Shaw claims NIC Championship; team places third

The Garner-Hayfield/Ventura wrestling team took a huge step in the right direction at the North Iowa Conference Meet held in Garner on Saturday, Jan. 31.  The Cardinals, who placed a solid third at the meet, crowned their first champion in almost a decade with Connor Shaw at 160-pounds.

“We had five wrestlers in the finals, which was big for us,” said Coach Steve Smith.  “It is what we needed heading into the Sectional Tournament.”

The Cardinals fell just short of crowning another champion at 170-pounds.  GHV’s fourth ranked Cade Baker faced Forest City’s Beau Sorensen, who is ranked third in Class 2A.  Sorensen claimed the title with a 4-3 decision.

“Cade wrestled an outstanding match that came right down to the end,” said Smith.

Chase Smith and Andrew Dornbier also had solid days with second place finishes.  Grady Umbarger placed third for the Cardinals.

Osage won the tournament with 224 points, followed by Lake Mills with 184 and GHV with 148.  Rounding out the team standings was Belmond Klemme, 130.5; Forest City, 127.5; Eagle Grove, 125; Newman Catholic, 110; West Hancock, 67; and North Union, 12.

Results are as follows:

•106 - Austin Case, second place:  won by fall over JJ Holland (West Hancock), :48; won by 11-10 decision over Alex Martinson (Lake Mills); and lost by major decision, 11-2, to Juan Guido (Belmond-Klemme).

•120 - Andrew Dornbier, second place:  received a bye; pinned Braedon Edwards (Lake Mills), 1:08; was pinned in 1:44 by Garett Blink (Eagle Grove).

•126 - Dalton Basinger, fifth place:  was pinned in 3:17 by Parker Slagle (Eagle Grove); received a - Read More Via e-Edition