Losee becomes first Riceville four-time medal winner
By Kristi Nixon
DES MOINES — Lawson Losee finds it hard to believe considering the history of Riceville wrestling.
However, it’s true: he’ll become the first Wildcat to medal all four years as he aims for a state title on Saturday, Feb. 19.
“That’s huge,” Losee said, “especially with all of the medalists Riceville has had in the 90s, 80s and even 2000s. I’m going to Upper Iowa next year, so Lawson Losee is not stopping now.”
Two times he was the consolation champion. If he can break through against Maximus Magayna for the first time in four attempts, he could become a state champion.
“It feels good, especially having my heart broken in the semifinals,” Losee said. “All season I just stuck with it and it paid off: I’m in the state finals.
“I had a sour taste in my mouth the last two years and just worked hard and it paid off.”
Losee, who was ranked third, defeated the second-ranked wrestler, West Sioux’s Cullen Koedam.
“I just stayed on my offense,” Losee said. “I’m a killer when I’m on my offense and that’s what I did. The match played out how it should have and I’m in the final.”
His teammate, senior 285-pounder Mitchel Marr wrestles in the consolation semifinal on Saturday. He worked his way to a 9-5 decision against Treynor’s Daniel Gregory despite a slam during the match and working to clinch him up to take Marr down only to find Marr get the leverage for the takedown.
“I’m fine,” Marr said. “Tough men can take tough hits. At the end, I knew I had better body position. (I) can’t leave anything out on the mat, have to go for it. Wrestle better than I did the first day here and keep going from there.”
More on this story will be in the Feb. 23 print edition of the Enterprise Journal.
