This weekend’s 2019 Iowa State Wrestling tournament concluded Ben Strandberg’s first season as the head coach of the West Central Valley Wildcats varsity program. Strandberg saw three of his wrestlers qualify for last week’s annual state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, including junior Justin Garcia (126), senior Cole Sackett (152), and senior Carson Wadle (195). Wadle closed his high school grappling career on the medal stand, taking seventh place in the Class 1A 195 pound weight division. The Raccoon Valley Radio Network spoke with Strandberg Tuesday afternoon about his thoughts on his first trip to the state tournament with West Central Valley. “The biggest thing starting off is the number of guys we got down (to the state tournament),” Strandberg said, “Three, and I know a lot of schools that send a lot more than that, but it’s a big number for us in a while. We haven’t qualified more than two wrestlers (for the state tournament) since about 2000.”

Hear more from Strandberg about his first full season as West Central Valley’s wrestling coach on the next Wahl McAtee Tire and Service Center Guthrie County PM Sports Page, Monday, February 25 at 6 p.m. on True Country K 107.9 FM.