The Northern Plains Regional is more than just a qualifier for Senior level wrestlers trying to qualify for the World Team Trials next month in Madison, it also serves as a qualifier for Cadet/Junior national high school tournament in Fargo, North Dakota. The top four place-finishers at each weight will qualify for the Fargo tournament, and for some of these brackets that means some of these hammers are going to be left home. The tournament is not strictly for Iowa wrestlers, wrestlers from other states can attend, but for our purposes we will preview the Iowans only (with the exception of one guy that we will get to).
Starting out with one of the lightest brackets we have 113, and on paper it already looks pretty tough. The favorite is probably Drew West from Highland Riverside who despite having the lowest finish among the Iowa trio we will discuss, is considered a solid prospect in the 2017 class. Two years ago (2014) West defeated Justin Portillo on his way to a state title, which makes him more of a favorite over the Clarion-Goldfield wrestler. The other big name in this bracket is 3A state runner-up Jakob Allison of Waukee.
At 120 we will have a great battle between a pair of 2015 state champions Bryce West (Highland) and Jacob Schwarm (Bettendorf). The latter is a top 150 recruit for 2015 and West has flirted in and out of the rankings since last year. This will be a great matchup between two really tough Iowa lightweights.
The 126 pound weight class just might be the toughest weight at Northern Plains, and that doesn’t factor any wrestlers coming from other states. Iowa will have four state champions in the mix and picking the favorite of the group might be a great conversation for you and your friends. Nolan Hellickson has a lot of accolades as the top 100 senior picked up his first state title for double team champions Southeast Polk. Brock Rathbun of Center Point is also a two time state champion, and in the past year has gone from fringe top 20 wrestler, to top 10 at his weight class. The other two wrestlers are state champions Justin Portillo and Alex Thomsen. Thomsen has been winning everything this past year, and handed Drew West his first high school loss this season at the state tournament. He may be inexperienced, but he is certainly going to be a contender.
132 pounds features a pair of state runner-ups in Paul Glynn (Bettendorf) and Triston Lara (Fort Dodge). Glynn is headed to the University of Iowa next fall, and Lara is up several weight classes from where he made the state finals (113).
Carter Happel is probably the favorite to win the 138 pound bracket. The three-time state champion from Lisbon will be pushed by a pair of state medalist Austin Yant (Waverly-Shell Rock) and Jackson Gallagher (Bettendorf).
145 pounds is what I consider the second toughest weight class, but at the end of the day I don’t think anyone will be upending Max Thomsen (from this state or any other). Thomsen is the highest ranked senior from the state, but there is some other good competition in state champion Josh Wenger (CR Prairie) and the Southeast Polk duo of Keegan Shaw and Aaron Meyer are always tough.
152 features state runner-up Caleb Coleman and third place medalist Colton Clingenpeel. Both of these are tough wrestlers and a year ago Clingenpeel earned All-American honors at Fargo.
160 is shaping up to be pretty tough with Hawkeye recruit Cole Erickson most likely leading the group. Erickson was the favorite to claim the 2A state title at his weight, but was caught for a pin. State runner-up Tristan Johnson of Osage will be tough in this bracket, and it will be interesting to see how Cedar Fall’s Dan Kelly does after finishing runner-up at 138 pounds this winter.
A couple UNI Panthers are probably the favorite at 170 pounds where Minnesota native Paden Moore will look to battle state champion Jacob Holschlag (Union). Both are expected to wrestle different weights at UNI, but this could be fun to see them meet up now. Double Fargo All-American Anthony Sherry (Glenwood) will be a factor here as could state champion Kegan Fingalsen.
At 182 State champion Dale Hilleman will be a leader along with state runner-up Max Lyon (Epworth). Lyon was considered a top five pound-for-pound soon to be junior for the upcoming season.
State medalist Donovan Doyle and Taylor Mehmen will be the top two Iowans at 195 pounds. Doyle is also coming off a top three finish at the Western Regional tournament in Las Vegas last weekend.
A pair of state qualifiers in Caleb Ring and Travis McMillan are the only two Iowans registered at 220 pounds.
Gannon Gremmel will be a tough customer at heavyweight. Gremmel is a nationally ranked 2016 prospect who lost in the state finals last season to Missouri commit Ethan Andersen of Sotuheast Polk.
List as of Midnight 5/14/15
100
Dillon Gottschalk SQ 106 3A
106
Philip Ihde SQ 106 2A
Derick Wyatt SQ 106 3A
Jacob Goodson –
113
Brenden Baker 3A 113
Justin Portillo 1st 106 1A
Drew West 3rd 113 1A
Jakob Allison 2nd 106 3A
120
Jacob Schwarm 1st 120 3A
Bryce West 1st 120 1A
126
Alex Thomsen 1st 113 1A
Brock Rathbun 1st 120 2A
Connor Cleveland 2nd 106 2A (2014)
Dylan Lane –
Nolan Hellickson 1st 126
Josh Portillo 1st 126 1A
132
Brock Massey SQ 126 3A
Paul Glynn 2nd 132 3A
Brice Everson 3rd 126 2A
Jon Hellman 8th 106 2A
Alec Selberg –
Tristan Lara 2nd 113 3A
138
Connor McMurphy –
Tyler Hirl –
Jackson Gallagher 4th 126 3A
Austin Yant 6th 113 3A
Carter Happel 1st 138 1A
145
AJ Geers –
Aaron Meyer 2nd 145 3A
Dylan Schuck 8th 132 1A
Josh Wenger 1st 138 3A
Kade Kelso –
Keegan Shaw 4th 138 3A
Kyle Decker SQ 132 1A
Max Thomsen 1st 145 3A
Tanner Greenwald 2nd 126 1A
Xavier Miller –
152
Zach Axmear 3rd 152 1A
Carter Block –
Colton Clingenpeel 3rd 138 3A
Caleb Coleman 2nd 145 2A
Toby Northrup SQ 152 3A
Brock Jennings 7th 132 2A
Dalton Woodyard –
Mac Southard 6th 138 3A
Matthew Malcom 5th 152 3A
Solomon Jones –
160
Cole Erickson 3rd 160 2A
Nichalas Jarvis –
Taylan Entriken –
Alan Moore –
Cole Neel –
Max Forsyth SQ 138 2A
Trevor McLaughlin SQ 160 2A
Dan Kelly 2nd 138 3A
Grant Brown –
Tristan Johnson 2nd 152 2A
170
Anthony Sherry 4th 160 3A
Bailey Chyma –
Hunter England –
Jacob Holschlag 1st 170 2A
Seth Walker 6th 152 3A
Paden Moore (UNI commit) 1st in Minnesota
Kegan Fingalsen 1st 160 1A
Nathan Kelsay SQ 160 3A
182
Max Lyon 2nd 170 3A
Dale Hilleman 1st 170 1A
Trevor Byram –
195
Donovan Doyle 4th 182 3A
Jordain Buckland –
Taylor Mehmen 8th 195 3A
220
Caleb Ring SQ 220 2A
Travis McMillan SQ 220 2A
285
Gannon Gremmel 2nd 220 3A
[…] Top four medalist at the Waterloo tournament advance to the Fargo national championship. Iowans are listed in italics. For more information on tomorrow’s freestyle tourney, check out our preview. […]