Osage wins close TIC title race
By Kristi Nixon
OSAGE — Every point matters.
This was never more crucial in Osage’s 2024 Top of Iowa Conference boys wrestling tournament as the Green Devils got key points from an unexpected upper weight class to win, 264.5-250 over Nashua-Plainfield when the Huskies had a 4.5 advantage heading into the finals and had extended it by as much as 13 mid-way through.
“We’re a team of 14, and the kids showed that today,” coach Brent Jennings said. “Even our young kids came in and scrapped hard, worked the team points. It will be big the next two weeks for us.”
Ledger Nehls avenged a loss by fall in the semifinals and then won by fall in the 215-pound finals to help clinch coach Brent Jennings’ team’s victory, as Osage had six individual titles, the most for a team during the conference meet in TIC history.
He tied for the team lead with Mac Muller, who won the 285-pound title, scoring 30 points with falls in the semifinal, avenging a loss the previous week against Lake Mills’ Wyatt Hanna, pinning him in 26 seconds and then knocked off the top-seed, David Smith of West Hancock, in 1:49, setting off a huge celebration by his coaches.
“It was great,” Nehls said. It was huge to be able to do that for the team. I was happy. It was amazing. I’m just glad I could be a part of that, part of the team. Every day, I have a good partner to push me and work on the things I need to work on.”
The full story, plus more photos, will be found in the Jan. 24 print and e-editions of the Enterprise Journal.
