2A – Notable Upsets and Ranked Match-ups

106 – #5 Carson Doolittle (Webster City) over #9 Jacob Zabka (Algona) Dec 8-2
106 – #7 Jaxon Bussa (Camanche) over #12 Brayden Maury (West Delaware) Fall 3:14
113 – UR Kale Wieland (Independence) over #10 Caelan Oakes (Southeast Valley, Gowrie) Fall 2:321
113 – #5 Dalton Rowe (Bondurant-Farrar) over #11 Luke Freund (Harlan) Dec 5-1
113 – #2 Anders Kittelson (Crestwood, Cresco) over #8 Royce Butt (Central DeWitt) Maj 11-3
120 – UR Donovan Morales (Central Lyon-G-LR) over #4 Colin Whitehead (Center Point-Urbana) Inj. 5:39
120 – #3 Keaton Zeimet (Central DeWitt) over #12 Max Currier (Clear Lake) TF 16-0 2:44
120 – #5 Jonathon Burnette (Spirit Lake Park) over #9 Ethan Follmann (Atlantic-CAM) Dec 4-3
126 – #8 Joe Weaver (Atlantic-CAM) over #11 Kellen Moore (Forest City) Dec 5-1
126 – #9 Carter Straw (Independence) over #5 Jase Goodell (Humboldt) Fall 5:21
126 – #4 Cael Ihle (Gilbert) over #10 Blake Engel (West Delaware) Dec 1-0
132 – #12 Keegan Jensen (Winterset) over #8 Hunter Steffans (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) Dec 2-1
132 – UR Reily Dolan (West Delaware) over #9 Chase Rattenborg (Webster City) Dec 6-4
132 – UR Triston Barncastle (Creston) over #11 Ben Smith (ADM, Adel) Fall 5:00
138 – #12 Dao Keokhamthong (Sioux Center) over #9 Gage Long (Ballard) Dec 6-5
138 – #5 Kain Luensman (Monticello) over #10 Shea Parkis (Kuemper Catholic) Dec 12-6
138 – #8 Brady Ortner (Vinton-Shellsburg) over #11 Brady Stauffer (Greene County) Fall 5:01
145 – #7 Logan Peyton (West Delaware) over #11 Lincoln Mehlert (Union, LaPorte City) Fall 5:33
145 – #2 Remington Hanson (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows) over #5 Landon Felton (PCM, Monroe) Dec 8-6
145 – #4 Eric Kinkaid (Camanche) over #12 Keaton Street (Creston) Fall 1:05
145 – #10 Cason Johannes (Sheldon-S. O’Brien) over #9 Ethan DeLeon (Bishop Heelan) Dec 5-4
152 – #2 Jayden Peyton (West Delaware) over #11 Alex Casey (Anamosa) Fall 3:49
152 – #10 Zander Ernst (Ridge View) over #8 Stone Schmitz (Union, LaPorte City) Dec 9-6
160 – #4 Landon Kirby (Grinnell) over #11 Hunter Bye (Crestwood, Cresco) Dec 10-5
160 -#3 Allen Catour (Assumption, Davenport) over #10 Drake Collins (West Liberty) Fall 2:36
170 – #11 Samuel Bandstra (East Marshall, LeGrand) over #9 Colin Muller (Osage) Fall 4:26
170 – #7 Kalen Meyer (Central Lyon-G-LR) over #8 Lucas Henderson (Centerville) Dec 9-5
170 – #6 Mitchell Joines (Bishop Heelan) over #10 Dylan Meiners (North Polk) Dec 7-5
182 – UR Kale Rodgers (North Fayette Valley) over #8 Mitch Mayberry (Glenwood) Dec 5-4
182 – #10 Riley Hoven (Winterset) over #5 Cade Everson (Camanche) Dec 7-6
182 – #4 Cael Meyer (West Delaware) over #12 John Powers (Bondurant-Farrar) Fall 1:34
182 – UR Keenan Tyler (Decorah) over #7 Keegan Bradley (Spirit Lake Park) Dec 8-3
195 – #4 Jacob Reicks (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) over #10 CJ Carter (Glenwood) Fall 2:31
195 – #11 Cael Garvey (Mid-Prairie) over #6 Matthew Wirtz (Emmetsburg) Dec 11-9
220 – #4 Treyton Burnikel (Crestwood, Cresco) over #8 Jordan Anderson (Emmetsburg) Fall 5:49
285 – #6 Ethan Hooyer (Sioux Center) over #8 Dugan Tolley (Winterset) Fall 5:07

2A Matches to Watch

120 – #5 Jon Burnette (Spirit Lake Park) 37-1 vs #9 Ethan Follmann (Atlantic) 29-4

Burnette came into the year with high expectations as a two-time state place winner already and has lived up to those so far this season. Follmann is a first time state qualifier but the junior has had a great season. This might be the most hotly contested weight in all of class 2A and trying to navigate the back side of the bracket will be extremely hard so a first round win would go a long way towards making the award stand.

Result – Burnette Dec 4-3

126 – #4 Cael Ihle (Gilbert) 31-3 vs #10 Blake Engel (West Delaware) 34-4

Both of these wrestlers are returning state qualifiers looking to find a way onto the award stand in Des Moines. Ihle spent much of the season up at 132 pounds and will have a little size against Engel. He did drop his district final bout to #3 Fiser and will be looking to get back on the right track here. Blake Engel always just seems to quietly go about his business and stays a little under the radar with all of the star power in the West Delaware lineup. Keep a close eye on this matchup and this has a real chance at an early upset according to the rankings.

Result – Ihle Dec 1-0

138 – #5 Kain Luensman (Monticello) 40-1 vs #10 Shea Parkis (Kuemper Catholic) 42-3

After placing as a freshman Luensman has just seemed to have a lot of bad luck over the past couple of seasons at the state tournament. The talented senior has been very good all year and is looking to get back onto the award stand this season and see how high he can climb. Parkis was a state qualifier last season but fell short of reaching the podium and a win over Luensman would go a long way towards making it this season.

Result – Luensman Dec 12-6

145 – #2 Remington Hanson (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows) 28-2 vs #5 Landon Fenton (PCM, Monroe) 35-2

Hanson was a state place winner back in 2019 before getting injured last season. He had been red hot all season through the sectional tournament where he knocked off defending runner up Nick Fox. However, over the last week since the rankings came out he took a loss at regional duals (at 152) and then fell to Fox in the district finals on Saturday. Fenton is now a four-time state qualifier who somehow has never made it onto the award stand. I look for both of these guys to make the podium this season but a first round win could create an easier path.

Result – Hanson Dec 8-6

152 – #8 Stone Schmitz (Union, LaPorte City) 29-5 vs #10 Zander Ernst (Ridge View) 37-3

Schmitz is no stranger to the state tournament but the three-time qualifier has yet to make the award stand. He has wrestled a very tough schedule this season at both 152 and 160 pounds and all of his losses are to very highly ranked wrestlers. Zander Ernst is a talented junior who will be making his first trip to the state tournament but is capable of making a deep run in Des Moines. Ernst has some very nice wins this season and all three of his losses have come to #1 Jack Gaukel who he followed through sectionals and districts.

Result – Ernst Dec 9-6

170 – #7 Kalen Meyer (Central Lyon/George-Little Rock) 25-2 vs #8 Lucas Henderson (Centerville) 36-8

Meyer reached the state tournament as a Sophomore and then made the stand in 8th place last season. He has had a very good senior season so far and is hoping to climb the podium. Henderson is making his state tournament debut after a very solid senior season. Henderson started the season red hot with some wins over ranked opponents but has lost a little momentum as the year went on.

Result – Meyer Dec 9-5

170 – #6 Mitchell Joines (Bishop Heelan Catholic) 41-4 vs #10 Dylan Meiners (North Polk) 31-3

Joines is a former state qualifier who was injured at the end of last season. He has been great again during his senior season and is looking to make his way onto the award stand. Meiners was actually a state qualifier up at 182 pounds last season but has dropped back down to 170 and had a great senior season.

Result – Joines Dec 7-5

195 – #6 Matthew Wirtz (Emmetsburg) 28-3 vs #11 Cael Garvey (Mid Prairie) 34-4

Wirtz is a returning state qualifier with a very solid resume and has steadily climbed the rankings. Garvey fell just short at districts last season but the junior has been really good all year and will be making first state tournament appearance. Wirtz is the favorite on paper here but one thing that I’ve learned is that Garvey is never out of a match and is dangerous and can score points in a hurry.

Result – Garvey Dec 11-9

220 – #4 Treyton Burnikel (Crestwood, Cresco) 22-2 vs #8 Jordan Anderson (Emmetsburg) 28-2

Anderson has had a great senior season after falling short at districts last year. His reward is a mind boggling 13 seed and a first round matchup with Burnikel. Burnikel placed 5th at this weight last season and is looking to move up the podium in his last season. Crestwood will be in a dogfight for a team trophy and will need Burnikel to be at his best.

Result – Burnikel Fall 5:49

285 – #6 Ethan Hooyer (Sioux Center) 37-5 vs #8 Dugan Tolley (Winterset) 34-3

These two juniors will be making their state tournament debuts coming off of great seasons. Hooyer has been ranked high all year long and has continued to back it up. Tolley has been steadily climbing the rankings throughout the year. A win here would be a big step towards making the award stand.

Result – Hooyer Fall 5:07