Le Mars Daily Sentinel: High School Sports: A-W's Sievert, Utesch win opening round

Both members of Akron-Westfield's two-man contingent took their first step toward Iowa wrestling immortality as Chet Utesch and Joe Sievert each recorded major decision victories in their first-round matches at the Iowa state wrestling tournament in Des Moines on Wednesday evening.

Sievert, a senior 160-pounder making his fourth trip to Des Moines, defeated Highland's Jake Walton 11-0 for his victory.

He will face Aplington-Parkersburg's Jacob Everts in quarterfinal action on Thursday night.

(Sentinel photo by Roy Tucker) A-W's Joe Sievert grapples with Highland's Jake Walton during the first round of the state tournament on Wednesday in Des Moines. Sievert won the 11-0 major decision to advance to face Aplington-Parkersburg's Jacob Everts on Thursday in quarterfinal action.
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Everts, ranked No. 10 among Class 1A 160-pounders, defeated Kendall Sommerlot of Pocahontas/Pomeroy-Palmer 10-2 in first round action.

Utesch, a freshman ranked No. 7 among Class 1A 119-pounders, defeated Jake Hopkins of New London/WMU 12-0 in his first round.

Next up for Utesch is top-ranked Deric Thomas of Mason City Newman Catholic. Thomas defeated Tyler Reiste of Panorama by technical fall in his first round contest.

Kingsley-Pierson 152-pound senior Sean Bainbridge, making his first state tournament appearance, dropped a 12-3 major decision to No. 2 Ethan Hess of Bedford/Lenox in his first round match.

Bainbridge rebounded to defeat No. 8 Gabe Fell of AHST 5-1 in consolation action. He will face the loser of the match between No. 3 Lee Phillips (English Valleys/North English) and No. 5 Andrew Anthofer (Coon Rapids-Bayard).

Le Mars junior Anthony Schimek, competing in the 130-pound bracket at the Class 3A tournament, lost both of his matches for the second year in a row. Schimek, ranked No. 8 heading into the state tournament, lost a 9-1 decision to No. 7 Luke Pint of Waverly-Shell Rock in the first round. He lost a 17-8 major decision to No. 6 Jake Rizzio of Cedar Rapids Prairie to end his season with a 33-10 record.