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Editorial: Banner year for WB wrestling
Op-Ed · April 03, 2024
West Branch Wrestling posted a banner year this season, with a most-ever nine grapplers going to state, two medaling, and a head coach applauded by his peers.
“You made West Branch great at wrestling again,” Head Coach Jake Slocum told the team and their families at the March 17 awards night. He’s absolutely right.
We were impressed in 2023 when six wrestlers — Timmy Hosier, Lincoln Edwards, Logan Christoffel, Cale Seydel, Cooper Gates, and Logan Wright — all qualified for state. But the Bears took it up a notch in mid-February when freshman Ethan Humphrey (106 pounds), senior Lincoln Edwards (120), sophomore Logan Chrisoffel (132), senior Auron Marsh (144), senior Cale Seydel (157), sophomore Cooper Gates (165), junior Tate Frantz (190), senior Quintyn “Quin” Rocha (215), and senior Logan Wright (HWT) all swept in.
Nine wrestlers qualifying for 14 weight classes is a new record for West Branch High School. That’s two-thirds of the weight classes. Very impressive.
Almost overshadowed by that lineup was that West Branch claimed the team title at the Iowa High School Athletic Assoc. IA District 8 tournament in Pleasantville and how the team achieved a 14-3 dual record, beating every River Valley Conference team except Wilton, a longstanding powerhouse. And the Wilton dual was close — 35-28.
And several wrestlers made their mark in other ways.
Wright (43-4) qualified for state for the third year in a row and did so by bumping up from 215. He earned three River Valley Conference titles along the way. Ranked at No. 5 going in, he finished second at state and upset the No. 2-ranked wrestler to reach the championship match before finishing as the runner-up.
Humphrey (40-7) went in ranked No. 12 by IAWrestle and was only the second freshman in school history, behind Cooper Gates, to medal on the big mat at the Wells Fargo Arena by finishing No. 8. He wrestled as a dark horse, going unnoticed and underappreciated by the rankings until near the end of the season.
It’s almost a given that any wrestler with 40-plus wins will reach the state tournament, but Marsh (22-14) pulled an eyebrow-raising overtime upset over Baxter junior Jack Anderson (44-9) to also take a spot in Des Moines.
Edwards (35-9) also made his third trip to state in a row and was one of the team’s most consistently strong grapplers for all four seasons. Seydel went twice to state and Rocha made his first appearance for the Bears.
The 2023-24 season also marked the fourth year for Head Coach Jake Slocum. A standout wrestler and state qualifier before graduating in 2012, he went on to wrestle at Southwest Minnesota State University and pitch in as an assistant wrestling coach at WBHS.
Because of the accomplishments of this year’s team, he was named the Southeast Region Coach of the Year by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches & Officials Assoc.
It is wonderful to see his passion for the sport and his worthwhile accomplishments rewarded as well.
Slocum also got a bit emotional at the team’s awards night, realizing that some of the wrestlers spent all four years under his leadership and will soon graduate: “It’s crazy how fast time goes … It’s bittersweet.”
The 2023-24 season will rank among one of the best for West Branch Wrestling. Every coach and wrestler deserves honor for the hard work that turned into both individual and team wins, and the mark the Bears made on the state tournament.
Congratulations to all of you. You made West Branch proud.
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