(Sioux City, IA) – One area team has dominated the mats beyond all others this winter. That dominance has propelled them to a conference championship as well as strong representation at the nation’s biggest high school wrestling tournament. For Sioux City East the trip for eight of their finest was just icing on tremendous season.

After claiming three district championships and five runner-up finishes, the Black Raiders traveled to Des Moines with their focus on continuing the record breaking season they had already accomplished. For four of them, the mats of Wells Fargo were not foreign territory. Mike Otto returned after qualifying for the previous two seasons, Rulin Pederson returned for a third appearance, Gabe Gill also returned following an appearance at 145 lbs. a year ago, and for Bobby Bradham, he made his second trip after missing out last season. Joining them were first timers Dan Adair (112), Tyler McWilliams (119), Cameron Jewett (189), and Tim Stephens (215). Sophomore Ethan Lara just missed making his first trip to Des Moines after finishing third in a loaded district. He spent the majority of the season ranked in the top ten at 160 lbs. While the results in Des Moines were not exemplary of the season they had, sending eight wrestlers to Wells Fargo Arena is certainly noteworthy.

Senior Dan Adair made his first trip to Des Moines following a second place district finish. Following a 39-10 regular season including a conference championship Adair dropped an opening round match against undefeated Sophomore Cory Clark of Southeast Polk who would go on to win the State Title at 112 lbs. Adair didn’t wait long to make the trip worthwhile as he dispatched Sophomore Nate Lentsch of Fort Dodge 9-3 in a wrestle-back. Adair’s campaign would end at the hands of Tanner Werner, a Senior from Waverly-Shell Rock who eventually finished in 5th place. Ending his senior campaign with a mark of 40-13, Adair certainly made a name for himself in his final high school season.

At 119 lbs. Sophomore Tyler McWilliams joined Adair and his fellow teammates at Wells Fargo and his trip certainly sets the table for a rousing wrestling career at East. McWilliams also claimed a conference title earlier in the season before a second place district decision. His initial match at “The Well” ended in a 9-1 defeat at the hands of Brandon Jones of West Des Moines Valley. He wasted no time bouncing back with two victories over Daniel Williams of Oskaloosa (5-1) and Ronald Genco III of Clinton (2-1). As he did in the district final, Tyler Feller, a Junior from Council Bluffs Lewis Central ended his season (8-3) with a record of 37-15. Two wins in Des Moines and an 8th place finish are hard to come by but for McWilliams bigger and better days are most certainly ahead.

Mike Otto entered his senior wrestling season ranked 10th in the Class 3A at 140 lbs. In 2009 Otto finished his junior year on the mats of Wells Fargo with a 42-8 record. Otto claimed a conference title to go along with a second place district finish ensuring his third trip to Des Moines. As a sophomore he qualified at 135 lbs. and ended his season with two losses in Des Moines and a 32-15 record. His junior season also ended in Des Moines but this time around he came away with a victory. In a wrestle-back matchup with Austin Matter of West Des Moines Valley, Otto won with a pin. His season would end in the following match when Keelan Moore of Waverly-Shell Rock defeated Otto with an 11-9 overtime heartbreaker. In his final trip to Wells Fargo Arena a first round matchup with undefeated Julian Feikert (38-0) of Keokuk spelled doom for Otto in more than one way. After losing his first match to Feikert (12-4), Otto won his next three matches before a rematch with Feikert ended his season. Mike walked off the mat with a 6th place medal and a final record of 47-9 after a win the following week in a dual matchup with West Des Moines Valley. While Mike’s high school career is over, he will certainly be remembered around the halls of Sioux City East High School as one of the best to ever grace the mats. In addition he leaves the mats of East High as the school’s all-time leader in pins with 86.

For Rulin Pederson, his senior year was one that dreams are made of. Entering his senior year Pederson was ranked 8th in Class 3A and his name was mentioned quickly when a roll call of the best wrestlers in Siouxland was spoken. Having been to state twice before (135 lbs. in 2008, Record: 31-14, 145 lbs. in 2009, Record: 42-6) Pederson sliced his way through the competition claiming not only a conference title but also a district title including a 26 match win streak. His dream season would end abruptly however with stunning back-to-back losses in the state tournament. He finishes his career as the school’s all-time winningest wrestler (151 career wins).

Gabe Gill entered the season as the school’s highest rated wrestler at a rank of #5 pre-season. He intended to return to Des Moines following a 42-9 junior season that ended at Wells Fargo, and return is exactly what he did. He captured a district title at 152 lbs. and found himself matched up with Senior Nate Fennelly of Indianola. Gill dispatched Fennelly before falling at the hands of Ben Swalla of Ames. Another defeat to Peyton Wagner of Cedar Rapids Prairie brought Gill’s season to a close with a record of 42-9. He would add one final victory the following week with a win over Valley’s Austin Matter in the state dual qualifier.

For Bobby Bradham, his season was among the most interesting. As a sophomore Bradham qualified for the state tournament at 160 lbs and was quickly wiped out of the tourney with two losses. After missing the state tournament his junior year, Bradham returned to Des Moines with a vengeance. Bringing with him a 25 match winning streak, Bradham continued the success with a first round victory over Jordan Rasmussen of Spencer (4-0). In the second round he would face undefeated Mike Moreno of Urbandale, and in 1:17 Moreno pinned Bradham en route to an eventual state championship at 171 lbs. Bradham faced Derick Minch of Muscatine in a wrestle back match and his fate would be the same, falling 5-1 and ending his state tournament dreams. Bradham would go out on top however with a victory over Dillon Dunaway of West Des Moines Valley 11-2. Finishing with a 45-8 mark for his senior season, Bradham ended his senior year highlighted by a 27 match winning streak and recognition as one of the best wrestlers to ever don the orange and black.

Cameron Jewett entered the 189 lbs. fray after a second place finish at districts. The talented sophomore sported a 35-14 record and drew a first round match up with Bryce Sellers of North Scott. Sellers came away with an 8-1 victory pushing Jewett to the consolation bracket and a match with AJ Arrendell of Pella. Jewett could not escape Wells Fargo with a victory but certainly got his feet wet on the biggest stage in the state. He will have two more shots at a state title with a rock-solid foundation in place after a tremendous sophomore campaign.

Tim Stephens grabbed a second place finish in his district match enrolling him into the state championship lottery. After a 26-11 regular season, the Junior drew freshman Mickey Pelfrey of Iowa City West (35-9) ranked fourth in the class. Stephens got caught quickly and pinned making his first state tournament match not so memorable. Given an opportunity to wrestle-back, Stephens ran into another ranked wrestler in 10th ranked Ben Nagle of North Scott. Nagle wrapped Stephens up quickly and in the blink of an eye Stephens’ trip to Des Moines was over. With one year to wrestle, Stephens will certainly be focused on a better showing in Des Moines in a year’s time. Given the success of his junior year, expect big things from this young man next winter.

This team certainly did not end the season the way they hoped they would. For the second straight season West Des Moines Valley halted East’s State Dual Wrestling aspirations but the big picture accomplishments are undisputable. They finish with a 22-2 dual meet record, a single season best for the school as well as a Conference Dual and Tournament Championship. They had six conference champions, eight state qualifiers and clearly established themselves as the bona fide kings of wrestling in Northwest Iowa.