Assumption has MAC's only state champions

February 19, 2011

By Brian Rathjen of North Scott Senior High School


It was Davenport Assumption, not Bettendorf, that proved itself the kings of the Iowa Quad City-area wrestling scene, at least at the 2011 Iowa state wrestling meet that concluded Saturday evening.
Topher Carton (119) and Brody Grothus (145), both of Assumption, won their matches to give the Knights the Iowa Class 2A state championship. With 125.5 points, the Knights handily beat runner-up Denver-Tripoli by 27 points.
Carton, a former Illinois state champion when he attended Rock Island Alleman a year ago, defeated Sawyer Farris of New London/Winfield-Mount Union 6-2 in the 119-pound title match. Grothus needed overtime, but eventually used a takedown to defeat Ballard of Huxley's Tanner Hiatt 4-2.
All three of the Mississippi Athletic Conference title contenders in Class 3A were defeated. At 125 pounds, Jack Hathaway of Iowa City West defeated Bettendorf's Connor Ryan 6-1, while Bulldog teammate Brodie Berrie suffered a major decision loss, 10-0, to Cody Krumwiede of Waverly-Shell Rock. North Scott's Ben Nagle led most of his 215-pound title match against Cedar Rapids Jefferson's Connor Herman before losing 5-3 in overtime.
In a team race where four points separated first from third place, Waverly-Shell Rock won the state title with 152 points. Iowa City West was second with 150 points, while Bettendorf -- on the strength of 13 state qualifiers, but no champions -- placed third. North Scott finished in a tie for 10th place with Ames.
The Quad Cities' other two competitors going for wrestling gold were in Class 1A, and it was a split result. Tipton's Drew Proctor became the second wrestler in school history to win a title, defeating Logan Mulnix of North Linn Troy Mills 6-2 in the 135-pound championship. In the 152-pound championship, Austin Kessler of Durant-Bennett was handed a 6-4 loss by Dallas Houchins of Interstate 35 Truro.
Congratulations to all the state championship competitors and everyone who wrestled at this week's state wrestling meet. Next up: regional duals in Iowa Class 3A, and the state dual team wrestling meet Saturday, Feb. 25, at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.
To view the round-by-round results of the entire tournament, click on to the Iowa High School Athletic Association's wrestling website at http://www.iahsaa.org/wrestling/2011%20Tournament/11wrresults.html.