Q-C area wrestlers sign with UNI

Font Size:

By Jon Gremmels | Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:22 PM CDT | () comments

When Blayne Beale was a sophomore at Davenport West, he was waiting for his chance to succeed Jake Ward as the heavyweight wrestler for the varsity. His plans are much greater now.

Beale took over the varsity spot as a junior and bettered Ward’s eighth-place finish at the 2006 wrestling state meet by one spot in 2007. He took another step this past season, and it resulted in him signing a national letter of intent to wrestle next season for the University of Northern Iowa.

“It’s a big step, and I can’t wait for it to happen,” Beale said. “Starting with my sophomore year with Jake Ward as heavyweight, thinking I’d be going Division I by my senior year would have been unbelievable. The coaches and I worked hard to get where I am. I think I’m pretty prepared to go in and learn all I can.”

Beale said his technique on his feet has improved, and his mindset was better, but there was one other reason for the improvement that gave him a chance to wrestle Division I.

“First, like every other kid, I was just doing this for a sport,” he said. “It became a passion for me. It’s something that’s real important for me.”

Beale is one of two Davenport wrestlers to sign with the Panthers in recent days. Davenport North’s Alec Hoffman also is headed for the school in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Hoffman was a three-time state placewinner for the Wildcats, placing fourth as a sophomore when he was 44-6 and taking second each of the past two years. He was 44-1 as a junior, falling to Iowa City West’s Derek St. John in the Iowa Class 3A state final at 135. Hoffman (37-4 this season) lost to one of St. John’s teammates, Nick Moore, in the state final at 140 pounds in February.

Beale placed fourth in the state as a senior, losing to Iowa State recruit Eric Thompson in the second round and falling 3-2 to Indianola’s Alex Petersen, the 2006 state runner-up, in this year’s third-place match at 285. Beale improved from 33-16 as a junior to 33-4 this past year.

“It was probably the transition from my junior to senior year,” Beale said. “I probably wrestled six times a week. I wrestled a couple of people who had beaten me in the previous year, and I beat them pretty bad.”

Jon Gremmels can be contacted at (563) 383-2294 or at jgremmels@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qcvarsity.com.