106
Top half: #4 Josh Keller got upset at Districts but comes out with a good draw and should be in good position to reach the semis. The other quarter should feature #3 Noah Fye vs #6 Dante Tacchia. Tacchia did defeat Fye at regional duals on Tuesday.
Bottom half: #10 Zach Thompson is the lone ranked wrestler in the top quarter on this side but don’t sleep on Gabe Ruepke who has had a great year and beat Keller at districts. The bottom quarter is STACKED!! #2 Michael Millage faces #5 John Hellman first round and #1 Gable Sieperda faces #7 Shea Ruffridge. Even if it goes to seed we could see #1 vs #2 in quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Michael Millage (Crestwood, Cresco) over Noah Fye (New Hampton)
Kirk: Noah Fye (New Hampton) over Michael Millage (Crestwood, Cresco)
Eric: Gable Sieperda (Central Lyon GLR) over Noah Fye (New Hampton)
113
Top half: #5 Jared Hensley will battle #10 Travis Pulse first round with the winner likely meeting #4 Derek Holschlag in the quarters. The other quarter should feature #1 Tristan Birt vs #6 Devin Phaley.
Bottom half: #2 Brennen Doebel faces #7 Nick Meling in the first round with the winner likely facing #9 Duncan McCain in the quarters. #8 Tate Battani is the lone ranked wrestler in the bottom quarter of the bracket.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Tristan Birt (Dubuque Wahlert) over Brennen Doebel (Clear Lake)
Kirk: Derek Holschlag (Union, Laporte City) over Brennan Doebel (Clear Lake)
Eric: Brennen Doebel (Clear Lake) over Derek Holschlag (Union, Laporte City)
120
Top half: #8 Connor Murphy is the lone ranked wrestler in the top portion of the bracket but faces a very tough first round matchup with freshman Brennan Swafford. The winner should reach the quarters here. #9 Austin Rozeboom gets a tough draw with #1 Brock Rathbun in the first round. The winner should face #6 Brennon Ryan in the quarters.
Bottom half: #10 Kyle Anderson draws #5 Jacob Fenske in the first round and the winner likely gets #2 Ryan Schmalen in the quarters. The bottom quarter should feature #3 Brayden Curry vs #4 Brandon Mayer.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Brock Rathbun (Center Point-Urbana) over Ryan Schmalen (Clear Lake)
Kirk: Brock Rathbun (Center Point-Urbana) over Ryan Schmalen (Clear Lake)
Eric: Brock Rathbun (Center Point-Urbana) over Brayden Curry (Sergeant Bluff-Lutton)
126
Top half: #5 Tristan Clark is the lone ranked wrestler in the top quarter but has tough first round match against previously ranked Gisaveri Niyibizi. #2 Brice Everson should make the quarters where he would face either #10 Austin Gutknecht or a tough Derek Fox.
Bottom half: #3 Shea Swafford gets a match with #7 Parker Witthuhn in the first round with the winner likely making the semis here. #1 Ryan Leisure will face #4 Louis Gnida in one of the better first round matches. #9 Max Wehage could be waiting for the winner in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Ryan Leisure (Clear Lake) over Brice Everson (Camanche)
Kirk: Ryan Leisure (Clear Lake) over Brice Everson (Camanche)
Eric: Ryan Leisure (Clear Lake) over Brice Everson (Camanche)
132
Top half: #3 Bradley Irwin will face #9 Connor Ascherl in the first round with the winner likely facing #8 Abe Yoder in the quarters. The other quarter looks to likely be #2 Austin Staudt vs #7 Chase Leinhard.
Bottom half: #4 Nathan Macki is the only ranked wrestler in the top quarter and looks to be a big favorite to make the semis. #5 Brock Jennings will face #6 Stuart Schafer in the first round with the winner likely getting #1 Dusten Reed in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Austin Staudt (Charles City) over Dusten Reed (Bedford/Lenox)
Kirk: Dusten Reed (Bedford/Lenox) over Bradley Irwin (Centerville)
Eric: Bradley Irwin (Centerville) over Stuart Schafer (Davenport Assumption)
138
Top half: #8 Austin Moen will face #9 Spencer Wray in the first round and are the only ranked wrestlers in the top quarter. The other quarter looks like it will likely be #2 Colby McIntire vs #3 Mason Buster. Max Forsyth should be a good first round opponent for Buster though.
Bottom half: The top quarter should see #4 Trevor Harsh vs #5 Jordan Challen. In the bottom quarter #1 Brady Jennings looks to be on a crash course with #6 Preston Dunn. Dunn is a very tough freshman who beat McIntire at districts.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Brady Jennings (Osage) over Colby McIntire (Central Lyon GLR)
Kirk: Brady Jennings (Osage) over Mason Buster (Mediapolis)
Eric: Brady Jennings (Osage) over Colby McIntire (Central Lyon GLR)
145
Top half: #6 Kade Steuhm is the only ranked wrestler in the top quarter but could face Tanner Mertz who was ranked much of the year. #8 Blake Lawless looks like the likely opponent for #1 Max Thomsen in the quarters. Thomsen is bringing a 192 match win streak into the state tournament.
Bottom half: #10 Zach Konz draws a very tough Joey Huntington in the first round. The winner likely faces #3 Tyler Thomas in the quarters. #2 Caleb Coleman faces a tough Jake Niichel in the first round and the winner will likely face #7 Ryan Faught in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Max Thomsen (Union, Laporte City) over Tyler Thomas (Crestwood, Cresco)
Kirk: Max Thomsen (Union, Laporte City) over Caleb Coleman (Bondurant-Farrar)
Eric: Max Thomsen (Union, Laporte City) over Tyler Thomas (Crestwood, Cresco)
152
Top half: #4 Brad Conley and #10 Garret Jay look to be the favorites to face each other in the top quarter. #5 Zach Bruns faces a very dangerous #8 Tristan Johnson in the first round. The winner will likely face a very tough Luke Bahr in the quarters.
Bottom half: #2 Bryce Leshen looks to most likely face #6 Grant Sherman in the top quarter here. #7 Michael Neal gets the tough task of facing #1 Chase Straw in the first round of state. The winner will likely face #9 Hunter Morrow in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Chase Straw (Independence) over Brad Conley (Mediapolis)
Kirk: Chase Straw (Independence) over Brad Conley (Mediapolis)
Eric: Chase Straw (Independence) over Tristan Johnson (Osage)
160
Top half: #10 Trevor Nelson will meet undefeated #1 Chase Shiltz in the first round with the winner likely facing #6 Trevor McLaughlin in the quarters. #5 Jake Juhl is the only ranked wrestler in the other quarter here and will likely face Shiltz in the semis.
Bottom half: #7 Blake Pruisner will have his hands full in the first round with Connor Shaw and the winner will face the winner of #9 Colton Ranney and a very good Joe Argo in the quarters. The bottom quarter features 3 of the top 4 ranked wrestlers at this weight. #2 Cole Erickson will face #4 Andrew Turner in round one. The winner will likely face #3 Zach Johnston in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Chase Shiltz (Creston) over Cole Erickson (Mediapolis)
Kirk: Chase Shiltz (Creston) over Cole Erickson (Mediapolis)
Eric: Chase Shiltz (Creston) over Cole Erickson (Mediapolis)
170
Top half: #3 JJ Clark and #5 Cade Baker face off in a great first round matchup! The winner will likely face #6 Tucker Morrison in the quarters. #1 Jacob Holschlag will likely face a tough Damon Piatt in the quarters.
Bottom half: #7 Luke Erickson and #9 Vic Malloy will face off first round with the winner likely facing #4 Beau Sorenson in the quarters. #10 Derek Hooyer will have his hands full with a very tough Dylan Meister in round 1. The winner will likely get #2 Nick Baumler in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Jacob Holschlag (Union, Laporte City) over Nick Baumler (North Fayette Valley)
Kirk: Jacob Holschlag (Union, Laporte City) over Beau Sorenson (Forest City)
Eric: Jacob Holschlag (Union, Laporte City) over Nick Baumler (North Fayette Valley)
182
Top half: #2 Brent Lammers faces #7 Mitchell Sandbulte in a very good first round matchup. The winner will likely advance to the semifinals. #4 Julio Sanchez faces #9 Adam Mickelson in another solid first round matchup with the winner likely facing #8 Tanner Shirk in the quarters.
Bottom half: #3 Riley Hasken lost to Lammers at districts and now faces #5 Zach DeJager in the first round. The winner likely gets Bryce Lunsford in the quarters. #1 Joe Teague will have a tough first round match with Cameron Tolander who was ranked much of the year. The winner likely faces #6 Trenton Wells in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Brent Lammers (West Delaware) over Joe Teague (Algona)
Kirk: Joe Teague (Algona) over Brent Lammers (West Delaware)
Eric: Joe Teague (Algona) over Brent Lammers (West Delaware)
195
Top half: #1 Steven Holloway should have little trouble reaching the semis on the top of the bracket. #6 Matt McMillan will take on #10 Christian Lauritsen in a very nice first round match. #5 Izaak Shedenhelm faces a tough Levi Duwa who was previously ranked at 220 in the first round.
Bottom half: One of the best first round matches in 2A comes here with #4 Darin Greenfield taking on #2 Brad Skubal. The winner will be the clear favorite to reach the semis. #3 Zach Lamphere faces #8 Seth Maitlen in a good first round match with the winner likely facing #7 Bryce Esmoil in the quarters.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Steven Holloway (Mediapolis) over Brad Skubal (Washington)
Kirk: Steven Holloway (Mediapolis) over Brad Skubal (Washington)
Eric: Steven Holloway (Mediapolis) over Brad Skubal (Washington)
220
Top half: #5 Tyler Johansen takes on #8 Alex Paulson in the first round with the winner likely facing a tough Kadon Hulett in the quarters. #1 Carter Isley will most likely face #6 Noah Broderson in the other quarter.
Bottom half: Huge first round match here with #3 Kendrick Suntken taking on #4 Travis McMillan in the first round. The winner will likely take on Kelly Pierce in the quarters. #2 Travis Vander Streek will likely face #9 Caleb Ring in the other quarter.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Carter Isley (Albia) over Kendrick Suntken (Hampton Dumont)
Kirk: Carter Isley (Albia) over Travis Vander Streek (Central Lyon GLR)
Eric: Carter Isley (Albia) over Travis Vander Streek (Central Lyon GLR)
285
Top half: #4 Gabriel Rangel will likely face Brody Koerselman in the top quarterfinal. #7 Nathan Heath will face #9 Brady Heusinkvelt in the first round with the winner likely facing #2 Mario Pena in the quarters.
Bottom half: #8 Ethan Lape wins districts and his reward is #1 ranked Logan Linderbaum in the first round after Linderbaum fell to Rangel at districts. This should be a better match than their rankings might suggest. The winner should make their way into the semi finals. #5 Gavin Dinsdale has been red hot lately and will face #6 Kyle Davis in the first round. The winner will likely face #3 Alex Silberstein in the quarterfinals.
Finals Predictions
Lars: Gabriel Rangel (Davenport Assumption) over Alex Silberstein (Ballard)
Kirk: Gabriel Rangel (Davenport Assumption) over Alex Silberstein (Ballard)
Eric: Gabriel Rangel (Davenport Assumption) over Gavin Dinsdale (Webster City)