Taylor Smith, Sports Editor
The #1 (2A) Clarion-Goldfield-Dows boys wrestling team had a full plate last week with a Tuesday night triangular at Webster City, a Thursday night Senior Night triangular at home, and the annual Glen Brand Invitational all day Saturday.
CGD made quick work of their two conference opponents on Tuesday evening in a rescheduled triangular.  They knocked off Webster City 72-9 and Hampton-Dumont-CAL 59-17.
On Thursday night against Clear Lake, Cole Wibholm (106-pounds), Paxton Redenius (113), and Estuardo Lopez (120) all recorded tech falls to give CGD a 15-0 lead.  Then, Angel Cortes pinned his opponent in just 25 seconds, and CGD won the next three straight weights via forfeit.
Up 39-0, Dawson Beyer took the mat to face Aiden Hippen, who finished 8th at state last year as a 2A 150-pounder.  Beyer himself was a 7th place finisher for Sibley-Ocheyedan a year ago, but he fell behind 9-2 to Hippen after two periods.
The scoreboard wouldn’t matter in the end, though, because Beyer outmatched Hippen and got the fall to give CGD a 45-0 lead.
Next, 2025 individual state qualifiers Colin Sesker (157) and Ryland Morgan (165) both recorded 1st period pins, and Easton Beyer won a drawn out scrap at 190-pounds after preventing a last second takedown attempt by Clear Lake’s Raif Baack.
A 1st period pin from heavyweight JT Kelso brought the dual to a close, and CGD won, 67-12.
The top-ranked Cowboys would continue to assert their will over #19 (2A) Humboldt, winning 64-11.
Wibholm notched a fall in just 13 seconds, while Lopez, Dawson Beyer, and Sesker all won via technical fall.  Cope, Easton Beyer, and Ryan Hartwig (138) all would secure falls for CGD.
“It was just a dominating four dual wins for our team,” Coach Cory Yoder said when asked about his team’s performances on Tuesday and Thursday.  “That gave them a lot of confidence going into the Glen Brand Duals.”
On Saturday, the Cowboys would host Ballard, West Marshall, and #2 (2A) Decorah at the annual Glen Brand Invitational.
“We started the day with a 67-12 win over Ballard, then defeated a very good West Marshall team, 55-21,” Coach Yoder recounted.  “To finish the day, it was #1 CGD vs. #2 Decorah in a dual the whole state was fixated on.“
“We started off hot with Cole Wibholm upsetting the 8th ranked wrestler, followed by a decision from Estuardo Lopez, and then falls by Paxton Redenius and Adrian Phetxoumphone that put us up, 19-0.  Decorah stormed back with four straight wins to take a 21-19 lead.  Colin Sesker and Ryland Morgan put us back ahead 26-21, then Decorah put the meet away with three big wins.  JT Kelso finished the meet off with a win, but Decorah prevailed, 38-32.  We had our chances to win the meet, and we just didn’t get the job done today.  We will get back to work and hopefully see them down the road at state duals.  It was a great dual meet, and the excitement in the gym was amazing from both teams.”
Decorah took home first place honors, followed by CGD, West Marshall, HDC, and Ballard.
Wibholm, Redenius, Lopez, Adrian Phetxoumphone, Sesker, Morgan, and Kelso all went undefeated on the day.
