After a one year absence, Greene County will again be represented at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament. Seniors Brock Wuebker and Bryce Hoyle qualified as district runners-up on Saturday at the Class 2A District 4 tournament in Harlan.

The pair took different paths on Saturday, but they both got there. Hoyle (10-5) didn’t wrestle until January because of mono, then was on the sideline for part of January with an injury to his ribs. He entered Saturday with just 13 matches, counting forfeits. He dominated Clarinda sophomore Crew Howard in Saturday’s first round with a 9-0 major decision. Howard entered with a 31-5 record. Third ranked Thomas Bentley of Red Oak need just 61 seconds to pin Hoyle in the finals, but Howard won the consolation match, meaning Hoyle was the second place finisher and a State qualifier.

Wuebker was paired with fourth ranked Jackson Kinsella of Creston in round one and fell by fall to the Panther sophomore in 1:53. Kinsella later won the weight class and Wuebker won by fall in 2:11 over Cade Forsyth of Winterset in the consolation match, meaning the Greene County senior would have a wrestle back match for second place vs. Harlan’s Carter Bendorf. Bendorf edged Wuebker on Feb. 2 in the Sectional tournament 8-6. Things were going the Cyclone’s way after two periods, but Wuebker (24-4) overcame a 3-0 deficit to win by fall in 4:17 and advance to State. He missed considerable parts of the season due to medical issues.

Both Rams will be making their first State Tourney appearance. Junior Joel Ward (18-19) finished in third place a 160 lbs. He lost 7-0 in the first round to sixth ranked Justin McCunn of Red Oak, then pinned Brady Barringer  of Winterset in 3:58 in the consolation to earn a wrestle back for second, which he lost by 13-2 major decision to Blake Liebe of Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

Junior Braden Gallagher (106) and senior Clint Dennhardt (182) both went 0-2 and were fourth in their weight classes.

All three Raccoon Valley Radio stations will have extensive play-by-play coverage at the State Tournament from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Feb. 14-15-16.