in the states three classes. The tournament field this year includes all the teams from last year with exception of Belle Plaine. Their spot is replaced by 1A’s West Marshall. Davenport Assumption is the reigning team champ scoring 224 points followed by CR Jefferson with 193, and Union at 189. Expect a much tighter team race this year between Assumption, Union, Jefferson, and Independence.
Returning 2014 Jerry Eckenrod Tournament Champs
106 Brenden Baker CR Jefferson
126 Cole Fox Don Bosco
138 Max Thomsen Union
145 Chase Straw Indee
170 Brent Lammers West Del
106
2 1A Brock Henderson North Linn Soph
4 1A Gable Fox Don Bosco Fresh
6 2A John Hellman Union, Laporte City Junior
Finals Prediction : Henderson (NL) over Hellman (U)
Hellman is down a weight from last year and having a solid season, but Henderson is looking to improve on a 4th place finish from last season.
113
4 3A Brenden Baker CR Jefferson Junior
4 2A Derek Holschlag Union, Laporte City Soph
7 2A Travis Pulse Davenport Assumption Senior
9 1A Jeremy Schmitz Don Bosco, Gilbertville Soph
Finals Prediction: Baker (CRJ) over Holschlag (U)
This will be a rematch of last years semifinal from Benton where Baker topped Holschlag 11-5. This matchup never happened at the Keith Young because Baker didn’t wrestle.
120
6 2A Jacob Fenske Davenport Assumption Junior
8 1A Ross Randall West Marshall Soph
10 3A Joesph Sibomana CR Jefferson Junior
10 2A Mitch Evens Independence Senior
Finals Prediction: Fenske (DA) over Evens (I)
These two could meet again for the 2nd time this season. Fenske took the match earlier this year 5-2 at the Battle of Waterloo.
126
9 2A Kirk Mommsen Davenport Assumption Junior
10 1A Cole Needham West Marshall Senior
Finals Prediction: Mommsen (DA) over Mangrich (DB)
This weight class might be one of the thinner ones in this tournament, but don’t count out Mangrich who just had a big win over returning state champ Nick Williams of Lisbon last weekend.
132
5 3A Kyle Briggs CR Jefferson Junior
5 2A Stuart Schafer Davenport Assumption Junior
8 1A Cooper White West Marshall Soph
9 2A Dylan Beaver Benton Community Senior
9 1A Cody Brown Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Senior
Finals Prediction: Schafer (DA) over Briggs (CRJ)
We could have a great finals match here as you will have Schafer who finished 4th last season at the Kansas 6A state tournament at 138 against Briggs who is a 7th place IA finisher last season at 120.
138
1 1A Jeren Glosser Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Senior
5 2A Bradley Irwin Centerville Senior
9 2A Colton Dietrick Union Laporte City Senior
10 2A Nick Hyland Vinton-Shellsburg Junior
10 1A Cole Fox Don Bosco, Gilbertville Senior
Finals Prediction: Glosser (EBF) over Irwin (C)
Glosser is a returning state champ and should take this weight class that features a handful of returning state qualifiers.
145
1 2A Max Thomsen Union, LaPorte City Senior
1 1A Blake Marolf Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Senior
Finals Prediction: Thomsen (U) over Marolf (EBF)
Marolf is another returing state champ for Eddyville-Blakesburg and is the favorite to win a lot of tournaments this year, but not this one. Thomsen is having a great season and, he could show us just how far apart him and Stroker are then everyone else at this weight class.
152
1 2A Chase Straw Independence Senior
4 2A Tristen Finch Davenport Assumption Senior
6 3A Tavian Rashed CR Jefferson Soph
6 1A Chris Paulsen Don Bosco, Gilbertville Junior
Finals Prediction: Straw (I) over Finch (DA)
This will be a rematch of when the two met at the Battle of Waterloo where Straw took the match 5-4 in overtime. This could be the match of the tournament.
160
3 2A Trevor McLaughlin Union, LaPorte City Senior
6 2A Jake Juhl Independence Junior
6 1A Jared Johnson West Marshall Junior
8 2A Michael Neal Vinton-Shellsburg Senior
10 2A Luke Sedlacek CR Jefferson Senior
Finals Prediction: McLaughlin (U) over Juhl (I)
McLaughlin and Juhl never met up at the Battle of Waterloo because Independence bumped Straw and Juhl up in trying to win the meet. This one could be a close match, but it will favor the state placer winner McLaughlin.
170
1 2A Jacob Holschlag Union, LaPorte City Senior
1 1A Dale Hilleman West Marshall Senior
7 2A Nick Holt Independence Junior
9 2A Vic Malloy Williamsburg Junior
Finals Prediction: Holschlag (U) over Hilleman (WM)
Holschlag has already knocked off a 3A state champ this year and this will be his chance to do the same with the 1A champ in Hilleman. These two met last year with Holschlag winning 8-2.
182
2 2A Brent Lammers West Delaware Senior
4 3A Kelly May CR Jefferson Senior
Finals Prediction: Lammer (WD) over May (CRJ)
West Delaware is down a little from years past, but they still have a bright spot in Lammers. Look for him to take the title here. Don’t be surprised if you see Tanner Shirk sneak into the finals here either as he is wrestling down a weight due to an injured teammate.
195
4 2A Matt McMillan Independence Junior
4 1A Zach Hickson Don Bosco Senior
5 1A Hunter Johnston Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Senior
9 2A Tanner Shirk Union, Laporte City Senior
Finals Prediction: Hickson (DB) over McMillan (I)
Hickson and McMillan met up last year at this tournament as well as this year at the Battle of Waterloo. Hickson took both of those matches winning the most recent by a score of 5-1. We could see a good match in the semifinals between McMillan and Johnston who met for 3rd and 4th last year at this tournament with McMillan winning 2-1 in the Tiebreaker.
220
5 2A Noah Broderson Davenport Assumption Soph
10 2A Jace Hadachek Union, LaPorte City Senior
Finals Prediction: Broderson (DA) over Hadachek (U)
Another rematch could happen in the 220 finals as Hadachek and Broderson met up in the Battle of Waterloo. Broderson pinned Hadachek, but the match was closer than the pin would indicate.
285
2 2A Gabriel Rangel Davenport Assumption Senior
4 3A Dalton Kuehl CR Jefferson Senior
9 2A Austin Larkin Independence Soph
Finals Prediction: Larkin (I) over Rangel (DA)
Our last final could also feature a rematch from the Battle of Waterloo where Rangel defeated Larkin 3-2. Don’t be surprised to see an upset here as Larkin has a big size advantage over Rangel.