Swenson advances to State Wrestling Tournament as District Champ!

The third time was the charm for Waukon wrestling 182-pound senior Blain Swenson, as he knocked off Decorah senior Daniel Ott for the first time in the past three Saturdays in their Class 2A District 1 championship match Saturday, February 11 at Decorah, earning qualification for the Class 2A State Tournament. Swenson opened the District Tournament with a 6-0 win over Independence senior Peyton Nolting to earn a championship rematch with Ott, who had defeated Swenson in their previous two meetings in the championship match of both the Northeast Iowa Conference Tournament two weekends earlier and also in the Class 2A Sectional 2 Tournament just a week earlier. In this rematch, however, Swenson took Ott down repeatedly to post a convincing, 11-5 triumph and earn his first-ever qualification for the Class 2A State Wrestling Tournament that will be held in Des Moines this Thursday through Saturday, February 16-18. Information about Swenson's upcoming State Tournament match-ups will be published in the February 15 edition of The Standard.