DES MOINES - Cody Caldwell couldn't wait to jump into his father's arms Saturday night after capturing his first Iowa state wrestling title. Go-Hawks coach Rick Caldwell made sure he signed the scorecard first.

Then the two shared the type of father-son moment most can only envy. Cody leaped into the air and Rick caught him for the traditional state champion's bear hug.

"It's crazy," said Cody Caldwell, who scored a 9-1 decision in the 125-pound finals. "My dad has taught me everything I know, and so I love him to death. It was great to share that state title with him. Hopefully we're going to create many more memories together throughout our wrestling career."

Caldwell's victory sparked a run of three consecutive wins, resulting in Waverly-Shell Rock's defense of the Class 3A state team championship. The Go-Hawks finished with 146 1/2 points as they held off Iowa City West (138 1/2) and Des Moines Roosevelt (122 1/2).

"I'm not sure coming into the season after graduating 10 starters we thought we really had the team that could do it, but the kids did everything we asked them to do," Rick Caldwell said of Waverly's third title in five years. "We have such a huge following, and that plays a big role in it. Honestly we're kind of a little school in the big class. We're around 60 out of 64 (in enrollment) and I believe that helps, because it's important to our community and important to our school."

Family ties are also strong for Cedar Falls 145-pounder Michael Kelly and Waterloo East 171-pounder Kyven Gadson. The juniors left little doubt as they captured their first Class 3A state championships.

Gadson got the thrill winning a title with father/coach Willie Gadson sitting matside, while Michael Kelly drew energy from the vocal support of his family sitting in the front row of the Wells Fargo Arena.

"I feels great," Kyven Gadson said of sharing a title with his father. "He's the one that brought me to all this. … I'm happy for us."

Kelly became the third member of his family to win a state championship.

"I'm grateful to have all the support I have and the people that are behind me," he said.

The Cedar Falls junior handed 39-0 senior Chad Lowman of Des Moines Roosevelt his first loss en route to a 7-1 finals decision.

"I just wanted to come in and attack, attack, attack," Kelly said. "He couldn't keep up with my pace, he couldn't keep up with my pressure and he broke."

Gadson wasn't guaranteed his title until the waining seconds of a 3-2 decision over Cedar Rapids Jefferson's Jason McCormick. Each wrestler had managed just an escape apiece before Gadson connected on a single-leg and was awarded two points with nine seconds remaining.

"I just saw an opening so I took it," Gadson said. "I knew (McCormick) was tough with his defense. My dad told me to just relax and stay focused, and that's what I did."

For Waverly Shell-Rock, it was Jake Ballweg who clinched the team championship with an 11-0 major decision over Cedar Rapid Prairie's Zach Witte in the 135-pound match. The state title is Ballweg's second.

"It's extremely rewarding," said Ballweg who improved to 2-1 in championship matches. "This is something that I've always worked towards and it feels tremendous to accomplish what I wanted."

Ballweg turned back the clock early in the match. After recording his first takedown the junior tallied three back points by using a cradle for what he admitted may have been the first time since his days as a youth wrestler. Ballweg added three points in both the second and third periods.

"I'm awful proud of Jake Ballweg," Rick Caldwell said. "He's a heck of wrestler and he completely dominated his guy in the finals and fortunately we have him back for another year."

At 215, Cody Krumwiede won the Go-Hawks' third individual title, 6-2, over Southeast Polk's Ethan Bass. Leading late in the third period, Krumwiede survived a last-ditch attempt from Bass to counter his final takedown.

"I went up into my single and he tried to roll me through," said Krumwiede, who finished 48-0. "I caught him on it and I just rode him out for the rest of the period.

"This is what you work up to, and I want two more (state titles)."

Cody Caldwell has now played a role in two of his father's three team titles at W-SR. He's glad to join the schools lengthy list of individual champs.

"I've seen so many guys go through our program and win state titles," Cody Caldwell said. "That's been my goal and it's an awesome feeling to have all that hard work pay off. … We've got a good tradition going and to be a part of that is just amazing."

Caldwell's win came after the Go-Hawks got off to a rough start by not recording a single takedown in their first two championship matches.

At 112, West Des Moines Valley's Brandon Jones earned a 3-1 overtime victory over Eric DeVos. Go-Hawks' sophomore Jordan Rinken drew a tough assignment at 119. Undefeated freshman John Meeks of Des Moines Roosevelt improved to 39-0 with a 5-3 decision.

Seniors Luke Pint (130) and Keelan Moore (140) added seventh place finishes for W-SR earlier Saturday afternoon.

The future looks bright for the now two-time defending team champion. All five W-SR finalists return next year. Of that group, only Ballweg will be a senior.

"We do have a tremendous nucleus coming back," Rick Caldwell said. "I think that we'll be able to be in the hunt again next year."

Sand, Pendleton third

After seeing his hopes of a state title dashed by top-rated Meeks, Waterloo West's Nick Sand picked up his second state medal with an 8-5 decision over Stephen Hernandez of West Des Moines Valley Saturday.

"I just had to forget about that (first-round) loss and come back and get third," Sand said. "I didn't like it all all. I wanted that gold senior year."

Waterloo East's Tray Pendleton also bounced back to earn bronze. The heavyweight finished his senior season with a 3-2 win over Waterloo West senior Johntrell Humphrey. Pendleton improved to 39-1 on the year by working a bear hug into a single-leg midway through the third period for the match's lone takedown.

East's 215-pound senior Onazi Agbese won his fifth-place match over Jay Hacket of Mount Pleasant. The Trojans' Demetrious Taylor (125) finished sixth after a 6-2 loss to Brock Storm of Spencer.

Contact Nick Petaros at (319) 291-1428 or nick.petaros@wcfcourier.com