Central's Van Kley Wins Coaching Honor

PELLA-Central College's Eric Van Kley has been named the Iowa Conference wrestling co-coach of the year.

Van Kley shared the honor with Mike Duroe of Cornell College.

In his third season at Central, Van Kley guided the Dutch to a 10-9 dual-meet record, their first winning campaign since 2000-01. Central snapped a string of five straight last-place finishes at the Iowa Conference tournament Tuesday at Storm Lake, finishing seventh in the nine-team league meet. It's Central's highest finish since 2004.

A Rock Valley, Iowa native and an honors graduate of Minn. State-Mankato, Van Kley previously coached for three seasons at the Univ. of Great Falls (Mont.) where he started the program and built an NAIA title contender. He was named the NAIA West Region coach of the year in 2006-07 and also became the Great Falls athletics director in 2006.

Van Kley inherited a Central squad that had posted a 0-18 record prior to his arrival. The Dutch had eight placewinners at Tuesday's league meet, using a lineup that included no seniors and just one junior.
Central Wrestlers Climb to 7th at League Tourney

STORM LAKE-It was a modest step but a step forward nonetheless.

Competing in the nation's strongest NCAA Division III tourney with a lineup that included no seniors and just one junior, the Central College wrestling team snapped a five-year string of last-place finishes and inched ahead of Simpson and Buena Vista for seventh place Tuesday. It was the highest league finish since 2003-04 for the Dutch, who also posted a 10-9 dual record, their best since 2000-01. Central had eight placewinners and scored 49 points, with Simpson and Buena Vista at 48.

"We had to come back for it," coach Eric Van Kley said. "We had a good effort in the placing matches. For every wrestler except Zach Beekman (sophomore, Pocahontas), this was their first conference tournament. To have some success during the year and follow it up with a solid showing at conference is real good to see."

Freshman Holden Blythe (Williamsburg) fought his way to fourth place at 197 pounds in Central's top individual showing. After an opening-round loss, Blythe, the No. 6 seed, was a 10-8 sudden-victory winner in a consolation match against No. 7 Alex Grafft of Loras, then upset No. 4 Robert Widmer of Cornell, 6-4. Brian Broll of Buena Vista took the third-place match, 9-1.

"I thought Holden had a great day," Van Kley said of Blythe, who joined the squad late because of football. "He was really solid the last month of the season. It took him a few matches to find his niche, but as a freshman to be one place away from qualifying for nationals, I couldn't be prouder of his effort or the tournament he had."
          
Joe Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) claimed sixth place at 149 pounds. Also seeded sixth, Atwell defeated No. 7 Chris Gansen of Loras, 9-3, but dropped the fifth-place match to Jacob Schwebke of Cornell, 6-1.

Five Dutch wrestlers finished seventh: Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS) at 125, Jon Mendoza (sophomore, Norwalk) at 133, Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) at 141, Keith Rush (freshman, Griswold) at 184 and Jake Crawford (freshman, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS). Beekman was eighth at 157 pounds.

Injuries forced Central to be open at two weights. Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa), the team's winning percentage leader, had to sit out at 165 pounds and Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) was sidelined at 174.

Van Kley, who built a start-up program at Great Falls (Mont.) into an NAIA power before launching Central's turnaround, likes the direction the Dutch are headed after three seasons at the helm.

"I'd say we're right on schedule," he said. "For a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores to do this well at the conference tournament was outstanding, although we would have loved to punch somebody through to the national tournament.

"It was great to have a winning season but the kids expected that because of the work ethic and commitment they have. On the other hand they feel like we can get a lot better."

But the climb remains a challenging one.

"We've just got to keep working and trust the system," Van Kley said. "We know it's not going to come easily and there's no quick fix. But these guys are committed to the long haul."
Another Milestone--Central Wrestlers Wrap Up Winning Season

PELLA—Surpassing even the ambitious goal it set in the preseason, the Central College wrestling team secured its first winning season since 2000-01 with a resounding 27-12 victory over Simpson College Thursday.

            That allowed the youthful Dutch to wrap up the dual meet campaign with a 10-9 mark in coach Eric Van Kley’s third year. Central was 0-15-1 in his first season in 2007-08 then inched forward to 3-12 last year before this season’s breakthrough. Simpson closed at 2-14.

            “They came to me and said they were going to win nine matches this year, and they got 10,” Van Kley said. “That speaks directly to the kids we have in this program. They’re a special group of kids who keep pushing the bar higher. As a coach, it’s fun to have a group like that.”

            Thursday’s match seemed to turn in a dramatic 141-pound match where Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) fell behind Caleb Brus, 5-0 in the first period. Brus is Simpson’s winningest wrestler, bringing a 23-9 mark into the match. Still trailing by two points in the closing seconds, Atwell was denied on a late takedown attempt when a stalemate was whistled with just 5 seconds remaining. But Atwell then nailed a takedown with only a second left, and needed less than 15 seconds in overtime to score another along with a 2-point near fall for a 9-5 victory as he improved to 21-7 for the year.

            “That was a huge match,” Van Kley said. “Caleb Brus is a strong kid but Josh got a gutty takedown at the end of regulation. That speaks volumes to his work ethic and toughness.”

            Joe Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) followed with a fall in 5:20 at 149 pounds. The Dutch, who got a forfeit win by Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS) at 125 pounds, wrapped things up with wins from freshmen at the last three weights. Keith Rush (Griswold) picked up a 5-2 decision at 184 pounds, Holden Blythe (Williamsburg) scored a fall in 1:23 at 197 and Jake Crawford (Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) was a 3-2 winner at 285.

No. 23 Dubuque Overpowers Central Wrestlers

DUBUQUE-Central College's young and improving wrestling squad couldn't topple the No. 23-rated Univ. of Dubuque Friday, tumbling 38-6.

The Dutch (9-9) mustered two victories. Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS) was a 2-1 winner over Ryan Lessner at 125 pounds. Then at 141 pounds, Eric Wilkerson (sophomore, Toledo, South Tama HS) downed Emilio Colecio, 7-2. Dubuque upped its season record to 7-6.

Next Thursday Central gets a shot at wrapping up its first winning dual meet season since 2000-01, and only its second since 1994-95, when the Dutch play host to Simpson College. The meet begins at 7 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. A video Webcast will be offered through the Central athletics Web site at www.central.edu/athletics.

Following Thursday's dual the Dutch prepare for the Iowa Conference tournament Tuesday, Feb. 16 in Storm Lake.

Dubuque 38, Central 6
(matches began at 165 pounds)
165 - Josh Terrell (D) won by forfeit
174 - Evan Brown (D) won by fall Ivan Gaeta, 4:31
184 - Jacob Durbin (D)dec. Keith Rush, 9-4
197 - Sam Johnson (D) dec. Brian Johnson, 3-2
285 - Chris Schiewe (D) won by fall over Jacob Crawford, 1:33
125 - Justin Marx (C) dec. Ryan Lessner, 2-1
133 - Derek Smith (D) won by forfeit
141 - Eric Wilkerson (C) dec. Emilio Colecio, 7-2
149 - A.J. Knoll (D) dec. Joe Atwell, 20-6
157 - Ryan Warcynski (D) dec. Zach Beekman, 13-1
Surging Central Wrestlers Score Sweep

PELLA-Matching its highest season-wins total in the past nine years, the Central College wrestling team scored six falls in sweeping Knox (Ill.) 52-0 and Augustana (Ill.) 25-14 Tuesday night.

The Knox whitewashing was Central's first shutout since Dec. 29, 2000, when the Dutch blanked Rhode Island College, 54-0.

Central improved to 9-8 with two duals remaining, and is threatening to post its first winning season since a 12-8 campaign in 2000-01.

But any chance at that milestone was hanging in the balance throughout the Augustana match. Coach Eric Van Kley noted that Central's 11-point victory margin could easily have been reversed were it not for some clutch performances, particularly at the upper weights.

"I'm just extremely proud of these kids and their heart and character," he said. "They just put it out there. It's not always pretty but they care a lot and they give a great effort."

Sophomore 165-pounder Tommy Van Renterghem (Oskaloosa) notched two falls and upped his record to 19-6. The Dutch also got a big effort from Jake Crawford (Altoona, Southeast Polk HS), who clinched the Augustana match with a fall at 285 pounds in 2:13 after Central entered with a 19-14 advantage.

"It's so much fun knowing we have Jake Crawford to come down to in the last match," Van Kley said. "He gives such a great effort every time and he loves the spotlight. That's a good quality to have."

But Van Kley pointed to a narrow 3-0 decision by Holden Blythe (freshman, Williamsburg) as one of the team's pivotal performances.

"That was Holden's best match all year," he said. "It doesn't show on the scoreboard, but that was a good wrestler he was going against. It was certainly Holden's most complete seven-minute match."

Against Knox, the Dutch were the recipients of three forfeits and also got falls from Zach Beekman (sophomore, Pocahontas) at 157, Van Renterghem, Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) at 174 and Keith Rush (freshman, Griswold) at 184. Rush was also instrumental in Central's win over Augustana, getting a late takedown for a 10-9 victory.

Central travels to Dubuque Friday for a 7 p.m. dual. The Spartans (6-6) are ranked 23rd in the NCAA Division III.
Van Kley said his squad knows there is work ahead.
"We've just got to keep trusting the system and get better each day," he said. "We've done a good job of that so far."

In Tuesday's other matches at P.H. Kuyper Gym, Simpson defeated Knox 43-12, but was subdued by Augustana, 27-12.

College wrestling
At P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium
Central College
Pella, Iowa

Central 52, Knox (Ill.) 0
125-Justin Marx (C) won by forfeit
133-Jon Mendoza (C) won by forfeit
141-Eric Wilkerson (C) dec. Tim Yee, 4-1
149-Nick Johnson (C) dec. Dugan O'Connor, 5-2
157-Zach Beekman (C) won by fall over Casey Spencer, 1:35
165-Tommy Van Renterghem (C) won by fall over Kin Vong, 5:15
174-Ivan Gaeta (C) won by fall over Dan Page, 1:13
184-Keith Rush (C) won by fall over Alex Faulkner, 5:57
197-Theron Stewart (C) won by forfeit
285-Brandon Burrell (C) dec. James Wagner, 13-4

Central 25, Augustana (Ill.) 14
125-George Gogonas (A) dec. Justin Marx, 15-4
133-Steve Poffenberger (A) Jon Mendoza, 6-5
141-Josh Atwell (C) dec. Alberto Quiros, 11-8
149-Joe Atwell (C) dec. Alec Rizzo, 15-5
157-Zac Holland (A) dec. Zach Beekman, 10-5
165-Tommy Van Renterghem (C) won by fall over Tyler Dempsey, 5:40
174-Alex Vavra (A) won by fall over Ivan Gaeta, 6:37
184-Keith Rush (C) dec. Matt Nykaza, 10-9 (Augustana deducted one team point)
197-Holden Blythe (C) dec. Hunter Feraco, 3-0
285-Jake Crawford (C) won by fall over George Papandreou, 2:13

Augustana (Ill.) 27, Simpson 12
125-George Gogonas (A) won by forfeit
133-Steve Poffenberger (A) won by fall over Jeff Sand, 2:17
141-Caleb Brus (S) dec. Alberto Quiros, 9-5
149-Kasey Green (S) dec. Alec Rizzo, 7-3
157-Wade Dowling (S) dec. Zac Holland, 5-3
165-Tyler Dempsey (A) dec. Cory Stratton, 7-3
174-Alex Vavra (A) dec. Jordy Ammons, 4-2
184-Curtis Barber (S) dec. Matt Nykaza, 7-0
197-Hunter Feraco (A) dec. Ryan Haworth, 7-2
285-George Papandreou (A) dec. Sam Collora, 11-4

Simpson 43, Knox (Ill.) 12
125-Charles Deutsch (K) won by forfeit
133-Jeff Sand (S) won by forfeit.
141-Caleb Brus (S) won by fall over Tim Yee, 1:47
149-Kasey Green (S) won by fall over Zach Paluch, 2:26
157-Wade Dowling (S) dec. Casey Spencer, 10-6
165-Cory Stratton (S) won by fall over Kin Vong, 1:41
174-Jordy Ammons (S) dec. Dan Page, 9-0
184-Curtis Barber (S) won by fall over Alex Faulkner, 1:26
197-Ryan Haworth (S) won by forfeit
285-James Wagner (K) won by fall over Sam Collora, 3:25
Feb. 2 Wrestling Meet Time Change for Central College's and Simpson College's Wrestling Double-Dual with Augustana and Knox

The start time for Central College's and Simpson College's wrestling double-dual Tuesday with Augustana (Ill.) and Knox (Ill.) has been changed at Knox's request.

Tuesday, Feb. 2
At P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium
Central College
Pella, Iowa

6:30 p.m.-Central vs. Knox (Ill.); Simpson vs. Augustana (Ill.)

7:45 p.m.-Central vs. Augustana (Ill.); Simpson vs. Knox (Ill.)
Central Wrestlers Stun Two League Foes-End 38-Match Skid

MOUNT VERNON-In a noisy display of the strides being made by the Central College wrestling program under coach Eric Van Kley, the Dutch ended a 5-year drought with decisive back-to-back upset victories at the Iowa Conference Duals Saturday.

Competing at Cornell College, Central, 7-8 overall, was 2-2 on the day. No. 14-ranked Luther stymied the Dutch 39-9 but Central rebounded with a 26-15 win over Loras and a resounding 33-10 victory over Buena Vista, before No. 10 Cornell rolled up a 38-3 decision.

The Loras win was Central's first dual victory over an Iowa Conference opponent since the Dutch were 31-10 winners over Buena Vista at Pella Dec. 10, 2004, snapping a 38-match losing streak. Central's last win over Loras was Jan. 28, 1995.

"The kids gave a great effort all around," Van Kley said. "I just couldn't be prouder. We had a really outstanding day and got two wins against a couple of pretty decent teams. That was a big step in the right direction."
          
Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) was 4-0 on the day for the Dutch at 165 pounds, as he improved to 17-6 overall.

"Tommy's really emerging as a team leader on and off the mat," Van Kley said. "He's not flashy, he's not fancy, he's just hard-nosed tough and he does things the right way."

Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) was 2-0 at 174 pounds and Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) was 1-0 at 197. Four Dutch wrestlers were 2-1: Jon Mendoza (sophomore, Norwalk) at 133 pounds, Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) at 141, Joe Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) at 149 and Keith Rush (freshman, Griswold ) at 184.

Josh Atwell remains the team victories leader at 19-7 while Joe Atwell is 18-11.

Twenty Central wrestlers saw action on the day.

Central has a week off before making a home appearance in a triangular Tuesday, Feb. 2 at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. The Dutch met Knox (Ill.) at 5:30 p.m. and Augustana (Ill.) at 7 p.m. Central met both squads at Rock Island, Ill. last year, defeating Knox 33-16 before falling to Augustana 33-15. Knox is 4-4 while Augustana is 5-9.

"It will be a great training week," Van Kley said. "We'll celebrate tonight but then it's back to work."

Iowa Conference Duals
at Mount Vernon
No. 14 Luther 39, Central 9
125 - Jayson Swanson (L) pinned Justin Marx, 2:12.
133 - Ryan Capuoch (L) inj. def. Chris Kilgannon.
141 - Kevin Bokoski (L) pinned Eric Wilkerson, 2:02
149 - #5 Jason Pyle (L) pinned Curtis Hobbs, 2:36
157 - Lance Serbousek (L) pinned Zach Beekman, 1:55.
165 - Tommy Van Renterghem (C) dec. Adam Rave, 8-3.
174 - Bobby Vineis (C) dec. Derek Moe, 5-2.
184 - Nic Barclay (L) dec. Keith Rush, 8-6.
197 - Theron Stewart (C) dec. Jack Steinberg, 2-1.
285 - #8 Allyn Plattner (L) pinned Brandon Burrell, 3:49.

Central 26, Loras 15
125 - Pat Pfantz (L) dec. Justin Marx, 20-18 SV1.
133 - Jon Mendoza (C) won by forfeit.
141 - Josh Atwell (C) dec. Matt Holmes, 9-3.
149 - Joe Atwell (C) pinned Colin Hagerty, 2:59.
157 - Mike Calafiore (L) pinned Curtis Hobbs 6:59.
165 - Tommy Van Renterghem (C) dec. Tiegen Podliska, 9-5.
174 - Ivan Gaeta (C) dec. Matt Dickman, 8-4.
184 - Keith Rush (C) dec. Josh Kirkland, 7-1.
197 - Holden Blythe (C) dec. Alex Grafft, 7-2.
285 - Jeremy Klein (L) pinned Jacob Crawford, 4:52.
Note: Central had one team point deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct at 184 pounds.

Central 33, Buena Vista 10
125 - #7 Austin Mogg (BV) pinned Justin Marx, 2:35.
133 - Jon Mendoza (C) dec. Aaron Davenport, 9-4.
141 - Josh Atwell (C) pinned Tim Vore, 2:57.
149 - Joe Atwell (C) inj. def. Codey Schultz.
157 - Zach Beekman (C) pinned Lucas Harm, 2:50.
165 - Tommy Van Renterghem (C) dec. Roman Villegas, 5-1.
174 - Ivan Gaeta (C) dec. Nate Tool, 10-8.
184 - Keith Rush (C) dec. Tyler Winkleman, 8-7.
197 - Brian Broll (BV) maj. dec. Holden Blythe, 10-0.
285 - Jacob Crawford (C) dec. Mark Frye, 5-2.

No. 10 Cornell 38, Central 3
125 - #8 Timothy Hood (Cor) maj. dec. Jacob Eisheid, 14-2.
133 - #8 Nick Nothern (Cor) maj. dec. Jon Mendoza, 10-2.
141 - Kevin Donahue (Cor) maj. dec. Josh Atwell, 17-6.
149 - Zach Wilson (Cor) maj. dec. Joe Atwell, 15-5.
157 - #6 Nicholas Loughlin (Cor) won by tech. fall Zach Beekman, 17-1 (4:55).
165 - Tommy Renterghem (Cen) dec. Colten Moore, 9-7 SV1.
174 - Joe Hambleton (Cor) maj. dec. Bobby Vineis, 11-2.
184 - Andrew Roberts (Cor) pinned Treaver Willis, 1:43.
197 - Robert Widmer (Cor) dec. Brian Johnson, 8-6.
285 - Wyatt Bauman (Cor) maj. dec. Nate Rouse, 8-0.
Rush, Blythe Finish Third for Central Wrestlers

PELLA-Freshmen Keith Rush (Griswold) and Holden Blythe (Williamsburg) each recorded their first collegiate place-finishes as the Central College wrestling team played host to the Central Invitational Saturday.

There were no team scores.

While coach Eric Van Kley held some of his wrestlers out of action due to some nagging injuries, Rush and Blythe posted 4-1 marks at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively. Joe Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) was 4-2 at 149 pounds, finishing fourth.
              
Brian Johnson (freshman, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) was 3-2 at 197 pounds while Curtis Hobbs (junior, Grinnell) posted a 2-2 mark at 149 pounds while Brandon Burrell (freshman, Cedar Rapids, Washington HS) was 2-2 at 285.

"We've got a lot of young kids learning how to win," Van Kley said. "That's fun to see. Keith Rush and Holden Blythe each had their first place-finishes but we had a half-dozen other guys who didn't place but competed hard and battled through some adversity after a long week."

The Dutch returned to Pella Tuesday evening after a week-long trip with stops in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

"This will be a good week both to train and to catch our breath before the conference duals," Van Kley said.

Central is in the Iowa Conference Duals at Mount Vernon next Saturday. The Dutch meet 14th-ranked Luther at 9 a.m., Loras at 12:30 p.m., Buena Vista at 2:15 p.m. and No. 10 Cornell at 4 p.m.

"It will be a real big day, but the kids are excited about it," Van Kley said. "We want to wrestle good competition and hopefully improving our showing each time."
Central Rallies for Dual Wrestling Win

PELLA-Victories in the final two matches propelled the Central College wrestling team to a 20-18 comeback win over St. Olaf College (Minn.) Friday evening.

The Dutch (5-6) were 33-15 winners in a dual at St. Olaf Dec. 10, but coach Eric Van Kley was anticipating a much tighter contest this time and got it.

Trailing 18-14 heading into the 197-pound match, freshman Holden Blythe (Williamsburg), in just his fourth collegiate match, outscored Collin Jorgensen 13-7. Then freshman Jake Crawford (Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) gave Central the win, outlasting Dustin Heiser, 3-1.

Earlier Central got a big 13-6 win at 125 pounds from Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS) over Collin Pitts, who had pinned Marx in the teams' earlier meeting. Then the Atwell brothers scored back-to-back wins. Sophomore Josh Atwell (Jamaica, Perry HS) prevailed 8-4 and freshman Joe Atwell (Jamaica, Panorama HS) scored a technical fall, winning 24-7. Josh Atwell improved his record to a team-best 17-5. Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) was Central's other winner, getting a 3-1 decision at 174 pounds.

St. Olaf (4-5) kept things tight by reversing a pair of losses it had suffered to the Dutch Dec. 10.

"We knew it would be a tough one," Van Kley said. "They've got a good team. And we're a young team. So it wasn't always pretty. But it seems like all year, when we really need one, we get it. That's what happened tonight. We had two big bookend wins. Justin Marx had a huge win at 125 and Jake Crawford had a huge win at (285).

"I also thought Holden Blythe got a nice win. There was a lot of pressure on Holden. It was his first dual at home and in a tight situation. Under the circumstances, I thought he did pretty well."

 The Oles will be among about a dozen teams at Pella Saturday for the non-scored Central Invitational. Some 190 wrestlers are expected to compete, with action starting at 9 a.m. in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. However, Van Kley said a few Dutch wrestlers will be held out of action.

"We just want to make sure we're healthy and ready for the Iowa Conference Duals (Jan. 23)."

College wrestling
At Pella

Central 20, St. Olaf (Minn.) 18
125-Justin Marx (C) dec. Collin Pitts, 13-6; 133-Ryan Timmerman (SO) won by tech. fall over Chris Kilgannon, 17-0; 141-Josh Atwell (C) dec. Thomas Mork, 8-4; 149-Joe Atwell (C) won by tech. fall over Michael Pitts, 24-7; 157-Justin Skillings (SO) dec. Zach Beekman, 10-0; 165-Josef Waples (SO) dec. Tommy Van Renterghem, 4-2; 174-Ivan Gaeta (C) dec. Joseph Pesta, 3-1; 184-Andrew Rudd (SO) won by fall over Keith Rush, 2:56; 197-Holden Blythe (C) dec. Collin Jorgensen, 13-7; 285-Jacob Crawford (C) dec. Dustin Heiser, 3-1.
Central's Gaeta Scores Wrestling Upset in Pennsylvania

COLLEGEVILLE, PA.-The Central College wrestling team endured a five-match marathon that included three matches with nationally ranked foes and emerged with a 1-4 mark at the North-South Duals hosted by Ursinus College (Pa.).

No. 4-ranked Ithaca (N.Y.) stymied the Dutch 33-12 and No. 13 Cortland State (N.Y.) was a 43-6 winner. No. 15 Wilkes (Pa.) stopped Central 36-6 and host Ursinus (Pa.) pulled out a 21-15 win. But Central (4-6) closed with a decisive 30-9 win over Morrisville State (N.Y.). The Dutch have already matched their highest season dual wins total in the past six years.

Saturday's complete results were not available.

"We actually wrestled pretty well," coach Eric Van Kley said. "We fought hard, but we wrestled some very good teams. They're just more experienced and better than we are right now, but I'm proud of how we hung in there and competed."
          
Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) scored the day's biggest win, stunning Ithaca's David Priest, ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III at 174 pounds. Gaeta was 3-1 overall.

"Ivan had an outstanding day," Van Kley said. "I thought he really battled."

Van Kley also cited Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) at 165 pounds and Keith Rush (freshman, Griswold), who was 3-2 in a full day at 184. Meanwhile Brandon Burrell (freshman, Cedar Rapids, Washington HS) made his collegiate debut at 285 pounds and posted a 2-0 mark.

Before returning to Iowa, the Dutch take a detour to New York City, where they'll visit Central graduate Harry Smith on the set of CBS News' "The Early Show," which they'll view live Monday morning. Smith is the program's co-host.

"This trip is a great experience for the kids," Van Kley said.

The weekend is also a homecoming for Central 184-pounder Bobby Vineis, a sophomore from Perkasie, Pa.

Central returns home Tuesday, then gears up for another big weekend. St. Olaf (Minn.) visits for a Friday dual rematch at 7 p.m. in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. Central surprised the Oles 33-15 at Northfield, Minn. Dec. 10. Then both squads will compete in the Central Invitational Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. Van Kley said about 12 teams are expected for the non-scored tourney.

It will also be a reunion weekend for Central's 1984-85 team, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its NCAA Division III national runner-up season. Coach Ron Johnson and several team members will return to campus and be recognized at Friday's dual and again before the championship round of Saturday's tourney. The 1984-85 squad posted a 9-0 dual mark and captured the Iowa Conference title before finishing second at the NCAA meet in Rock Island, Ill. Dale Lawrence and Scot Storjohann finished second nationally at 177 pounds and heavyweight, respectively, while Ed Ergenbright was third at 134 pounds and Duane Lawrence was fifth at 177 pounds.
Central Wrestlers Win Again in Ohio

BEREA, OHIO-Joseph Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) and Keith Rush (freshman, Griswold) recorded falls as the Central College wrestling team picked up its second win in Ohio in two days, tripping Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) 30-18.

Atwell pinned Grant Steward at 149 pounds in 3:11 while Rush pinned Cody Quick in 4:11 at 184 pounds. Central (3-2) also got victories from Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS) at 125 pounds, Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) at 141 and  Reid Imerman (sophomore, Guthrie Center) at 165. Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) received a forfeit win at 174 pounds. The Dutch also had to forfeit at 133 pounds because Chris Kilgannon (freshman, Huntersville, N.C., South Lake Christian HS) was sidelined by illness.

Central defeated Wilmington (Ohio) 24-16 Wednesday, but coach Eric Van Kley was more enthused about Thursday's showing.
"It was a much better effort," he said. "We let a couple of matches slip away that we would have liked to have won, but overall I was much more pleased with our effort and aggressiveness."

Marx's 8-3 win at 125 was a spark, Van Kley said.

"Justin really got us started off well," he said. "He's such a big asset for us when he gets started like that. Then the Atwell boys are pretty tough to handle . We feel real good about how they're wrestling. And Reid Imerman bounced back really well. He wrestled a nice, complete match."

The Dutch are en route to Collegeville, Pa. where they will compete Saturday in the 17-team Ursinus (Pa.) North-South Duals. The event will be staged on eight mats, with no breaks. The Dutch will wrestle five matches back-to-back, requiring them to utilize their full squad. Central takes on No. 4-ranked Ithaca (N.Y.) at 9 a.m. (Eastern Time), followed immediately by matches with No. 13 Cortland State (N.Y.), No. 15 Wilkes (Pa.), Ursinus (Pa.) and Morrisville State (N.Y.).

"The kids are really excited about it," Van Kley said. "The whole reason for this trip was to see good teams in Ohio and Pennsylvania. These matches will be a great measuring stick. If we get five great efforts and see where we stack up, that will be really good.

"It's a big day and will really test us. I hope we're up to the challenge."

Central 30, Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) 18
125--Justin Marx (C) dec. Jeremy Dombrady, 8-3

133--Phil Payne (B-W) won by forfeit

141--Josh Atwell (C) won by tech. fall Eric Schubert, 17-2

149--Joe Atewell (C) pinned Grant Steward, 3:11

157--Korey Leonhard (B-W) dec. Zach Beekman, 5-3

165--Reid Imerman (C) dec. Mike Hosta , 13-1

174--Ivan Gaeta (C) won by forfeit

184--Keith Rush (C) pinned Cody Quick, 4:11

197--Tristan Stoll (B-W) pinned Holden Blythe, 00:35

285--Ryan Jones (B-W) dec. Jacob Crawford, 8-5
Central Wrestlers Top Wilmington

WILMINGTON, OHIO-The Central College wrestling team endured a lengthy road trip and rallied with six wins in seven matches for a 24-16 victory at Wilmington College (Ohio) Wednesday afternoon.

Winners for Central included Jake Schubert (freshman, Shenandoah) at 149 pounds, Curtis Hobbs (junior, Grinnell) at 157, Reid Imerman (sophomore, Guthrie Center) at 165 and Bobby Vineis (sophomore, Perkasie, Pa., Pennridge HS) at 174. Treaver Willis (freshman, Muscatine) and Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) received forfeit wins at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively.

Coach Eric Van Kley said the trek might have had an effect on his team's performance.

"We really gave a lackluster performance," he said. "I take full responsibility for that. Whether it was the trip or me just not getting them ready this morning, we didn't give a real good effort. We need to turn that around heading into (Thursday)."

The Dutch, who evened their record at 2-2 as Wilmington dropped to 1-3, are making a shorter trip today to Berea, Ohio where they'll meet Baldwin-Wallace College in a 1 p.m. (Eastern Time) meet Thursday. The Yellow Jackets are 2-6 after suffering a 25-22 loss to Wilmington Tuesday night.

Van Kley said the Dutch did get a strong showing from Hobbs, a 10-4 winner over Mark Sedziol at 157 pounds.

"Curtis moved up a weight and wrestled a nice match," he said.

Van Kley also cited freshman Brandon Burrell (Cedar Rapids, Washington HS), who won a 3-0 decision in an exhibition match at 285 pounds. Burrell is among the wrestlers who reported late because of football and was making his collegiate debut.

"That was a great start for him," Van Kley said. "He's got such a good attitude and a great work ethic. He's a good guy to have on our team and it was fun to see him get his first win."

The Dutch will shuffle the lineup Thursday as they prepare to utilize the full squad in the Ursinus (Pa.) North-South Duals in Collegeville, Pa. Saturday as they will wrestle five matches. Pairings were announced in the 17-team tourney Tuesday. Central takes on Ithaca (N.Y.) at 9 a.m. (Eastern Time), followed immediately by matches with Cortland State (N.Y.), Wilkes (Pa.), Ursinus (Pa.) and Morrisville State (N.Y.).
College wrestling

Central 24, Wilmington (Ohio) 16
125--Donny Herrington (W) dec. Justin Marx, 18-13
133--Chris Heiss (W) dec. Chris Kilgannon, 15-3
141--Tim Brown (W) dec. Eric Wilkerson, 7-6
149--Jake Schubert (C) dec. Luke Armand, 10-8
157--Curtis Hobbs (C) dec. Mark Sedziol, 10-4
165--Reid Imerman (C) dec. Thomas Bohrer, 5-4
174--Bobby Vineis (C) dec. Brendan Leal, 7-5
184--Treaver Willis (C) won by forfeit
197--Theron Stewart (C) won by forfeit
285--Adam Salyers (W) won by fall over Nate Rouse, 1:49
Central Wrestlers Nab First Dual Win

NORTHFIELD, MINN.-After digging an early 12-0 hole, the Central College wrestling team roared back with wins in seven of the final eight matches and recorded its earliest dual wrestling season victory since 2004 Thursday, outmuscling St. Olaf College (Minn.) 33-15 on a frigid Minnesota evening.

The Oles recorded falls at 125 and 133 pounds, before Central rallied as the young Dutch had three falls of their own. Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) was a 17-3 winner at 141 pounds, raising his record to a team-best 14-3, and Joseph Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) followed with a 16-1 technical fall at 149 pounds.

But coach Eric Van Kley said the pivotal match was at 165 pounds. The Oles' Justin Skillings had defeated Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) 10-9 in the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) tournament Saturday. But Thursday Van Renterghem pinned Skillings in 3:25 at 165 pounds and improved to 11-4.

"That was the turning point," Van Kley said.

Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) prevailed 7-4 at 174 pounds and freshman Keith Rush (Griswold), in just his second day of competition after finishing the football season, notched a pin in 4:47 at 184 pounds.

"Keith's hard to keep out of the lineup," Van Kley said. "He's a fiery competitor. The same intensity he shows on the football field, he brings to the wrestling mat. And with his work ethic, he fits in with our guys extremely well."

Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) then pinned his opponent in 3:37 at 197 pounds and Jacob Crawford (freshman, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) closed the night with a 3-1 victory.

"Theron and Jake wrestled well," Van Kley said. "It was nice to finish strong with three freshmen.

"We got after it pretty good. St. Olaf has got a better team than the score showed. Six of their 10 guys placed ahead of us last weekend."

Central takes a break for final exams next week and then Christmas before heading east to kick off 2010. The Dutch take on Wilmington College (Ohio) Jan. 6 in a noon (Eastern Time) dual, then wrestle at Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. Central competes in the Ursinus (Pa.) North-South Duals at Collegeville, Pa. Jan. 9, starting at 9 a.m. Van Kley said some 16 teams are expected, with pairings not set until the previous day.
Wilmington is 0-2 in the early going while Baldwin-Wallace is 2-5.

Central College 33, St. Olaf (Minn.) 15
125: Collin Pits (StO) def. Justin Marx (Cen) Fall 1:59 | St. Olaf 6, Central 0
133: Ryan Timmerman (StO) def. Chris Kilgannon (Cen) Fall 3:30| St. Olaf 12, Central 0
141: Josh Atwell (Cen) def. Tom Mork (StO) 17-3 | St. Olaf 12, Central 4
149: Joseph Atwell (Cen) def. Leo Juarez (StO) 16-1 | St. Olaf 12, Central 9
157: Joey Waples (StO) def. Jared Hermann (Cen) 9-6| St. Olaf 15, Central 9
165: Tommy Van Renterghem (Cen) def. Justin Skillings (StO) Fall 3:25 | St. Olaf 15, Central 15
174: Ivan Gaeta (Cen) def. Collin Jergenson (StO) 7-4| Central 18, St. Olaf 15
184: Keith Rush (Cen) def. Andrew Rudd (StO) Fall 4:47 | Central 24, St. Olaf 15
197: Theron Stewart (Cen) def. James Noneman (StO) Fall 3:37| Central 30, St. Olaf
285: Jacob Crawford (Cen) def. Dustin Heiser (StO) 3-1 | Central 33, St. Olaf 15
Central Wrestlers Snare Wisconsin Tourney Title

MILWAUKEE, WIS.-Attaining another milestone in the Central College wrestling team's turnaround under third-year coach Eric Van Kley, the Dutch battled their way to first place at the 11-team Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) Invitational Saturday.

A balanced team effort was the key as Central won without crowning an individual champion. Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) was Central's lone finalist, finishing second at 174 pounds. Central got third-place finishes from Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) at 174 pounds and Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) at 197.

The Dutch had placewinners at eight varsity weights and 11 placewinners overall. That allowed them to edge Lakeland (Wis.) 122-120. Wis.-Platteville was close behind at 119.5 with Wis.-Oskosh at 115.5.

Last year Central was fifth in a 12-team field at the MSOE tournament, with seven placewinners.

"It was an outstanding effort," Van Kley said. "Every single guy contributed, from top to bottom. Without every one of them scratching and clawing for everything they could, we wouldn't have won.

"I think we had 8-10 one- or two-point matches or overtime matches that we won. Every kid won through perseverance, heart and conditioning, which are the things that we emphasize."

Central closes its pre-Christmas schedule Thursday with a 7 p.m. dual at St. Olaf College (Minn.) in Northfield, Minn. The teams will also stage a dual at Pella Jan. 15. Central defeated the Oles at Northfield last January, 36-15. St. Olaf is 1-2 heading into a Tuesday dual at St. John's Univ. (Minn.).
Central Wrestlers Snare Wisconsin Tourney Title

MILWAUKEE, WIS.-Attaining another milestone in the Central College wrestling team's turnaround under third-year coach Eric Van Kley, the Dutch battled their way to first place at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) Invitational Saturday.

A balanced team effort was the key as Central won without crowning an individual champion. Ivan Gaeta (sophomore, Bremerton, Wash., Olympic HS) was Central's lone finalist, finishing second at 174 pounds. But the Dutch had placewinners at all 10 weights, allowing them to edge Lakeland (Wis.) and Wis.-Oskosh, who were both within 2.5 points.

Complete results were unavailable.

Last year Central was fifth in a 12-team field at the MSOE tournament, with seven placewinners.

"It was an outstanding effort," Van Kley said. "Every single guy contributed, from top to bottom. Without every one of them scratching and clawing for everything they could, we wouldn't have won.

"I think we had 8-10 one- or two-point matches or overtime matches that we won. Every kid won through perseverance, heart and conditioning, which are the things that we emphasize."

Central closes its pre-Christmas schedule Thursday with a 7 p.m. dual at St. Olaf College (Minn.) in Northfield, Minn. The teams will also stage a dual at Pella Jan. 15. Central defeated the Oles at Northfield last January, 36-15. St. Olaf is 1-2 heading into a Tuesday dual at St. John's Univ. (Minn.).
No. 6 Wartburg Downs Central Wrestlers

PELLA-Central College scored a pair of victories before falling to defending NCAA Division III wrestling champion Wartburg College Tuesday, 41-6.

The Atwell brothers were winners for the Dutch (0-2). Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Panorama HS) used some third-period riding time for a 2-1 victory at 141 pounds and improved to 8-1 on the young season. Joe Atwell (freshman, Jamaica, Panorama HS) hung on for a 5-4 win at 149 pounds. He's 5-3.

"That's an awesome sibling rivalry," coach Eric Van Kley said. "After Josh got a win, I don't think there was any way Joe was going to let one slip away. It's a neat relationship. They bring out the best in each other. It's great to see how much fun they're having."

Van Kley gave passing grades to a few other Dutch wrestlers. He cited Justin Marx (junior, Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS), who stayed close to Wartburg all-American Mark Kist for most of two periods at 125 pounds, before suffering a 12-4 defeat.

"I thought our effort was decent," he said. "It wasn't by any means our best effort but it was nothing to hang our heads about."

Central returns to the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) Invitational Saturday. The Dutch were fifth in an 11-team field there last year but Van Kley anticipates a stronger field this year, with about Division III teams from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.

"It will be a great indicator," he said. "There will be 14-15 of the better D-3's from four states and we'll see how we stack up."

The Dutch will take about 18 wrestlers to the tourney. Van Kley is holding back five wrestlers who recently joined the team following football season. They might not see their first varsity action until January.
College wrestling
at Pella

Wartburg 41, Central 6
125-Mark Kist (W) dec. Justin Marx, 12-4; 133-Nathan Vaske (W) won by fall over Chris Kilgannon, 1:04; 141-Josh Atwell (C) dec. Cam Wagner, 2-1; 149-Joe Atwell (C) dec. Colt Wagner, 5-4; 157-Jacob Groth (W) won by tech. fall over Jared Hermann, 17-2; 165-Adam Weber (W) won by fall over Tommy Van Renterghem, 4:35; 174-Carrington Banks (W) won by tech. fall over Reid Imerman, 18-3; 184-Ben Scott (W) dec. Bobby Vineis, 7-2; 197-Byron Tate (W) won by fall over Theron Stewart, 2:17; 285-Michael Bucklin (W) won by fall over Jacob Crawford, 2:55.
Central Wrestlers Crown Three Champs at Augsburg

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.-In another encouraging showing, the Central College wrestling team had nine placewinners in the Augsburg (Minn.) Open Saturday.

Wrestlers were divided into the Gold, Silver and Bronze pools, based on experience levels. Central's young wrestlers all competed in the Silver and Bronze pools.
          
Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Perry HS) claimed a title at 141 pounds while Reid Imerman (sophomore, Guthrie Center) and Tommy Van renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) shared the 165-pound crown.

At 133, Chris Kilgannon (freshman, Huntersville, N.C., South Lake Christian HS) was seventh, Eric Wilkerson (sophomore, Toledo, South Tama HS) was sixth at 141 pounds, Jake Schubert (freshman, Shenandoah) was eighth at 149 pounds, Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) was fifth at 197 pounds and Jacob Crawford (freshman, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) was third at 285 pounds.

"We wrestled really well," coach Eric Van Kley said. "It was a good effort, something we can continue to build on."

In addition to the three champions, Van Kley singled out Wilkerson and Stewart.

"I was extremely proud of them," he said. "They worked their tails off today and had outstanding efforts."

Central is off until Tuesday, Dec. 1, when the Dutch have their home opener, a 7 p.m. dual with defending Division III champion Wartburg College at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.
Six Place Winners for Central Wrestlers
GALESBURG, ILL.-Progress is already evident for the Central College wrestling squad.

The Dutch had six placewinners at the season-opening Knox (Ill.) Invitational Saturday. There were no team scores in the 16-team tournament which included Iowa Conference rivals Simpson and Luther.
         
Josh Atwell (sophomore, Jamaica, Panorama HS) finished second in his Central debut at 141 pounds. Reid Imerman (sophomore, Guthrie Center) and Tommy Van Renterghem (sophomore, Oskaloosa) tied for third at 165 pounds while freshmen Theron Stewart (freshman, Marshalltown) and Jacob Crawford (Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) also had promising collegiate debuts, finishing fourth at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively. Another newcomer, junior transfer Justin Marx (Dike, Dike-New Hartford HS), was sixth at 125 pounds.

"It was a good starting point for us," said coach Eric Van Kley, whose program is making strides as he enters his third season.

Van Kley said that Stewart was among those who opened some eyes on opening day.

"Theron really had a nice day," he said. "He's a guy who we think has a lot of potential. But he showed not only ability but a lot of heart in winning some close, hard-fought matches.

"Top to bottom, I was proud of how we battled. We won a lot of close ones. We definitely made some technical mistakes, which are things we can improve, but the effort of the kids was outstanding."

Central opens its dual meet season Wednesday at 7 p.m. against No. 4-ranked Coe College at Columbus Junction High School
.Central Wrestling Season Opens Saturday

Outlook
              
The calculated transformation of the Central College wrestling program devised by coach Eric Van Kley should become more visible in 2009-10.

Close observers saw signs of a resurgency in the program already last year, but it wasn't often evident on the scoreboard. That should begin to change as Van Kley, who built an NAIA contender from scratch at the Univ. of Great Falls (Mont.), enters his third season with the Dutch.

Van Kley inherited a squad with as many as five open weight classes and endured a 0-15-1 debut season. The Dutch made it to 3-12 last year and envision moving closer to .500 in the 2009-10 campaign which gets an early start with the Knox Invitational in Galesburg, Ill. Nov. 14.

"We should be a lot more competitive if for no other reason than we can fill all the weights now," Van Kley said. "We've got some decent guys at every weight, which will make us more competitive in duals and tournaments. The flip side is, it's very hard for a team as young as we have to compete in the Iowa Conference. But that experience will eventually pay dividends."

Another deep and talented recruiting class has brought 16 newcomers to the Dutch practice room, joining 11 returning letterwinners for Central's largest squad in six years. Thirteen of the newcomers were high school state tourney qualifiers, with six state placewinners and two state champions. Van Kley is already seeing big improvement.

"That's a direct credit to the kids," he said. "Through their work in the strength and conditioning program, we've made huge strides forward. It's certainly been a few years since we've had depth like this in the room. These are names and faces we'll be seeing for the next three or four years. That's exciting to see."

125-133
               Improvement will be most obvious at 125 pounds as the Dutch were open at the weight in 2008-09. Junior college transfer Justin Marx of Dike should provide immediate help.
"We're extremely excited about having him here," Van Kley said. "He brings a level of maturity that we were lacking and has a great work ethic. It will be nice to have a veteran at that weight instead of always starting the night with a freshman."
But Van Kley is high on rookie Jacob Eisheid of Waukee as well as freshman 133-pounder Chris Kilgannon of Huntersville, N.C., a North Carolina state high school finalist. Marx and Eisheid will also see action at 133 pounds.
"All three of them are working hard this fall and should get some time on the mat," he said. "We'll probably alternate a lot."

141
               Junior Curtis Hobbs is a two-time letterwinner at 141 pounds but moves up to 149 this year. That leaves 141 to be contested between sophomore letterwinner Eric Wilkerson, who was 4-15 primarily at 133 pounds last season after starting the year at 125, and sophomore transfer Josh Atwell. Van Kley said Atwell, a former high school state placewinner, is an intriguing prospect. He's back in school at age 27, several years after first enrolling at Iowa Central.
"It will be a competitive weight," Van Kley said. "I feel good about what Eric and Josh bring to the table."

149
               Hobbs, slowed again by injury in the preseason, joins a crowded picture at 149. Senior Nick Johnson, a three-time letterwinner, was 4-13 last year at 149 while sophomore Zach Beekman was 9-16. Also competing are freshmen Jake Schubert of Shenandoah and Joseph Atwell of Jamaica, a graduate of Panorama High School. Both were state qualifiers and Atwell was a placewinner.
Hobbs was 15-17 at 141, placing at four tournaments and securing a seventh-place finish at the conference meet.
"Curtis (Hobbs) has had two very successful seasons cut short by injury," Van Kley said. "But he's shown he can win big matches.
Beekman received the team Coaches' Award last season.
"Zach (Beekman) has an outstanding work ethic," Van Kley said. "By the end of the year, he was very competitive with Curtis and got some valuable varsity time.
"I've also been very pleased with Nick (Johnson) and Jake (Schubert) this fall. They've shown great work ethics.
"And Joseph was a high school state finalist who is still growing. He's a tall, lanky wrestler who is going to help us."

157
               The 157-pound class is a bit less congested. Sophomore Jared Hermann returns after a 4-13 baptismal season and will compete against freshman Palmer Scott of Hudson.
"Jared (Hermann) is a guy we think has a lot of talent upside," Van Kley said. "He got a late start last year because he was playing football and needed some extra mat time. This year his focus is on wrestling and I think that will really benefit him."

165-174
               Two of last year's top freshmen will likely be part of a rotation at 165 pounds. Sophomore Reid Imerman was 15-14 at 157 pounds and received the team's Lawrence Award for outstanding work ethic and the team's Academic Award. Sophomore Tommy Van Renterghem was the team's Most Valuable Freshman Award winner and its winningest wrestler, posting a 20-13 mark at 165 pounds. He finished sixth at the conference tournament and was fourth at the Central invitational.
They could also be used at 174 pounds, where they'll join sophomore Ivan Gaeta, who is coming off a 5-14 campaign at 165 pounds.
"Tommy (Van Renterghem) had a great off-season and will benefit from his experience in the conference tournament," Van Kley said. "And Reid and Ivan are two of our best workers.
"At different times, we'll rely on all three of them. They've really emerged as three of our leaders."

184
Sophomore Bobby Vineis and freshman AJ Crone of Burlington, a state high school qualifier, will duel at 184 pounds. Vineis was 4-14 but finished first at 174 pounds at the conference junior varsity tournament.
"They'll both compete," Van Kley said. "They have very different styles. Bobby is really muscular and stocky while AJ is taller and will still fill out as he grows. They'll push each other and make each other better."

197
               There are four options at 197 pounds and they're all freshmen. Brian Johnson of Altoona will report late because of football. He'll join Adam Leuer of Emmetsburg, Theron Stewart of Marshalltown and Treaver Willis of Muscatine. Each was a state high school qualifier.
"On any given day, any one of them could be first and another fourth and a day later it could be the opposite," Van Kley said. "They're all strong, aggressive guys who bring some athletic ability, which will help them develop."

285
               Central's most abundant weight class is 285 and it could also be the best. Junior Ted Dirkx is a two-time letterwinner. He was 11-16 last year, placing eighth at the league tournament. He'll report late because of football. Also back is sophomore Nathan Rouse, who was 4-5 last year. But three newcomers will give an immediate boost to the team's talent level. Freshman Jake Crawford of Altoona is a former high school state finalist and will have an early advantage. Then joining the team late because of football are two state champs. Brandon Burrell was a Class 3A winner for Washington High School in Cedar Rapids while Holden Blythe, who didn't compete last year, is joining the squad after capturing the 215-pound state crown two years ago at Williamsburg.

"Brandon is a very athletic big guy who's still improving and relatively new to the sport," Van Kley said. "He possesses a great work ethic and attitude.

"Holden is extremely competitive and that shows on the mat and on the football field. He's a very exciting big man to watch wrestle."

The 285-pounders are exactly what Van Kley is looking for as the program makes its steady push toward the top.

"This is a model of what we want to see in our room at every weight," Van Kley said. "We've got five quality guys there. It's by far our deepest weight. We're excited about getting them in the room. Having quality workout partners will make them better.

"Whomever we put out there in a red singlet, we expect big things from because the four guys behind him can do it also."

Van Kley emphasized that despite the high numbers, each of the five will see action.

"They're all going to be wrestling," he said. "In order to get better, we need to get them matches and we will. It should be an exciting year."

The Iowa Conference and beyond
              
The Iowa Conference remains Division III wrestling's best. So strong, in fact, that a significantly improved Central squad could still end up in ninth place at the league tourney.

"The Iowa Conference is as good as it's ever been," Van Kley said. "The league could easily have five or six teams in the top 15-20 in the nation. We're going to improve, but I'm not sure where that will put us in the conference."

Consequently, Van Kley has scheduled some out-of-state competition to better gauge his team's progress. The Dutch are at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) tourney Dec. 5, wrestle twice in Minnesota and have a Christmas break trip to Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"That trip should be fun for both our kids and our fans," Van Kley said. "When we wrestle outside the state of Iowa, we'll be very competitive with teams,"

Central hasn't advanced an individual to the NCAA Division III tournament since 2004, a drought the Dutch are eager to end.

"One of our goals we have this year is to be wrestling in March," Van Kley said. "We don't look at this as an individual goal but a team goal. We know it's not going to be easy, but we think it's an achievable thing."

While getting beyond the conference tournament is daunting, Van Kley insists there's an upside to competing against the nation's titans on a weekly basis.

"That's going to be a very positive thing," he said. "If we can get through the conference, we've got as good of a chance as anybody."
Freestyle Tourney at Central

PELLA-Central College will again host a USA Freestyle wrestling tournament Saturday, March 28 in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.

Titles will be contested in the kids, cadets, juniors and open divisions. Weigh-ins will be held from 7-8:30 a.m., with wrestling starting at approximately 10 a.m. Entry fee is $15. A USA Wrestling card is required and can be purchased at the door.
Shorthanded Central Wrestlers Rumble at Simpson

INDIANOLA-A shorthanded Central College wrestling squad missed out on its final chance for an Iowa Conference dual meet win in 2008-09 as Simpson College took the first seven matches en route to a 34-12 win Wednesday night.

The Dutch (3-12) closed with wins at the final three weights. Ben Davis (freshman, Clay Center, Kan.) won by forfeit at 184 pounds and Nate Fell (sophomore, Avoca, AHST HS) followed with a 5-1 victory at 197 pounds. Both improved to 14-11 on the season. Ted Dirkx (junior, Alleman, North Polk HS) finished at 285 pounds with an 11-6 win and is 11-13.

Central was without part of its regular lineup. Curtis Hobbs (sophomore, Grinnell), who is 14-15 at 141 pounds, was sidelined along with Reid Imerman (freshman, Guthrie Center), who is 15-12 at 157 pounds and the team's winningest wrestler Tommy Van Renterghem (freshman, Oskaloosa), who is 19-10 at 165 pounds.

"We've got a few guys who are a little banged up," coach Eric Van Kley said. "So we gave what we thought were some good opportunities to guys who have been working hard. But we did not perform well, from top to bottom. It was very disappointing.

"Any time you've got a young team it seems like it's three steps forward and three steps back. I thought against Wartburg (Saturday) we had an outstanding effort, but that wasn't the case tonight.

"We need to learn from it and go forward."

Simpson upped its record to 2-12 while Central wrapped up the regular season with a 0-8 mark against league foes.

The Dutch gear up for the league tournament at Decorah next Tuesday, Feb. 17. Van Kley said he expects Central to be near full strength by then.
Simpson 28, Central 18

125--Casey Miller (S) won by forfeit; 133--Greg Wilkerson (S) won by fall over Alex May, 3:55; 141--Caleb Brus (S) won by fall over Eric Wilkerson, 3:45; 149--Calvin Barber (S) dec. Christopher Reil, 11-1; 157--Geoff Murtha (S) won by tech. fall over Nick Johnson, 24-8; 165--Ben Hektoen (S) dec. Jared Hermann, 14-5; 174--Jordy Ammons (S) dec. Kyle Ray, 3-0; 184--Ben Davis (C) won by forfeit; 197--Nate Fell (C) won by fall over Sam Collora, 5-1; 285--Ted Dirkx (C) dec. Kaleb Livingson, 11-6.
No. 2 Wartburg Overpowers Central Wrestlers

WAVERLY-No. 2-rated Wartburg College outmuscled Central College's freshman-dominated wrestling squad 42-6 Saturday.

Central picked up its 6 points on a forfeit victory by Brandon Rose (sophomore, Lonedell, Mo., Sullivan HS) at 133 pounds.

The defending NCAA Division III champions are especially imposing in the middle of the lineup where Central had to get through national champs Jacob Naig (18-2) and Aaron Wernimont (37-0) at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively, and top-ranked Justin Hanson (32-1) at 165. Naig and Wernimont both recorded falls while Hanson outlasted Central freshman Tommy Van Renterghem (Oskaloosa) 15-5.

Central (3-11) suffered 3-point losses at three weights. Curtis Hobbs (sophomore, Grinnell) fell 14-11 to Wartburg backup Chris Timms at 141 pounds. Knights backup Ben Scott needed a takedown at the buzzer to clinch a 5-2 win over Ben Davis (freshman, Clay Center, Kan.) at 184 pounds. Ted Dirkx (junior, Alleman, North Polk HS) had to go against fourth-ranked John Helgerson (27-6) at 285 pounds and was within 3-2 after two periods before dropping a 5-2 decision.

It was Wartburg's 132nd straight dual victory against Iowa Conference opposition. The Knights wrapped up their dual season at 15-2-1.

Central finishes its dual meet campaign Wednesday at Indianola with a 7 p.m. contest against Simpson College. The Storm (1-12) defeated Central at Pella last season 42-3.

Wartburg 42, Central 6
125 - Alex Helmich (W) (16-11) wins by forfeit
133 - Brandon Rose (Cen) (3-12) wins by forfeit
141 - Chris Tims (7-11) dec. Curtis Hobbs (14-15), 14-11
149 - Jacob Naig (18-2) wins by fall over Christopher Reil (5-11), 2:17
157 - Aaron Wernimont (37-0) wins by fall over Jared Hermann (3-11), 3:26
165 - Justin Hanson (32-1) maj. dec. Tommy Van Renterghem (19-10), 15-5
174 - Grant Jenkins (27-11) wins by tech. fall over Bobby Vineis (2-15), 6:05
184 - Ben Scott (19-11) dec. Ben Davis (12-13), 5-2
197 - Dan Borchers (10-13) wins by injury default over Kyle Patterson (3-22)
285 - John Helgerson (27-6) dec. Ted Dirkx (10-12), 5-2

Central Drops Four Wrestling Duals Against Conference Foes

STORM LAKE-After spending the last month-and-a-half facing non-conference competition the Central College wrestling team ran back into the Iowa Conference buzz saw Saturday and came out winless in four duals against league opponents.

The Dutch had won their two previous duals but started off the day with back-to-back matches against 15th-ranked Luther College and 10th-ranked Cornell College, dropping 37-15 and 42-6 decisions, respectively. Central then fell to Buena Vista Univ. 22-15 and Loras College 40-9.

"In every dual we probably went in as significant underdogs," said coach Eric Van Kley. "The Iowa Conference (teams are) just far and away more talented and experienced than anyone we've faced all season."

After falling behind early against Luther the Dutch got consecutive victories out of freshman Reid Imerman (Guthrie Center) at 157 pounds, who recorded his first of two falls on the day, and freshman Tommy Van Renterghem (Oskaloosa) at 165 pounds, who scored a 2-0 decision.

Central was held scoreless until its final individual match against Cornell when 285-pounder Nate Rouse (freshman, Ankeny) won by fall over Robert Widmer in 1:48.

Falls from both Alex May (freshman, Grinnell) at 133 pounds and Imerman against Buena Vista gave Central a 12-10 lead. Then Buena Vista won decisions at 165 and 174 before Ben Davis (freshman, Clay Center, Kan.) recorded a takedown with 3 seconds remaining to win by a 6-4 decision at 184 pounds. That brought the Dutch to within 16-15. However 2-point and 1-point wins at 197 and 285, respectively, gave Buena Vista a 22-15 victory.

"We lost some matches we thought we should have won against Buena Vista," said Van Kley. "But we competed very hard and I'm proud of the way all of our guys wrestled out there."

In its final dual of the day Central fell 40-9 to Loras, scoring on a 12-1 decision by Van Renterghem and a 17-2 technical fall by Davis.

Van Kley felt the day was just another great opportunity for his young team to learn.

"We're certainly a bit short as far as experience goes," he said. "But we're getting there. We're seeing that our guys can compete out there and continuing to battle week in and week out."

Central (2-10 dual match record) is off until Feb. 4 when it travels to Rock Island, Ill. for a dual match against Augustana College (Ill.) at 5:30 p.m. and another with Knox College (Ill.) at 7:30 p.m. The Dutch defeated Knox 34-10 on Jan. 10 and last faced Augustana on Dec. 10, 2007, falling 36-10.
Jan. 24 at Storm Lake

Iowa Conference Duals

Luther 37, Central 15
125--Jayson Swanson (L) won by forfeit; 133 Steve Aundrukaitis (L) won by fall over Alex May , 0:56; 141--Kevin Bokoski (L) dec. Curtis Hobbs 20-8; 149--Jason Pyle (L) won by fall over Zach Beekman 2:16; 157--Reid Imerman (C) won by fall over Ryan Bouslog 4:43; 165--Tommy Van Renterghem (C) dec. Thomas Ingram 2-0; 174-- Brandon Ryerson (L) dec. Ivan Gaeta 3-0;
184--Ben Davis (C) won by forfeit; 197--Alec Bonander (L) won by fall over Kyle Patterson 1:02; 285-- Aaren Adani (L) won by fall over Ted Dirkx 1:09.
Cornell 42, Central 6
125--Timothy Hood (Cor) won by forfeit; 133--Nick Northern (Cor) won by fall over Brandon Rose, 1:40; 141--Kevin Donahue (Cor) dec. Curtis Hobbs, 12-2; 149--Ryan Mulnix (Cor) won by tech. fall over Nick Johnson, 15-0; 157--Aron Kindelsperger (Cor) dec. Jared Hermann, 9-0; 165--Nicholas Loughlin (Cor) dec. Ivan Gaeta, 11-4; 174--Kyle Kehrli (Cor) won by tech. fall over Bobby Vineis, 18-3; 184--Andrew Roberts (Cor) dec. Nate Fell, 6-0; 197--Carmen Sacco (Cor) won by forefit; 285--Nate Rouse (Cen) won by fall over Robert Widmer, 1;48.
Buena Vista 22, Central 15
125--no match; 133--Alex May (C) won by fall over Matt Korinek, 2:04; 141--Russ Evans (BV) won by fall over Curtis Hobbs, 4:39; 149--Semir Duric (BV) dec. Zach Beekman, 13-4; 157--Reid Imerman (C) won by fall over Logan Silliman, 2:46; 165--Kody Koster (BV) dec. Tommy Van Renterghem, 11-4; 174--Roman Villegas (BV) dec. Ivan Gaeta, 7-6; 184--Ben Davis (C) dec. Austin Hayes, 6-4; 197--Kevin Chilton (BV) dec. Kyle Patterson, 7-5; 285--Derek Toney (BV) dec. Nate Rouse, 1-0.
Loras 40, Central 9
125--Tom Drosopoulos (L) won by forfeit; 133--Mark Beatty (L) won by fall over Alex May, 2:45; 141--Jordan Loy (L) dec. Curtis Hobbs, 10-4; 149--Mitch Gansen (L) dec. Zach Beekman, 8-0; 157--Erik Hansen (L) won by fall over Reid Imerman, 2:15; 165--Tommy Van Renterghem (C) dec. Josh Porter, 12-1; 174--Mike Levasseur (L) won by fall over Ivan Gaeta, 2:28; 184--Ben Davis (C) won by tech. fall over Ben Bohlen, 17-2; 197--Alex Grafft (L) won by fall over Kyle Patterson, 0:48; 285--Jeremy Klein (L) dec. Ted Dirkx, 3-2.

Central Wins First Wrestling Dual in 44 Tries

GALESBURG, ILL.-The Central College wrestling team defeated the Knox (Ill.) 34-10 Saturday at the Knox (Ill.) Duals Saturday, recording its first dual match victory since Jan. 21, 2006, a streak of 44 matches.

It was the first dual victory under second-year head coach Eric Van Kley.

"It looks good on paper to get the first win of the year," said Van Kley. "But more important than just winning the match was that we gave nine good efforts. We're learning how to win, not just as individuals, but as a team and that will really help us in the developmental process."

Central fell just short of victory in its third match of the day falling 26-24 to the Milwaukee (Wis.) School of Engineering.

Central didn't fare as well in its first two matches against sixth-ranked North Central (Ill.), falling 50-0, and Wheaton (Ill.), tumbling 29-19.

"We came out flat," said Van Kley. "We just didn't show up in the first two matches, but we came back and ended the day on a high note."

Van Kley said that freshmen Tommy Van Renterghem (Oskaloosa, Iowa) at 165 pounds, Zach Beekman (Pocahontas, Iowa) at 149 pounds, and Kyle Patterson (Collins, Iowa, Collins-Maxwell HS) at 197 pounds stood out during the day's action.

"Tommy Van Renterghem went 3-0 today and beat two very good wrestlers in the process," said Van Kley. "And Zach (Beekman) and Kyle (Patterson) both continue to improve significantly. They wrestled better than they have all season and I'm extremely proud of their effort."

Beekman pinned two opponents on his way to a 2-1 record for the day and Patterson recorded a pin while going 1-3.

Also recording three wins on the day was 141-pounder Curtis Hobbs (sophomore, Grinnell, Iowa), who recorded two pins and a technical fall while racking up 17 team points for the Dutch.

Before the Dutch take a crack at extending its dual match winning streak to two they will host the Central Invitational next Saturday in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse at 9 a.m.