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The Formidable Five

STC boys’ wrestling crowns four district champs, qualifies five for state

South Tama junior Jacob Youngbear, right, nears a third-period pin against Nathan Curry from Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont during Saturday’s Class 2A District 12 meet in Williamsburg. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Bridgewater.
Gavin Bridgewater, Jr., 195 pounds. Photos courtesy of South Tama County Community School District.
Rudy Papakee, Sr., 220 pounds. Photos courtesy of South Tama County Community School District.
Amare Chavez, Jr., 126 pounds. Photos courtesy of South Tama County Community School District.
MaCael Bear, Jr., 132 pounds. Photos courtesy of South Tama County Community School District.

WILLIAMSBURG — The South Tama County wrestling team took four district titles and qualified five wrestlers in all from Saturday’s Class 2A District 12 tournament.

Amare Chavez (126 pounds), MaCael Bear (132), Gavin Bridgewater (195) and Rudy Papakee (220) each earned the top spot at their respective weight classes, while Jacob Youngbear (145) claimed advancement with a runner-up finish. Papakee is the only senior while the rest of the Trojan qualifiers are juniors.

Chavez, ranked fourth by IAwrestle, needed just two wins to make his way to state. He defeated Oskaloosa’s Kaiden Parker by a 7-0 decision to improve to 37-5 this season.

Bear, rated 11th, improved to 36-8 with a 2-0 day. He scored a 9-5 decision over Trey Miller of Oskaloosa to take the 132 crown.

Youngbear (23-23) fell in the 145 finals to Dante Zuniga of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union but didn’t have to wrestle back for true second to earn his first trip to state.

Bridgewater and Papakee joined Chavez in return trips to Des Moines by topping their respective podiums as well. Top-ranked Bridgewater pinned both of his opponents on the day in a combined 2 minutes, 35 seconds, finishing with a victory over Mid-Prairie’s Terry Bordenave. Papakee, rated 12th, had a 52-second pin in the semifinals and finished with an 8-2 decision over Kai Malone of Columbus/WMU.

Marcus Bear (182) was pinned in his quarterfinal match to start the day but scored a 6-2 decision over the same wrestler — Parker Jordan of Oskaloosa — later in the day to earn a chance at true-second place. Fourth-ranked Kyler Ricard of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (18-3) earned the state meet berth, however, with a 10-3 decision over Bear (21-19).

Fourth-place finishes went to Cale Graff (106), Eligh Branan (120), Drayton White (138) and Nathaniel Palmarez (285).

Jovanie Perez (113), Anthony Thompson (152), Kinzer Jaennette (160) and Madden Martinez (170) also competed for STC.

The Trojans took third place out of eight teams in District 12, finishing with 147.5 points. Williamsburg won the team title with 196 points, while Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union was second at 155.5.