HUMBOLDT, Ia. — The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys wrestling team returned to action on Saturday, as they made the short trip west on Highway 3 to compete in the annual North Central Conference Championships at Humboldt High School. The Cowboys were joined by the host Wildcats, as well as Algona, Charles City, Clear Lake, Hampton-Dumont-CAL, St. Edmond and Webster City.
In a dominant performance, CGD captured the North Central Conference title for the first time since 2021, winning with 255 points, the most points scored in an NCC Tournament since Clear Lake’s record-setting 267-point performance at the 2009 NCC’s. The Cowboys tied an NCC record with 10 finalists and crowned 6 conference champions.
Cole Wibholm pinned his way to a title at 106, winning all 3 matches by first period fall, including the final over Clear Lake’s Hayden Shear. Paxton Redenius then followed up by winning the 113-pound title, winning a 15-2 major decision over Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Madox Strother. Adrian Phetxoumphone then captured his 2nd consecutive conference championship, winning a 19-3 tech fall over Iowa Falls-Alden’s Kolbe Hansen in the final.
Linden Phetxoumphone captured a slice of history on Saturday, becoming the first athlete to win NCC titles at two different schools, as Phetxoumphone won the 132 pound title by pinning Algona’s Brooks Morgan in the final, as Phetxoumphone added his 2nd conference title, in addition to winning an NCC title in 2023 with Webster City.
Colin Sesker would pin his way to a conference title at 157 pounds, winning his title match by a 1st-period fall over Algona’s Carter McGregor, before JT Kelso would win a 4-2 decision over Algona’s Will Limbaugh in the 285-pound final.
The Cowboys had 4 runner-up finishers, as Ryan Hartwig came up just short in the 138 pound final in a 9-7 decision loss to Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Brody Strother, as Dawson Beyer lost in the 150 pound final to Clear Lake’s Aiden Hippen by a 16-3 major decision. Ryland Morgan would lose a 14-1 major decision to Algona’s Taevyn Zinnel at 165, as Easton Beyer would lose by fall to Clear Lake’s Christian Dunning at 175.
Other placers for the Cowboys saw Estuardo Lopez place 3rd at 120, Reed Campbell placed 4th at 144 pounds, as Traesyn Cope placed 5th at 215 pounds.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows wrestling returns to action on Monday night, as they host Eagle Grove and Forest City for a non-conference tri-dual at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School, beginning at 6 PM.