Local Wrestlers Fair Well at Statewide Tournaments:
Corey McAvoy Qualifies for Cadet National Championships

Some Denver High School wrestlers have continued to hone their skills after the regular high school season by competing in various weekend tournaments throughout Iowa. In early March, Kyle Mauer and Derrick Mehmen captured titles at Garner-Hayfield by both going 3-0 on the day. A couple days later they traveled to Riceville where Mauer and Corey McAvoy both claimed individual titles, and Mehmen placed fourth.
On March 10 , the Cyclone wrestlers traveled to Fort Madison, one of the states toughest tournaments, to try and qualify for the Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, ND. Matt Chapman, Zach Kuecker, and McAvoy both competed in the Cadet Division, which is determined by age groups, while Mauer and Mehmen competed in the Junior Division. All of the wrestlers represented Denver well with Kuecker and Mehmen each winning a couple of matches before bowing out. Turning in outstanding performances were Chapman who placed second at 105 pounds, narrowly missing an opportunity to go to nationals, and McAvoy who tore through the opposition in his first freestyle tournament ever to pin his way to the 275 pound championship and earn himself a spot on Team Iowa for the Advocare Cadet National Championships in Fargo, ND in July.
The following weekend, McAvoy, Kuecker and Mehmen headed to SE Polk HS to try and qualify for the Nationals in Greco-Roman style wrestling. McAvoy again claimed the crown and qualified himself for the Greco portion of the National meet in Fargo. Kuecker came up just short in his bid settling for an impressive third place finish among stiff competition. Mehmen found the going a little tougher competing in the Junior division as he went 0-2 against two state placers. While there trying their hand at Greco, all three wrestlers competed in the Junior Freestyle portion of the tournament where McAvoy was the lone placer at 4th.
The wrestlers, who are wrestling out of the Cat Wrestling Club at UNI, also wrestled at Wapsie Valley this past weekend but results were unavailable at press time. Any 7-12 grade wrestler interested in joining these young men at weekend tournaments or at the Cat Club should contact Chris Krueger at 984-6747.