The Iowa Falls-Alden boys wrestling team with a young core group enters the offseason hungry to continue development gained from competing in the North Central Conference. The North Central was a top wrestling conference in the state this season with three district champion teams and two state dual qualifiers.
IFA will graduate six seniors and is projected to return 20 wrestlers with mat time. Head Coach Scott Patton highlights the ground covered this season by the returning class of Cadets.
“Trevor Bailey is a returning state qualifier, he will back next year as a senior, looking for big things out of him again,” says Patton. “Keaton Mulford will be another senior next year. Keaton’s an incredibly hard worker and that’s what allowed him to get back in time, quicker than what was expected from injury. Sam Robinson, Reece Rankin, Dawson Dennis, Drake Sanders, all those guys got a lot of varsity matches this year, looking to do big things next year. We’ve got a good group of freshmen coming in next year as well.”
The Cadets were led by two state tournament qualifiers, senior Andon Barrick at 126, who was 34-9 and junior Trevor Bailey at 215, who was 32-16. Patton says the Cadets have an active offseason due up that is focused on shoring up technique and competing.
“Offseason, is kind of refining your technique, refining your skills. We’ve got some guys that are doing an offseason club here in town, run by some local guys that will start back up. Then just getting in the weight room and competing in there just like you’d compete on the wrestling mat, and get stronger. We’ve got a ton of guys that are chomping at the bit to get going with that stuff.”
IFA was 12-15 in duals this season.
