Jefferson Wrestling

Brenden Baker wins Metro Spotlight Award

Cedar Rapids Jefferson junior Brenden Baker is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Baker is one of the top wrestlers in the state and is a key ingredient for the J-Hawks, who are ranked No. 3 in Class 3A by The Predicament.

Baker missed the first week of the season while recovering from four broken toes on his left foot, suffered in a gymnastics accident three months ago, but he returned to wrestling in fine form.

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Baker, Rashed win titles for J-Hawks

JOHNSTON - Brenden Baker and Tavian Rashed of Cedar Rapids Jefferson won titles at the Johnston Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday.

Baker blanked Austin Yant of Waverly-Shell Rock, 2-0, for top honors at 113 pounds. Rashed trimmed Seth Walker of Waverly-Shell Rock, 3-1, for the championship at 152 pounds.

Johnston nipped the J-Hawks for the team championship, 246-234, in the 10-team field.

Kyle Briggs (132), Kelly May (182) and Dalton Kuehl (285) placed second for Jefferson. Joseph Sibomana (120), Matt Culver (145) and Luke Sedlacek (160) finished third in their weight classes. Zach Main (106), Tyler Unkel (126) and Erik Hovey (195) placed fourth.

Team Standings

1. Johnston 246, 2. Jefferson 234, 3. Waverly-Shell Rock 184, 4. West Des Moines Valley 179, 5. Sioux City North 148.5, 6. Hampton-Dumont 127, 7. Indianola 102.5, 8. Marshalltown 85, 9. Winterset 83, 10. Des Moines Roosevelt 38.

Baker helps J-Hawks slay ranked foes

IOWA CITY - Brenden Baker needs to give up gymnastics as a hobby and stick with wrestling.

It's a lot safer.

Baker broke four toes on his left foot trying to do a flip at the gymnastics academy where he works and was sidelined for three months, but he returned to the wrestling mat in fine form Thursday night to help the third-ranked Jefferson J-Hawks beat two ranked teams in a double-dual meet in Iowa City.

Baker, ranked No. 2 at 113 pounds, collected two pins in his first action of the season as Jefferson defeated seventh-ranked Linn-Mar, 45-17, and topped fifth-ranked Iowa City West, 44-27, in the Mississippi Valley Conference affairs.

It was the second straight year that the vastly improved J-Hawks have defeated the two traditional MVC powers.

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Rashed takes 2nd at Keith Young

CEDAR FALLS – Jefferson’s Tavien Rashed took second place at 152 pounds at the Keith Young Invitational on Saturday.

Bettendorf’s Jacob Woodard pinned Rashed in 1 minute, 26 seconds in the championship match as the third-ranked J-Hawks finished sixth with 107 points.

Union won the tournament with 199½ points.

Kyle Briggs (132), Kelly May (182) and Dalton Kuehl (285) each finished third for the J-Hawks.

Kennedy was 13th with 72½ points. Ben Sarasin was third at 138 for the Cougars.

Team scores – 1. Union 199½; 2. Bettendorf 194; 3. West Des Moines Valley 149; 4. North Scott 131½; 5. Pleasant Valley 129; 6. Jefferson 107; 7. Cedar Falls 99; 8. Denver-Tripoli 97; 9. Don Bosco 96; 10. Waverly-Shell Rock 92½; 11. Charles City 80; 12. West Des Moines Dowling 75; 13. Kennedy 72½; 14. Mason City 52; 15. Waterloo West 36; 16. Waterloo Columbus 25.

132 – 3. Kyle Briggs (J) 
138 – 3. Ben Sarasin (K)
152 – 2. Tavian Rashed (J) 
182 – 3. Kelly May (J) 
285 – 3. Dalton Kuehl (J)