Cedar Rapids Kennedy boys wrestling program boosted by culture reset

CEDAR RAPIDS – Energy, effort and accountability.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy has reset its approach with an influx of underclassmen and a few experienced starters, who have embraced the philosophy.

“Our entire model this year is extreme ownership,” Cougars Coach Nick LeClere said. “Everybody has to take accountability for our performance, for our team result, for our practice, for the individual, your partners or your environment.

“That takes extreme buy-in and accountability. I think that by having that foundation with this young group, it's just going to foster into something really cool at the end of the year, into next year and the year after.”

Kennedy displayed those traits, winning 10 of 14 weights and defeating Iowa City Liberty, 54-21, in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys wrestling dual Thursday night at Kennedy. Liberty won the girls dual, 62-18.

The boys’ dual included significant swings between the teams during the dual and similar shifts between the wrestlers in matches.

“We have some fight,” LeClere said. “We just have a lot of inexperienced kids and a lot of youth on our team. I think that shows at times throughout the matches. There are times I want to pull my hair out watching it, but at the same time, it makes it exciting too. It gets the fans on their feet, so that's what high school wrestling is all about.”

The first six weights were split. Kennedy received forfeits at 106 and 120 pounds before Grahm Burkert scored the final four points for a 10-6 decision over Brock Bell at 132. Liberty (0-6, 0-2) countered with three bonus-point wins, receiving a pin from Barrett Edmonds (113), Ben Rosen’s technical fall at 126 and a major decision by No. 11 138-pounder Rex Edmonds, who tallied all eight points in the last period for an 8-0 win over Aidyn Roman and tie the score at 15-15.

Kennedy’s Riley Elliott led by one point when he got a fall in 2:43 at 144, giving Kennedy a lead that it didn’t surrender.

Sam Myers (150), Jack Hayes (175), Waker Black at 190 and heavyweight Anthony Keys each added pins for the Cougars. Erick Angeles (165) won a wild match that included giving up the first takedown but battling back with two sets of four-point nearfall in a 10-7 decision.

“If they can if they can learn how to fight for the teammates and fight for the program, something bigger than themselves, it's hard to give up in those matches,” LeClere said. “If I just put my head down and get rolled over in pinned, I can make my life a lot easier, but I can't let my team down. So, I'm not going not do that.”

Kennedy started the season with 60 wrestlers, including 45 freshmen and sophomore, according to LeClere. Only two juniors and two seniors are in the lineup. Now, they have matched the conference dual wins and is just one shy of the overall total from last season.

One of the Cougars’ leaders has been 120-pounder Max Panosh, who received a forfeit. He is a two-time state qualifier and one of the few seniors in the lineup. LeClere has noticed a huge change this season.

“He's been in the tough matches before and he has just turned a complete 180 on his buy in,” LeClere said. “He was bought in before and he had some success, but he's on a whole other level now.”

Panosh has lifted up teammates, taking many of the lightweights under his wing.

“He's not the biggest vocal leader, but leads by example,” LeClere said. “He's been a big part of the culture reset because we're preaching all the right stuff and he's shown it how it's done.”

LIBERTY 62, KENNEDY 18 – Liberty girls claimed 11 weights, recording seven pins. Taylor Cavanh (105), Kaitlyn Raue (125) and Elyse Caviel (130) posted first-period pins, while Kate Eggleston (115), Acasia Lukalaba Ndomba at 135 and fifth-ranked 145-pounder Callum Wu had second-period falls. Peyten Van Dyke closed the pin barrage at 155 for the Lightning (7-0). Eva Karam added a technical fall at 110.

Liberty’s Evelyn Eggleston had the most notable win, topping state medalist and fifth-ranked Meredith Kaump, 5-2. She scored a takedown and two escapes in the final period for the decision.

Kennedy received pins from Olivia Hallam (120), Onyx VanderHorn (170) and 190-pounder Jocelyn Stricker.

AT C.R. KENNEDY

BOYS RESULTS

C.R. KENNEDY 54, I.C. LIBERTY 21

106 pounds - Thayer Hagstrom (CRK) won by forfeit; 113 - Barrett Edmonds (ICL) pinned Alex Martin, 3:23; 120 - Max Panosh (CRK) won by forfeit; 126 - Benjamin Rosen (ICL) tech. fall Finn Hallam, 16-1; 132 - Grahm Burkert (CRK) dec. Brock Bell, 10-6; 138 - Rex Edmonds (ICL) major dec. Aidyn Roman, 8-0; 144 - Riley Elliott (CRK) pinned Ribal Al Souki, 2:43; 150 - Sam Myers (CRK) pinned Cruz Fermino, 4:51; 157 - Finn O`Toole (ICL) pinned Kage Hoover, 6:00; 165 - Erick Angeles (CRK) dec. Charles Nicknish, 10-7; 175 - Jack Hayes (CRK) pinned Blake Clark, 1:37; 190 - Waker Black (CRK) pinned Henry Thompson, 3:39; 215 - Zach Stuefen (CRK) won by forfeit; Hwt. - Anthony Keys (CRK) pinned Jaryn Sertterh, 2:23.

GIRLS RESULTS

I.C. LIBERTY 62, C.R. KENNEDY 18

100 pounds - Ella McGonegle (ICL) won by forfeit; 105 - Taylor Cavanh (ICL) pinned Rozlin Fries, 1:14; 110 - Evalynn Karam (ICL) tech. fall Mariana Angeles, 17-2; 115 - Kate Eggleston (ICL) pinned Haylie Ayala, 3:00; 120 - Olivia Hallam (CRK) pinned Mia Ungs, 3:33; 125 - Kaitlyn Raue (ICL) pinned Stephanie Clark, 1:13; 130 - Elyse Caviel (ICL) pinned Addison Bodeker, 1:07; 135 - Acasia Lukalaba Ndomba (ICL) pinned Savannah Talyat, 2:41; 140 - Evelyn Eggleston (ICL) dec. Meredith Kaump, 5-2; 145 - Callum Wu (ICL) pinned Kalina Mayer, 2:33; 155 - Peyten Van Dyke (ICL) pinned Isabelle Gasper, 5:20; 170 - Onyx VanderHorn (CRK) pinned Mabel Howard, 1:47; 190 - Joscelyn Stricker (CRK) pinned Emma Sanders, 5:04; 235 - Abigail Carr (ICL) won by forfeit.

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