WAVERLY - It's taken nearly three decades, but the Waterloo East Trojans will be going to the Class 3A state wrestling tournament en masse Wednesday.

Saturday was a momumental day for the Trojans and head coach Willie Gadson as East qualified five wrestlers to state - three champions - at the 3A distict meet at Waverly-Shell Rock High School.

The five qualifiers are the most for the Trojans since the program won its eighth state title in 1983 with eight qualifiers, including eventual 126-pound state champion Darnell Sallis.

"It absolutely feels good," Gadson said. "Whatever these kids accomplish, it makes me happy, because they've worked hard for it.

"It feels good to be mentioned in the same breath as the '83 team. That was a great team."

Quinten Haynes at 152, Kyven Gadson at 171 and Tray Pendleton at 285 all claimed individual titles for the Trojans and will be joined by 125-pound junior Demetrious Taylor and senior 215-pounder Onazi Agbese.

"It feels good to take five," Kyven Gadson said. "We've been putting in a lot of hard work, and it is showing in the results we're seeing.

"We came into this tournament hoping to get a couple more through, but I'm happy with the results."

East, including last year, has had as many as four qualifiers three times since 1983, but never more.

As expected, defending state champion Waverly-Shell Rock cruised to the district title with 242 points, 71 more than runner-up Western Dubuque of Epworth.

The Go-Hawks crowned nine champions, and those nine will attempt to defend W-SR's title in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena beginning Wednesday.

"We're excited about the way things went," Waverly-Shell Rock head coach Rick Caldwell said. "We thought nine would be a pretty big number to put up."

The Go-Hawks were impressive in the finals, registering five pins, a technical fall and a major among its nine victories.

W-SR won the first seven weights with Tanner Werner (103), Eric DeVos (112), Jordan Rinken (119), Cody Caldwell (125), Luke Pint (130), defending 119-pound state champion Jake Ballweg (135) and Keelan Moore (140).

Anthony Walther at 160 and Cody Krumwiede at 215 were also victorious.

"Anthony did a great job. We bumped him up from 152 to 160, and he ends up winning the tournament," Caldwell said.

Third-ranked Rinken won a heavyweight battle at 119 over second-ranked Nick Sand of Waterloo West, 8-3.

Sand took an early lead with a takedown in the first and escaped to start the second for a 3-0 advantage. But Rinken got a takedown and three-point near-fall from a cradle to take a 5-3 lead into the third.

He escaped to start the period and added another takedown on a desperation shot by Sand late.

"Jordan Rinken's day was unbelievable," Caldwell said. "As everyone knows, that was the premier weight class, and he beat two real good kids."

Rinken had to beat sixth-ranked Jimmy Gotto of Western Dubuque in the semifinals.

Waterloo West and head coach Colby Yoder had a bounce-back district. One year after not qualifying anybody to the state tournament for the first time in school history, the Wahawks moved five wrestlers to state - Alonzo Henderson at 103, Sand at 119, Taylor Steimel at 135, Tyler Schoo at 140 and Johntrell Humphrey at 285.

Yoder was apprehensive, but his dad, John, a legendary coach and official in Iowa, told him differently.

"Our kids came out and wrestled well," Colby Yoder said. "That's the best I've seen our kids wrestle. I talked to my dad last night, and I told him we had a couple of pretty bad practices this week.

"He said, 'well that's a good sign. It can't get any worse, only better.' It was fun to see. I'm pretty speechless, real happy for our kids."

Cedar Falls will take two to state, including second-ranked Michael Kelly at 145.

Kelly pinned Max Krieger of Mason City to win at 145, but expected to be more dominant.

"It feels good, but I would've liked to wrestle a little better in the finals match," Kelly said. "I thought I wrestled a little slow. I could've been more dominant, but … I'm ready for state. I'm going down there looking for nothing less than first."

Aidan Brock will join Kelly at state with a runner-up finish at 171.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com

HOW THEY FINISHED

Team Pts Qual.

1. Waverly-Shell Rock 242.0 9

2. Western Dubuque 161.0 1

3. Waterloo West 157.5 5

4. Mason City 142.0 4

5. Waterloo East 130.5 5

6. Cedar Falls 118.0 2

7. Dubuque Senior 88.0 1

8. Dubuque Hempstead 60.0 1

103 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Tanner Werner (WSR) dec. Alonzo Henderson (West) 10-2.

SECOND - Henderson.

112 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Eric DeVos (WSR) technical fall over Bryce Lynn (Senior), 17-2, 6:00.

SECOND - Lynn.

119 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Jordan Rinken (WSR) dec. Nick Sand (West) 8-3.

SECOND - Sand.

125 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Cody Caldwell (WSR) pinned Demetrious Taylor (East), 2:49.

SECOND - Taylor pinned Josh Koerperich (WDub), 5:06.

130 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Luke Pint (WSR) pinned Tyler Berns (Hemp), 1:28.

SECOND - Val Flores (MC) pinned Berns, 4:21.

135 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Jake Ballweg (WSR) pinned Taylor Steimel (West), 1:31.

SECOND - Steimel pinned Justin Grider (CF), :40.

140 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Keelan Moore (WSR) pinned Kurt Runde (Senior), 1:11.

SECOND - Tyler Schoo (West) dec. Runde 6-4

145 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Michael Kelly (CF) pinned Max Krieger (MC), 5:28.

SECOND - Krieger.

152 POUNDS

FINALS - Quinten Haynes dec. Travis Mallo (MC) 8-3.

SECOND - Mallo.

160 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Anthony Walther (WSR) dec. Cody Schmitt (WDub) 2-1.

SECOND - Jared Bartel (MC) dec. Schmitt 11-2.

171 POUNDS

SEMIFINALS - Kyven Gadson (East) pinned Tevin Brinson (MC), :47; Aidan Brock (CF) dec. Kyle Kramer 12-4.

CHAMPIONSHIP - Kyven Gadson (East) dec. Aidan Brock (CF) 6-1.

SECOND - Brock dec. Tevin Brinson (MC) 8-1.

189 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Brock Haas (Hemp) dec. Chris Koch (WDuB) 5-2.

SECOND - Koch.

215 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Cody Krumwiede (WSR) pinned Onazi Agbese (East), 4:19.

SECOND - Agbese.

285 POUNDS

CHAMPIONSHIP - Tray Pendleton (East) dec. Johntrell Humphrey (West) 8-6 OT.

SECOND - Humphrey dec. Matt Schiffer (MC) 13-8.