Area teams head to Hampton for NCC meet | News, Sports, Jobs
HAMPTON — Messenger-area teams will look to etch their name in the North Central Conference record books on Saturday at the North Central Conference meet.
The meet will begin at 10 a.m., as Hampton-Dumont/CAL hosts.
The host Bulldogs will be joined by St. Edmond and area programs Webster City, Humboldt, Algona and Clarion-Goldfield.
Also competing will be Clear Lake and Iowa Falls-Alden.
The last three tournament champions have been from different schools. Hampton-Dumont/CAL is the defending champion with Webster City finishing as the 2022 runner-up. Clarion-Goldfield/Dows claimed gold in 2021, and Iowa Falls-Alden was the 2020 champion.
The Gaels enter with two wrestlers who have placed in the field before.
“We are definitely looking to see Ronnie (Orres) and Sam (Myer) finish high,” said SEHS head coach Eugene Carlson. “(Carson) Doolittle is a very tough wrestler at 120 for Ronnie, but we will go in and see what he can do.
“Ronnie has gotten down to 120 and feels really comfortable.”
Orres, a senior, was fourth as a sophomore at the NCC meet. Myer, a sophomore, placed sixth a year ago.
“Sam needs to go out and keep his pace,” Carlson said. “132 is a good spot for Sam, so I’m expecting him to be up there.”
Carlson is hoping to see his younger wrestlers continue to improve.
“We want the younger guys to work on their weaknesses,” Carlson said. “If you feel you struggle on your feet, take shots. If you want to work on defense, get better at that and get ready for next year.”
Fourth-ranked Webster City’s senior trio of top-ranked Doolittle, second-rated CJ Hisler (195) and No. 3 Jaxon Cherry (220) have already combined to win five NCC titles.
“Webster City is the frontrunner,” Carlson said. “They have a solid lineup loaded with state placewinners. Algona will be toward the top, and Humboldt has a balanced lineup.”
Doolittle and Hisler won as sophomores and juniors. Cherry won last winter as a sophomore. Hisler was a runner-up his freshman season.
Freshman Linden Phetxoumphone, the younger brother of two-time state champ Cam Phetxoumphone, is second at 106 pounds.
Webster City’s Austin Moore was an NCC champ a year ago.
Humboldt enters with four rated wrestlers, including No. 9 Jase Goodell (152) who is looking for his third league crown.
Also ranked for the Wildcats is Cyler Cirks (No. 4 at 113), Tyce Clarken (No. 11 at 120) and Jayden Gargano (No. 6 at 126).
Algona has five ranked grapplers in the field: Jake Zabka (No. 7 at 113), Isaac Wilson (No. 12 at 120), Barrett Morgan (No. 8 at 126), Taevyn Zinnel (No. 10 at 132) and second-rated Tate Slagle (138).
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