North Cedar Welcomes Long As Head Wrestling Coach

Members of the 2016-17 North Cedar wrestling team are front row, l-r: manager Kealy Taylor, Devon Willis, Cole Taylor, Miles McCullough, David Galloway, and manager Andrea Wachendorf. Back row: Evan Patterson, Dragan Clinkovich, Brody Hawtrey, Byron Boleyn, Dillon Pierson, Tyler Thurston, Chase Gallagher and head coach Darrell Long. Photo by Ryan Stonebraker. 

By Ryan Stonebraker

Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative

CLARENCE — The North Cedar wrestling team will have a new coach this winter and he is Darrell Long.  Long takes over for Todd Hoefler who stepped down after the season a year ago.  Long comes to North Cedar having worked in the sport as an assistant coach with some outstanding wrestling programs such as Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Cedar Falls and Solon.  He wrestled and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa and a member of the Panther program from 1985-90.  

“I’m excited to get this opportunity,” said Long.

“This is the first time that I have ran a program.  It also will be the first time I have been a part of a program that has had this low of a number of seniors and a freshman class that is larger than the senior class.  I’m here to coach who is here though, so that is what I will do,” he said.

Long reports that preseason practices have been going very well.

“It’s gone phenomenal.  The guys have been used to the way things were done with old coaches and I’m doing things different.  They have had good attitudes and are working hard.  I have noticed a change.  I try to stay basic and kind of work on that.

Williams works and lives in Cedar Rapids.  He worked as an an assistant coach for Solon’s wrestling program recently.  He has been away from the mat for a while, but has been coaching in youth football and baseball programs.  

North Cedar has six returners from last season.  They are Devon Willis (14-27), Zach Kauffman (13-24), Miles McCullough, Earl Baker, Byron Boleyn (26-18) and Chase Gallagher.  

The Knights have a lot of young talent coming into the program with six freshmen.  They are Cole Taylor, Evan Patterson, Dragan Clinkovich, Dillon Clift, Brody Hawtrey and Tyler Thurston.  The six, make up nearly half of the 14 Knights on the wrestling roster this season.

North Cedar lost the following guys from their roster a year ago in Torrey Wilhau, Brendan Sander, Danual Moore, Kalob Vandersee and Larissa Moore.

North Cedar placed 11th at the River Valley Conference meet last year with 48 team points.  The Knights had three wrestlers advance to the district meet in Wilton out of the Lisbon sectional tournament.  Torrey Wilhau (152), Byron Boleyn (160) and Brendan Sander (182) all advanced.  Kaleb Galloway finished his senior year 23-13 at 195 after falling in the district meet.  Wilhau placed 4th while Sander and Boleyn just missed trips to state with 3rd place finishes at the district meet.

Long said that he is excited to teach his team about the sport of wrestling.

“The teaching part is exciting.  The hands-on stuff.  Getting the kids to understand the right way to wrestle.  I had some good coaches when I wrestled.  Teaching is key.  WE have great middle school coaches who have done a great job getting them ready to give to me here, and I am excited to get going,” he said.

“We aren’t going to be fancy, we are just going to go out and do our thing and beat opponents down,” said Long.

Long noted that he was impressed with the skills that the North Cedar middle school coaches have taught the kids which has made the preseason work easier.

“I am thankful for the JR. High coaches that have put the work in and have trained them so well that it made my job easier so that we can start ahead of pace,” said Long.

Kealy Taylor and Andrea Wachendorf will be managers this season and Long will have help in coaching with North Cedar athletic director Adam Hadenfeldt assisting on the mat.

North Cedar will host their annual wrestling tournament on Saturday, December 10.  Teams coming are Belle Plaine, Camanche, Central City, Clear Creek-Amana, Durant, Fulton (IL), Montezuma, New London, North Linn, NE Goose Lake and West Carroll (IL).  The Knights host two home dual meets this season.  The first is January 5 with Wilton coming to town and the second is on Thursday, January 26 when the Knights host Tipton, Muscatine and Camanche.

North Cedar will wrestle in Saturday tournaments on December 17 at Iowa City Regina, January 7 at NE Goose Lake, January 14 at Solon and January 21 at Alburnett.  The River Valley Conference Tournament is on Saturday, January 28 at NE Goose Lake.