Union’s Jace Hedeman, top, works to turn Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Carter Liston last Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Knights boys wrestling season opener in La Porte City. Hedeman, a senior currently ranked No. 1 in Class 2A at 132 pounds by IAWrestle, went 3-0 during the home quad – notching a win by technical fall over Liston plus a pair of pinfall wins over North Tama’s Berkley Dvorak and Vinton-Shellsburg’s Ryan Shipley. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

LA PORTE CITY – Top-ranked local talent dominated the mats on Thursday, Dec. 5, during Union’s quad with North Tama, Vinton-Shellsburg, and Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center with the Class 2A No. 2 Knights sweeping the meet 3-0 to open the season.

Union’s roster Thursday evening boasted four wrestlers ranked by IAWrestle ahead of the meet including sophomore Coy Mehlert ranked No. 3 at 106 pounds, senior Brayden Bohnsack ranked No. 1 at 120 pounds, junior Kaydin Jones ranked No. 3 at 126 pounds, and senior Jace Hedeman ranked No. 1 at 132 pounds.

North Tama’s roster also featured a couple of rankings including senior Kolt Knaack ranked fifth in Class 1A at 150 pounds and junior Maxon ‘Max’ Monat ranked 12th in Class 1A at 120 pounds.

Union won all three duals, despite taking forfeits in two classes, beating A-P/GC 51- 27; North Tama 62-10; and Vinton-Shellsburg 49-30. The Redhawks, the only Class 1A team competing in the quad, had six open classes including the five heaviest weights.

During the meet, Mehlert notched pinfall wins over North Tama’s Chase Morris (14 seconds – fastest pin of the meet) and Vinton-Shellsburg’s Jackson Parmater (1:54), while winning by forfeit over A-P/GC.

Redhawk wrestler Kolt Knaack (157 pounds), top, looks to the official during his dual with Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Cooper Keller on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. In his senior season debut, the fifth-ranked Knaack won by fall over Keller – pinning him handily in 55 seconds – while also notching pinfall wins over his Union and Vinton-Shellsburg competitors. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Bohnsack also recorded a pair of pinfall wins, swiftly defeating North Tama’s Maddux Rausch in 50 seconds and A-P/GC’s Brayden Jara in 32 seconds, while winning by technical fall, 17-2, over Vinton-Shellsburg’s Eli Ollinger who was ranked 12th by IAWrestle at 113 pounds.

Jones took a win by forfeit over North Tama while pinning A-P/GC’s Mathew Muiken (25 seconds) and Vinton-Shellsburg’s Tate Schminke (1:33).

Hedeman also grappled his way to a highly successful season opener, taking pinfall wins over North Tama’s Berkley Dvorak in 43 seconds and Vinton-Shellsburg’s Ryan Shipley in a smoking 18 seconds, while winning by technical fall, 18-2, over A-P/GC’s Carter Liston.

Union’s Stratton Luke (113 pounds), Dominik Montiel (144 pounds), and Cooper Davis (150 pounds) also swept up the competition, 3-0, in their respective duals, while Brock Bergmeier went 2-0 plus a third win by forfeit.

Redhawk Kolt Knaack won all three of his 157-pound duals by pinfall that evening including over Union’s Jayden Paine in 46 seconds. Drayke Dvorak was the only other Redhawk to prevail against the Knights, winning by major decision (12-0) over Wesley Gaston at 126 pounds.

Redhawk wrestler Kolt Knaack (157 pounds) has his hand raised by the official following his pinfall win over Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Cooper Keller on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. In his senior season debut, the fifth-ranked Knaack went 3-0 that evening, also notching pinfall wins over his Union and Vinton-Shellsburg competitors. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Two days later on Saturday, Dec. 7, the Redhawks competed at the Saint Ansgar Invitational, placing second out of six teams with 102 points – just behind the hosts in first with 106 points. At Saint Ansgar, Berkeley Dvorak, Knaack, Monat, and Gavin Rausch all won tournament titles, while Maddox Rausch and Drayke Dvorak took silver, and Roman Bradley and Chase Morris placed third.

Also on Saturday, the Knights competed at the highly competitive Cliff Keen Independence Invitational where they took 11th out of 30 teams. Both Mehlert and Hedeman took tournament titles in their respective brackets.

Hedeman was also named Outstanding Wrestler for the tournament.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

North Tama wrestler Max Monat (113 pounds) grapples with Vinton-Shellsburg’s Jackson Parmater on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. Monat, ranked 12th in Class 1A at 120 pounds by IAWrestle ahead of the meet, went 1-2 that evening in his sophomore season debut. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

North Tama wrestler Drayke Dvorak (126 pounds), top, grapples with Vinton-Shellsburg’s Conner Bridgewater on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. Dvorak went 3-0 that evening including a win by fall over Bridgewater after a grueling five minutes, 18 seconds. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

North Tama wrestler Drayke Dvorak (126 pounds), top, works to turn Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Josh Elsberry on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. Dvorak went 3-0 that evening including a win by fall over Elsberry in three minutes, 37 seconds. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

North Tama wrestler Max Monat (113 pounds) leaps toward Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Kaidyn Purdy on Thursday, Dec. 5, during the Union quad in La Porte City. Monat, a sophomore ranked 12th in Class 1A at 120 pounds by IAWrestle ahead of the meet, went on to beat Purdy by fall in a quick 41 seconds. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER