1 week Ago By Jonas Hollenbach Summit-Tribune Special
The West Hancock Eagles’ wrestling season is off to a promising start. Still, everything has been slow to come together after a long football season shortened wrestling preseason and left lingering injuries. The Eagles still won a season-opening dual at West Fork on Dec.
3 and had some strong showings at a weekend tournament in Okoboji. This year’s Eagles roster lost 2024 state qualifiers Kellen Smith, David Smith, Kale Zuehl and Jake Larson. The team returns state competitors Ethan Gayken, Teague Smith (runner-up), and Creighton Kelly (fourth).
A lot of younger athletes will have to step up to fill for the open spots, which West Hancock wrestling coach Mark Sanger acknowledged. “We’ve got some guys who are going to do really well - there’s a lot of experience,” Coach Sanger said. “We got some guys that are the opposite of that, that have a lot to learn, and we’ll see what we’re at by the end of the year.
But our mindset is just to get better every day and see where we’re at by the end of the year.” Junior Teague Smith, who has been state runner up the last two years, is one of the team’s most experienced wrestlers. He was ranked second in the state, Class 1A at 150 pounds, this preseason.
He earned his 100th career win on Dec. 3 at West Fork. “The new guys in the room and new faces - I think that really helps with basically having a team come together, in diversity and stuff like that,” Smith said.
Smith said he will enter the season planning to work as hard as he can and learn as much as he can, while taking care of his mental health and staying mentally strong. “Obviously my main goal is to be a state champ with the past two years just falling at the opportunity by one step,” Smith said. The Eagles have had only a few weeks of practices due to the West Hancock football team being in the state playoffs again and playing in the state championship game Nov.
21. West Hancock has been without injured senior Creighton Kelly, who will likely wrestle at 175. Junior Ethan Gayken (132 pounds) has also missed a few duals due to injury.
Despite having little practice, the Eagles won some hard-fought matches at West Fork on Dec. 3 and seized the dual win over West Fork, Rockford, and St Ansgar. On Dec.
7, the Eagles took an incomplete lineup to Okoboji, with four of five wrestlers placing, including Hadyen Kelly (fourth at 138), Ashton Fowles (sixth at 144), Briggs Muth (fifth at 126), and Teague Smith (first at 150). In addition to state tournament veterans Gayken, Creighton Kelly, and Smith, the Eagles have a few guys who are aiming to make their debut at the state tournament, including junior Reese Luedtke, wrestling at 215 this year after competing at heavyweight the last two years. “My mindset right now is just be patient, be confident, but not too cocky,” said Luedtke.
“It just started off, so you can't be rushing things. Like Coach (Ryan) Johnson always tells the football team: ‘Do the little things and big things will work themselves out.’ So I think about that a lot – being patient will be my main mindset right now.
” The West Hancock Eagles are looking to make the state team duals meet, where they have not competed since 2020-2021, although they have come close in recent years, missing a spot in the 2024 meet by only a few points to Lake Mills. Senior Crieghton Kelly, a three-time state qualifier and 2024 fourth-place finisher, has set his sights set on team goals. “I want to qualify as a team down to state duals and win a district title,” Kelly said.
The Eagles’ most recent dual was a quadrangular on Dec. 12 at Osage. “It was just a tough situation,” Coach Sanger said.
“We're still late in the game and compared to other teams in wrestling - kind of beat up from football still.” Luedtke found success on the mat at Osage, though. “Reese was the bright spot going 3-0,” Sanger said.
“That was the only match we won against Forest City,” Sanger said, adding that Luedke was also one of two Eagles to win against Osage. “He secured the win against Newman with a pin at heavyweight,” Sanger said. West Hancock will host two home meets before they go on winter break, including a dual on Dec.
17 and the Al DeLeon tournament on Dec. 21. Luedke said this is one of his favorite competitions.
“The Al DeLeon - I’d say it gets me hyped up every year,” Luedtke said. “We haven’t lost for about five years, and I just love that one, ‘cause it's home, and you just want to show off for your friends and everything else.” After winter break, West Hancock will be back at Osage on Jan.
4, then host a partial Top of Iowa Conference dual on Jan. 9. The Eagles will travel to Fort Dodge for a dual at St.
Edmond on Jan. 11 and to Nashua for another TIC matchup on Jan. 16.
They on will be at Hudson on Jan. 18 for a tournament before they travel to St. Ansgar for the TIC tournament on Jan.
25. Coach Sanger said the team will likely be strongest in tournament settings. “At our duals settings, we’re going to be a little short because we’re going to have some open weights,” said Sanger, “but I think tournaments-wise is where we’re probably the strongest - individual tournaments, I should say.
” With an eye towards growth and the postseason, the Eagles are looking to build on those strengths as they pursue personal and team goals. “My goal for this season is, hopefully, as a team to make it down to the team duals,” said Luedtke. “Individually, I hope that I will be able to accomplish my dream to make it down to state as a qualifier, just give it my all this year.
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