State wrestling: Arends takes runner-up; 3 area grapplers medal

DES MOINES – Chase Arends' senior season ended in 52 seconds in Des Moines on Saturday night.
 
In spite of that, Arends isn't sure he'll ever experience something like being center stage at Wells Fargo Arena, face-to-face with a good friend in Jesup's Brian Sadler with the 285-pound title on the line.
 
"It's definitely a weird feeling," Arends said. "I just had to put it all on the mat."
 
Sadler was the better man, finishing his undefeated season with a pinfall and a state title. But before and after the title match, Arends and Sadler kept the mood loose.
 
"We were joking around before the Grand March and there were guys around us thinking, 'you guys are wrestling in the finals?'," Sadler said. "I've gotten along with him pretty well for a long time."
 
D-NH head coach Tony Norton can't fault Arends' effort, even when Sadler was able to catch Arends early.
 
"He was moving well, changing his levels well and had a couple attempted shots on him, but Brian was able to end those and got us locked up," Norton added.
 
Both wrestlers will move on to in-state football programs, with Arends signing with UNI and Sadler walking on with Iowa.
 
"We joked earlier that we'll be competing for years to come in football," Sadler said about their collegiate futures. "We're really excited."
 
Norton added: "Chase used his talent to the best of his ability and did a lot of great things in everything he did, whether it was the wrestling room, the football field or the classroom. ... He's a good kid."
 
Lashbrook, Kolthoff, Maitland earn medals
 
Taylor Kolthoff of SH-BCLUW ended his sophomore season as a 7th-place finisher at 113 pounds in Class 2A, winning a 6-2 decision against Jason Peta of Estherville-LC on Saturday morning. Kolthoff went 32-9 in his sophomore campaign.
 
At 113 pounds in Class 1A, Trey Lashbrook of AGWSR fell to Denver's Jacob Moore by a 7-4 decision to settle for eighth place in his freshman season. Lashbrook ends his season at 41-7.
 
Class 2A 182-pounder Hunter Maitland of Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center finished fifth with a 5-4 decision over Owen Grover of Dyersville Beckman.
 
The full story will appear in the Feb. 22 Grundy Register.