Junior Ryleigh Egeberg helped the Ankeny wrestling team to a 40-28 victory at Ankeny Centennial in a CIML Conference dual meet on Thursday. He recorded a fall over Wes Schroder at 190 pounds to give his squad a 34-25 lead with just two matches left.
Egeberg then placed fifth in the Frank Baltzley Invitational on Saturday at Johnston, where he helped the Hawks to a sixth-place finish overall. He will take a 7-4 record into Thursday’s dual meet at Johnston.
Here is some inside info on Egeberg:
Congratulations on the win over Centennial. What was your confidence level going into the meet? Were you pretty confident that your team could beat the Jaguars for the second straight year?
Thank you. Our confidence level was really high going in. We knew Centennial is a great program, but we also know the work we’ve put in. We focused on controlling what we could control—our conditioning and our technique. Knowing we beat them last year certainly provided a good baseline, but every year is a new challenge. We were confident, but definitely not complacent.
Your team was strengthened by the addition of returning state placewinners Ben Walsh and Calvin Rathjen, who were both in the lineup for the first time this season and recorded falls. How important was it to get those guys back?
Getting Ben and Calvin back in the lineup was huge. It’s not just about the six points they bring to the scoreboard, though that’s incredibly valuable. It’s about the leadership and the energy they bring to the room. They are proven winners, and just having their presence, their experience, and their work ethic back on the mat raises the performance level of every guy on the team. They were the catalyst for that win.
You helped seal the win with a fall in just 31 seconds. How were you able to get the pin?
My opponent and I tied up quickly, and I felt him leaning into me a bit too much. I felt the high crotch was open, and I hit it hard. I locked up the cradle and secured the fall.
Do you like having your match toward the end of the meet? Do you feel any extra pressure when the outcome of your match could determine the overall winner?
Honestly, I love it. That’s the kind of high-stakes pressure I train for. Early in my career, maybe it was a bit nerve-wracking, but now I just see it as a massive opportunity. Having my teammates, the crowd, and the whole atmosphere focused on one match is electrifying. I try not to think about the score, just the technique and getting the job done, but yeah—when the meet’s on the line, you know you have to deliver.
You then went 3-2 at the Johnston tournament on Saturday, including a fall in the opening round. Were you happy with how you wrestled?
Overall, I’d say I was mostly happy, but not satisfied. The 3-2 record at a high-level tournament like that is solid, and getting the pin in the first round set a great tone. I was dominant in my wins, which is a good sign. However, the two losses showed me specific areas—like my bottom work and countering an elite opponent’s snap-down—where I need to get better. It’s a good measuring stick, and I know what I need to work on this week.
You reached the quarterfinals before dropping an 8-3 decision to top-ranked Louden Bloxham of Cedar Rapids Prairie, who went on to place second. What makes him so tough?
Louden is the real deal. What makes him so tough isn’t just one thing, but his non-stop motor and his control. He doesn’t take bad shots, and he is absolutely relentless from the top position. You feel like you’re fighting for every inch for 6 minutes. He was able to get me on my heels and dictate the pace. That match was a great learning experience, and it just showed me the level of intensity I need to sustain if I want to beat guys like him later in the season.
What did you think of the performance of your team, which had more falls than any other squad in the tournament?
I thought our team performance was excellent. We went toe-to-toe with some of the best programs in the state. We had multiple guys step up in the consolation rounds to win key matches that secured our team finish. We showed a lot of grit and heart. We’re seeing a lot of consistency and the younger guys are really developing, which is exactly what you want early in the season.
What are your goals for the season?
Individually, the main goal is to be a state placewinner. That’s the ultimate target, and everything I do is geared toward peaking in February. For the team, our goal is to win our conference title and then finish on the podium at the state duals. We have the talent and the coaching; we just need to keep working hard and stay disciplined.
I know you also play football. Which sport is your favorite and why?
That’s a tough one! They’re both great, but if I had to choose, wrestling is my favorite. Football is awesome—I love the team aspect and the Friday Night lights atmosphere. But wrestling….it’s just different. It’s the ultimate individual accountability. When you step on the mat, it’s just you and your opponent. You can’t rely on anyone else. The mental and physical toughness it takes is something you can’t find anywhere else, and the feeling of having your hand raised after a grueling match is unmatched.
Do you have any aspirations to compete at the collegiate level?
Yes, I wouldn’t mind the opportunity. That’s a goal of mine.
Do you know what you want to study?
It’s undetermined at this time.