Rapid reactions from Iowa high school wrestling state semifinals
Then there were two.
Well, two athletes remaining at each weight class at the Iowa state wrestling tournament, to be exact.
After a thrilling semifinal round at the Casey's Center on Friday, Feb. 20, championship matches are set with 84 wrestlers still alive for a state championship. Two wrestlers, Fort Dodge's Dreshaun Ross and Osage's Blake Fox, are still alive with a shot to secure their fourth state title. We also received a ton of clarity in each team race on Friday, too.
From the team races, thrilling semifinal matches and finals to watch tomorrow, let's recap Day 3 of the Iowa state wrestling tournament.
Updated team race ahead of placement matches
- Class 3A: Southeast Polk seems to have clinched the team title for the third-consecutive year. They have five finalists in freshman 106-pounder Amir Newman-Winfrey, sophomore 126-pounder Eddie Woody, junior 138-pounder Nico DeSalvo, senior 144-pounder Wil Oberbroeckling and senior Justis Jesuroga (150). The Rams had some adversity with tough losses throughout the tournament and early in the year as they sorted out the lineup. Still, a team title is a team title. Following the semifinals, coach Jake Agnitsch said, "It's been a good year, so I really can't complain."
- Class 2A: There's still much to be decided in Class 2A. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont is in first with 112.5 team points, three finalists and three alive in consolations. Decorah is close behind with 109 points, one finalist and six still in consolations, while Alburnett, in third, is at 93.5 team points with two finalists and three alive in consolations. Decorah is likely to pull ahead after the placement match session, but the Comets' three finalists could rocket them back to first by the end of the tournament.
- Class 1A: Don Bosco has clinched the Class 1A team title with 188 team points and seven finalists. Jesup is in second, with only 90.5 team points and one finalist in comparison. With that, the Dons now have 18 traditional state tiles, passing Waterloo West for the most all-time in Iowa.
Fort Dodge's Dreshaun Ross, Osage's Blake Fox each one win from fourth state title
- DreshaunRoss: The Fort Dodge heavyweight rolled in his semifinal match, defeating Pleasant Valley's Cary Cox in a 21-6 technical fall in just 1:10. He has yet to have a match get outside of the first period this tournament. He'll face Dowling Catholic's Brady Hagan, a 16U Fargo finalist, in the finals with a chance at his fourth crown.
- Blake Fox: The Osage 150-pounder had two major decisions on Feb. 20 to get one match away from reaching the pinnacle of high school wrestling. He'll face Sergeant Bluff-Luton's Ben Walsh for his fourth state title
- No matter the year or the stage, Fox remains level-headed. On his poise, Fox said, "It probably comes from all my experience and everything, wrestling at tournaments as a kid. Just trusting my abilities and myself.
Best finals matchups from each class at the Iowa state wrestling tournament
- Class 3A: The premier final of the night is between Carlisle's Jaxon Miller vs. Ankeny Centennial's Max Dhabolt. Both were state champions last season, but Miller won at the Ed Winger Invitational earlier this year in a one-takedown match. Dhabolt, an Iowa State commit, and Miller, a Northwestern commit, are both future Division I wrestlers.
- Class 2A: A lot of eyes will be on Ross in his pursuit of a fourth crown at heavyweight in 3A, but Alburnett's Eaghan Fleshman vs. Solon's Lucas Feuerbach is a dandy to keep an eye on.
- Class 1A: There's plenty of high-end talent to watch here, but keep an eye on the veteran vs. youth battle between Westwood's Boston Peters vs. West Hancock's Teague Smith. Smith is a senior, and Peters is a sophomore. Both have had outstanding tournaments
Class 3A Iowa state wrestling tournament final matchups
- 106 - Southeast Polk's Amir Newman-Winfrey vs. Dowling Catholic's Cruz Gannon
- 113 - Waukee Northwest's Carew Christensen vs. Iowa City West's Diego Robertty
- 120 - Waverly-Shell Rock's Kipton Lewis vs. Lewis Central's Zander Manz
- 126 - Southeast Polk's Eddie Woody vs. Lewis Central's Weston Porter
- 132 - Bettendorf's Jake Knight vs. Urbandale's Caleb Arroyo
- 138 - Bettendorf's Cody Trevino vs. Southeast Polk's Nico DeSalvo
- 144 - Southeast Polk's Wil Oberbroeckling vs. Marshalltown's Nicholas Wise
- 150 - Southeast Polk's Justis Jesuroga vs. Indianola's Elijah Blewitt
- 157 - Bondurant-Farrar's Nolan Fellers vs. Johnston's Parker Casey
- 165 - Indianola's Mac Crosson vs. Ankeny's Calvin Rathjen
- 175 - Carlisle's Jaxon Miller vs. Ankeny Centennial's Max Dhabolt
- 190 - Bettendorf's Brayden Koester vs. Cedar Rapids Prairie's Louden Bloxham
- 215 - Bettendorf's Lincoln Jipp vs. Dubuque Hempstead senior Camden Smith
- 285 - Fort Dodge's Dreshaun Ross vs. Dowling Catholic's Brady Hagan
Class 3A team scores after the finals at the Iowa state wrestling tournament
- 1st - Southeast Polk - 184 points
- 2nd - Bettendorf -125.5
- 3rd - Indianola - 120
- 4th - Dowling Catholic - 113.5
- 5th - Waukee Northwest - 89.5
Class 2A Iowa state wrestling tournament final matchups
- 106 - Vinton-Shellsburg's Jackson Parmeter vs. Solon's Anderson Osgood
- 113 - North Polk's Charlie Boelman vs. Union Community's Coy Mehlert
- 120 - Van Meter's Dylan Williamson vs. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's Simon Bettis
- 126 - Wilton's Mason Shirk vs. Glenwood's Joseph Leick
- 132 - Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's Gage Spurgeon vs. Ballard's Easton Enyeart
- 138 - Denver's Gavin Landers vs. NH/TV's Carter Cajthaml
- 144 - Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's Landen Davis vs. Alburnett's Owen Henriksen
- 150 - Osage's Blake Fox vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton's Ben Walsh
- 157 - Mount Vernon's Mikey Ryan vs. PCM's Tucker Wheeler
- 165 - Denver's Boden White vs. Decorah's William Fullhart
- 175 - Clear Lake's Christian Dunning vs. Mediapolis' Kyler Crow
- 190 - Davenport Assumption's Max Purdy vs. Humboldt's Broedy Hendricks
- 215 - Glenwood's Mason Koehler vs.Osage's Gavin Muller
- 285 - Alburnett's Eaghan Fleshman vs. Solon's Lucas Feuerbach
Class 2A team scores after the finals at the Iowa state wrestling tournament
- 1st - Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont - 112.5 points
- 2nd - Decorah (109)
- 3rd - Alburnett (93.5)
- 4th - Glenwood (89.5)
- 5th - Independence (88)
Class 1A Iowa state wrestling tournament final matchups
- 106 - Don Bosco's Ty Martin vs. South Central Calhoun's Karson Wuebker
- 113 - Don Bosco's Kaiden Belinsky vs. WACO's Ian Maize
- 120 - Martensdale St. Marys' Jensen Dyer vs. Don Bosco's Hendrix Schwab
- 126 - Don Bosco's Hayden Schwab vs. Earlham's Max Millage
- 132 - Jesup's Cooper Hinz vs. Lawton-Bronson's Riley Watts
- 138 - Riverside's Drew Anderson vs. Louisa-Mucatine's Hayden Riggan
- 144 - Don Bosco's Dawson Youngblut vs. Pleasantville's Blake Rowson
- 150 - Lake Mills' Steve Brandenburg vs. Iowa Valley Marengo's Chance Hoyt
- 157 - Westwood's Boston Peters vs. West Hancock's Teague Smith
- 165 - South Winneshiek's Kyle Kuboushek vs. North Mahaska's Ryan Groom
- 175 - Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley's Brock Mulder vs. Don Bosco's Ethan Christoffer
- 190 - Starmont's Keaton Moeller vs. Nodaway Valley's Caleb Christensen
- 215 - Don Bosco's Kyler Salis vs. Woodbury Central's Carter Wright
- 285 - Nodaway Valley's Ashton Honnold vs. Earlham's Keegan Long
Class 1A team scores after the finals at the Iowa state wrestling tournament
- 1st - Don Bosco (188 points)
- 2nd - Jesup (90.5)
- 3rd - Woodbury Central (77.5)
- 4th - Nodaway Valley (74.5)
- 5th - Earlham (70.5)
Full team scores and updated brackets can be found on Flowrestling.com.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa state wrestling tournament Day 3 reactions from IHSAA semifinals
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