The Lisbon Lions varsity wrestling team find themselves in some unfamiliar territory — that is, not at, or near, the very top of the heap.
Legendary Lisbon coach Brad Smith, who collected his record 700th dual win Thursday against North Cedar, sees a team on the way back up.
Tuesday, Jan. 17Up top for Lisbon were longtime rivals Don Bosco, who traveled to the Lions Den to capture the dual, convincingly, 54-16.
The Lions lack wrestlers for the 182 and 195-pound category, which Smith said amounts to “giving up 12 points every dual.”
Additionally, Smith noted, seven Lions were pinned in their face-offs. “That can’t happen if you’re going to beat a good team,” the veteran coach said.
Against Don Bosco, the Lions had wins from Wyatt Smith (285), Wesley Sadler (106), Jackson Knapp (113), Brandon Paez (120), Matthias Kohl (170) and Cade Happel (extra 113).
Thursday, Jan. 19 The Lions traveled to Midland and took on their hosts as well as North Cedar and North Linn.
It was in their first dual, with North Cedar, that Coach Smith captured the magic number of 700 — the most dual wins in state history. It is not even especially close. Most coaches don’t go on to see 500 wins.
Smith was proud of his accomplishment, and appreciated the fan support, but ultimately, he indicated, there was a more important cause to consider.
“The thing is, we’re getting better,” he said.
Against North Cedar, the Lions had wins from Smith, Sadler, Knapp, Paez, Ben Kelley (126), Lucas Capron (132), Tiernan Boots (138), Indy Harbaugh (145), Junior Krob (152), Gage Holub (160), Henry Neymeyer (170), Kohl (182) and Indy Ferguson (220).
Against North Linn, the Lions had wins from Sadler, Knapp, Kelley, Paez, Boots, Harbaugh, Krob, Kohl, Ferguson, Smith and Jonah Reiling (extra 285).
Against Midland, the Lions had wins from Sadler, Knapp, Kelley, Paez, Boots, Harbaugh, Kohl, Ferguson and Smith.
Saturday, Jan. 21The team traveled to Clinton Saturday for the Bob Leuders Invitational. The tournament boasted 21 teams, with Lisbon coming in fourth.
Coach Smith praised senior Indy Harbaugh, who placed third at 145 pounds, for wrestling “really well lately.”
“He’s been wrestling pretty much lights out,” Smith said. Harbaugh, returning from injury, is now at 13-1.
Multiple-state-champion Brandon Paez, with a record of 43-0, was deemed “unbeatable” by the coach, while coach Smith noted Wyatt Smith, at 41-0, has been “consistent all year long.”
Coach Smith also put a spotlight on the performance of Matthias Kohl. “He’s wrestled really well lately,” Smith said, emphasizing that the Mount Vernon junior had beaten three 1A-ranked wrestlers in the last two weeks.
“He’s turned a corner,” said Smith.
The Lions also had second place finishes from Sadler and third place finishes from Harbaugh and Kohl. Knapp finished in fourth for the Lions.
Tuesday, Jan. 17
vs. Don Bosco
220 – Jared Thiry (Don Bosco) over Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) (Fall 3:50); 285 – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Mack Ortner (Don Bosco) (Dec 1-0); 106 – Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) over Kanaan Delagardelle (Don Bosco) (Dec 3-2); 113 – Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) over Cole Frost (Don Bosco) (Dec 4-2); 120 – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Jaxon Larson (Don Bosco) (TF 22-7 5:32); 126 – Payton Regenold (Don Bosco) over Ben Kelley (Lisbon) (Fall 0:26); 132 – Ty Christensen (Don Bosco) over Lucas Capron (Lisbon) (Fall 0:30); 138 – Myles McMahon (Don Bosco) over Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) (Fall 3:42); 145 – Kaiden Knaack (Don Bosco) over Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) (Fall 3:51); 152 – Kyler Knaack (Don Bosco) over Junior Krob (Lisbon) (Fall 1:05); 160 – Andrew Kimball (Don Bosco) over Henry Neymeyer (Lisbon) (Fall 2:42); 170 – Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) over Jacob Thiry (Don Bosco) (Dec 9-5); 182 – Landon Fernandez (Don Bosco) over Unknown (For.); 195 – Emerson Hahn (Don Bosco) over Unknown (For.); 113 Extra – Blake Irvine (Don Bosco) over Elliott Moehlman (Lisbon) (TF 20-1 4:52); 113 Extra -Cade Happel (Lisbon) over Blake Irvine (Don Bosco) (Fall 6:33) Team Point – Straps, Team Score: 16 – 54
Thursday, Jan. 19
vs. North Cedar
285 Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 106 – Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 113 – Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 120 – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Karter Murray (North Cedar, Stanwood) (TF 22-7 4:23); 126 – Ben Kelley (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 132 – Lucas Capron (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 138 – Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 145 – Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) over Nate Wood (North Cedar, Stanwood) (Dec 13-6); 152 – Junior Krob (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 160 – Gage Holub (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 170 – Henry Neymeyer (Lisbon) over Brady Dierks (North Cedar, Stanwood) (Fall 1:09); 182 – Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) over Paul Stoffer (North Cedar, Stanwood) (Fall 2:15); 195 – Tyler Williams (North Cedar, Stanwood) over Unknown (For.); 220 – Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); Team Score:74 – 6
vs. North Linn
106 – Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 113 – Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 120 – Ben Kelley (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 126 – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Landon Thomsen (North Linn) (Fall 4:58); 132 – Tate Woods (North Linn) over Lucas Capron (Lisbon) (Fall 3:56); 138 – Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 145 – Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) over Cael Bridgewater (North Linn) (Dec 9-8); 152 – Junior Krob (Lisbon) over Reilly Peyton (North Linn) (MD 14-2); 160 – Jarin Peyton (North Linn) over Henry Neymeyer (Lisbon) (Dec 5-0); 170 – Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) over Austin McMahon (North Linn) (Fall 0:59); 182 – Landen Helmrich (North Linn) over Unknown (For.); 195 – Cole Rauch (North Linn) over Unknown (For.); 220 – Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) over Mclane Rauch (North Linn) (Fall 1:52); 285 – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 285 Extra – Jonah Reiling (Lisbon) over Nathan Nissen (North Linn) (Fall 1:33); Team Score: 55 – 21
vs. Midland
106 – Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) over Nathan Rickels (Midland) (Fall 0:00); 113 – Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 120 – Ben Kelley (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 126 – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Brandon Buford (Midland) (Fall 0:00); 132 – Shayden Hansen (Midland) over Lucas Capron (Lisbon) (Fall 0:00); 138 – Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) over Logan Bicknese (Midland) (Fall 0:00); 145 – Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); 152 – Wyatt Christiansen (Midland) over Junior Krob (Lisbon) (Fall 0:00) – 160 – Jordan Buford (Midland) over Henry Neymeyer (Lisbon) (Dec 3-2); 170 – Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) over Anthony Harrington (Midland) (Fall 0:00); 182 – Caden Ballou (Midland) over Unknown (For.); 195 – Double Forfeit; 220 – Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) over Keegan Rushford (Midland) (Dec 5-1); 285 – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Unknown (For.); Team Score: 51 – 21
Saturday, Jan. 21
106 – 1st Place Match – Alexander Pierce (Iowa City, West) over Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) (Fall 5:02); 113 – 3rd Place Match – H Zyler (Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)) over Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) (Dec 16-15); 120 – 1st Place Match – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Blake Gioimo (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) (Dec 5-0); 126 Cons. Round 3 – Evan Wakefield (Quincy (Sr.)) over Ben Kelley (Lisbon) (Fall 1:37); 132 – Cons. Round 1 – Camden Bennett (Davenport North) over Lucas Capron (Lisbon) (Fall 1:13); 145 – 3rd Place Match – Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) over Casey Kelley (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) (Dec 8-5); 152 – Cons. Round 2 – Gunnar Derhake (Quincy (Sr.)) over Junior Krob (Lisbon) (Dec 5-4); 160 – Cons. Round 3 – Jake Umstead (Prairie, Cedar Rapids) over Henry Neymeyer (Lisbon) (Dec 7-0); 170 – 3rd Place Match – Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) over Landen Bushman (Linn-Mar) (Fall 3:32); 220 – 1st Place Match – Mike Haas (Lena (L.-Winslow)) over Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) (Dec 1-0); 285 – Cons. Round 2 – Maverick Kindred (Assumption, Davenport) over Jonah Reiling (Lisbon) (Fall 2:43); 285 – 1st Place Match – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Sam Gravert (Central DeWitt) (Dec 6-0)
Lion wrestlers uneven, but Coach Smith collects win no. 700
Trent Bowman
January 26, 2023
–Courtesy photo Jennifer Tischer
Lisbon’s Brandon Paez grapples with a North Cedar opponent in wrestling last week.
--Courtesy photo Jennifer Tischer
Lisbon’s Indy Harbaugh applies some pressure to a North Cedar wrestler who is on the mat to try and get the pin in wrestling last week.