Currier earns second NCC title; Hambly finishes as runner-up

by Marianne Gasaway

Clear Lake’s Max Currier earned his second North Central Conference title and Kaleb Hambly finished as runner-up Saturday in Fort Dodge.  

The Lions placed sixth as a team.  

“Overall, I was pleased with how we wrestled,” said Clear Lake Coach Evan Johnson.  “Our goal as a team was to place higher than we were seeded and we were able to do that at most of the weights where we had wrestlers. We don’t have a lot of time before Sectionals, but I do see us continuing to grow on the mat and that is encouraging this late in the year.”

Currier, a junior, received a first round bye at 126-pounds, then pinned his way to the title.  He stuck Humboldt’s Jayden Gargano in 2:34 in the semifinals to advance to the finals.  There, he recorded a fall over Tate Slagle, of Algona, in 1:09.

Hambly posted a major decision over Webster City’s Dylan Burnette-Bingham in the quarterfinals, 12-2.  He earned a 5-1 decision over Gaige Allen, of Humboldt in the semis.  In the championship match Hambly and Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Braden Hansen had a close battle, with the Bulldog wrestler eventually pulling out a 5-3 win.

Hayden Rieck fought to a fourth place finish at 160-pounds.  Rieck was dealt a set-back run the quarterfinals, but clawed his way back through the consolation rounds.  He recorded pins against Iowa Falls-Alden’s Aaron Halverson and Humboldt’s Landon Halverson in consolation round one and consolation semis, putting him in the third place match. Brady Jessen, of Webster City, stopped Rieck’s run was a fall in 4:47.

Three Lions finished fifth: Tyler LeFevre (132), Hunter Rieck (152) and Aaron Richtsmeier (285).  Carter Perry (138) was sixth.