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For the first time since 2021, the Lake Mills wrestling team has qualified for the State Dual Tournament.

They will join seven other 1A schools from around the state Saturday in Coralville. Overall, only 24 wrestling teams in Iowa qualify since there are only three classes.

Lake Mills played host to 14th-ranked Denver and 18th-ranked Akron-Westfield for the Regional Duals.

Those two squared off in the semifinal, and Denver won fairly easily, 48-25. The win by the Cyclones set up the regional finals between themselves and the Bulldogs.

Denver got off to a hot start and led 21-6 after five bouts. The teams would split the next four matches, and the Cyclones maintained a 29-18 lead with five matches to go. Then Lake Mills caught fire and won two close matches, two major decisions, and got a pin to close out a 38-29 victory.

“Our kids gave everything they had tonight for their teammates,” said coach Alex Brandenburg. “Denver had a great plan with where they weighed their kids in, which meant we had to wrestle a great dual to win.”

With the victory, Lake Mills will once again return to State Duals where they had been six straight years from 2016-2021.

“I am so excited for all of our kids, coaches, parents and community,” Brandenburg said. “These opportunities can be few and far between in life, so hopefully everyone was able to soak it all in tonight.”

The Bulldogs head into the State Duals ranked fourth and have a 23-6 record.

“I feel like the schedule we wrestle during the season helps for a tough dual like tonight,” said Brandenburg. “Our kids showed a lot of toughness tonight, as a few of our kids battled through injuries to help the team qualify.”

 

Lake Mills 38, Denver 29

285- Cody Koepke (D) pinned Jakobe Anderson, :58. 106- Cannen Beaumont (D) won by forfeit. 113- Lucas Oldenkamp (L) pinned Jericho Grimmett, 1:20. 120- Connor McLaughlin (D) pinned Carter Helgeson, 2:26. 126- Gavin Landers (D) dec. Hayden Helgeson, 3-0. 132- Landon Price (L) pinned Vincent McLaughlin, 1:04. 138- Steve Brandenburg (L) pinned Kale Lyons, 1:16. 144- Gavin McLaughlin (D) dec. Caleb Skogen, 12-5. 150- Boden White (D) tech. fall Austin Stene, 17-1. 157- Cody Cox (L) dec. Braven Beaumont, 8-6. 165- Garrett Ham (L) maj. dec. Gage Wooldrik, 11-0. 175- Beau Kaufman (L) dec. David Warrior, 4-3. 190- Andrew Grunhovd (L) maj. dec. Corbin Hill, 8-0. 215- Wyatt Hanna (L) pinned Donavon Farrell, :59.