Cowboys are team champs again at NCC wrestling tourney

After conceding the team title a year ago following a multi-year run, the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows varsity is back on top of the NCC wrestling mountain once again. Having already won the conference dual title, the Cowboys took the team hardware on Saturday in Humboldt with 247.5 points. Finishing behind them were: Webster City 212.5, Clear Lake 192, Iowa Falls-Alden 153, Humboldt 126, Algona 112, Hampton-Dumont 61 and St. Edmond 34. The Cowboy point total is the second-highest in the tournament’s history, which goes back to 1968. Only the 2009 Clear Lake team scored more at 267 total.

“We left some points out there with Connor’s injury default to sixth, as well as semifinal matches at 182 and 220 that we were winning but lost at the very end,” stated head coach Dan Gabrielson. “We also could have inserted Kamren Jergenson at 145, and dropped the Abbas boys both down a weight. But given what we have now, and our depth, this team is starting to look like a very high caliber team. I was most impressed with our final round and having five champs. We went nine and four, and that was a big difference. We also did a great job of getting pins and bonus points, which really helped widen the gap to distance ourselves from Webster City. I am happy for our seniors to end their NCC careers as dominant dual and tournament champions!”

Champions for this year are Remington Hanson (113), Reed Abbas (138), Tanner Abbas (145), Reymundo Vasquez (160) and Mason Carpenter (170). Hanson propelled himself into the title match with two straight falls, then won a 16-1 technical fall over Rattenborg of the Lynx. Reed took his initial conference gold with two falls followed by a 13-5 major win over Hamlin of the Lions.

For the full story and tournament results, see the January 25 edition of the Monitor.