The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and Roland-Story wrestling teams made the trip to northeast Iowa on Saturday to compete in the Cliff Keen Invitational at Independence High School. Joining the two at the tournament were the host Mustangs, Alburnett, Algona, Carlisle, Crestwood, Clear Creek-Amana, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Denver, Des Moines Lincoln, Dubuque Senior, Fennimore (IL), Fort Madison, (2A) #8 Greene County, Harrisburg (SD), (1A) #3 Lisbon, Milton (WI), New Hampton/Turkey Valley, (2A) #1 Osage, Pleasant Valley, Solon, South Tama County, Tinley Park (IL), Union Community, Waterloo East, West Burlington/Notre Dame and West Liberty.
The top placer from the KQ-area was Roland-Story’s Christian Eslick at 160 lbs, as he finished 3rd, with his lone loss coming to Osage’s Max Gast. Eslick would defeat Crestwood’s Cole Butikofer in the 3rd place match via a 4-2 decision. Mack Seaba from Clarion-Goldfield-Dows would place 6th at 170 lbs, losing to Harrisburg’s (SD) Soren Aadland by a 5-0 decision, before fighting back to place 6th. CGD’s Ashtin Willms would also place 6th at 220 lbs, while Roland-Story’s Hesston Johnson placed 8th at 170 lbs, also behind CGD’s Nash Lienemann. Cale Kirstein would place 9th at 152 lbs, while Caleb Seaba and Ethan Traub would place 13th at 145 lbs and 132 lbs. Brandon Stein would place 10th at 106 lbs as well. Roland-Story’s Jaxon Kadolph would also place 8th at 195 lbs.
CGD returns to action on Thursday, when they host their home dual with Humboldt and St. Edmond, while Roland-Story will compete in a dual with Saydel, South Hamilton and Colfax-Mingo.