The Webster City Lynx wrestling team made the trip north into Franklin County on Saturday morning, to compete in the 56th annual North Central Conference tournament at Hampton-Dumont-CAL High School in Hampton. The Lynx were joined by the host Bulldogs, Algona, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Clear Lake, Humboldt, Iowa Falls-Alden and St. Edmond.
Webster City would crown 4 individual conference champions on Saturday, first at 120 lbs with junior Carson Doolittle winning his 3rd conference title, become the 5th Lynx wrestler to win at least 3 individual conference titles, pinning Humboldt’s Tycen Clark in the title match. The next champion for Webster City came at 170 lbs, as Austin Mason picked up a dramatic pin over Humboldt’s Landon Halverson to win his 2nd consecutive conference title, and giving the Lynx a huge swing in momentum in the team race against the Wildcats. CJ Hisler would then pin HD-CAL’s Cael Burmester in the 195 lbs final to become the 6th Webster City wrestler to capture at least 3 career NCC titles, before Jaxon Cherry pinned CGD’s Ashtin Willms in the first period at 220 lbs to win his 2nd consecutive NCC title.
The Lynx also claimed two runner-ups, with Linden Phetxoumphone losing a controversial 4-2 sudden victory against Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Jayson Stevens, and Landon Griffin getting pinned in the 285 lbs title match against HD-CAL’s Carter Heilskov. Webster City would also see a trio of wrestler’s claim the bronze, with Jordan Vankham placing 3rd at 152 lbs, picking up a tech fall over Clear Lake’s Christian Dunning in the 3rd place match, while Dylan Burnette-Bingham would avenge an opening round pin against CGD’s Mason Allen, defeating Allen in an 8-4 decision in the 3rd place match. Brady Jessen would place 3rd at 160 lbs, pinning Clear Lake’s Carter Perry in the 3rd place match.
Other placements for the Lynx included Luke Estlund in 4th at 145 lbs, Brayden Henely in 4th at 126 lbs, Dawson Bertran in 5th at 113 lbs and Tristan Mason in 6th at 138 lbs.
Webster City would win the NCC title with 218.5 points, nearly 30 points more than the 2nd place team in Humboldt with 189 points. The title was the 7th in school history for the Lynx and 2nd in Chad Hisler’s tenure as head coach. Webster City returns to action on Thursday night, when they travel to Boone to wrestle the Boone Toreadors and Carroll Tigers.