Fareway Stores, Inc., IAwrestle, and Iowa Corn present the 2024 Dan Gable Ms. and Mr. Wrestler of the Year Awards in coordination with the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA).
The winners will be announced at the luncheon awards banquet taking place at the Fareway Conference Center in Boone, Iowa on February 28th at noon.
Congratulations to all the student athletes that competed during the 2023-24 wrestling season. The top three award winners have showcased their talents throughout the season to be voted the Mr. and Ms. Wrestlers of the Year.
Dan Gable and Mark Ironside will be our special guests handing out awards.
The two runner-up student athletes in each class will each receive finalist award plaques. A duplicate Wrestler of the Year trophy and duplicate Wrestler of the Year runner-up plaques will be provided to each high school where finalists attend, for permanent placement in the high school trophy case.
MS. WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
Molly Allen (Riverside, Oakland)
Allen recently wrapped up an undefeated junior season that resulted in her winning her second IGHSAU state title. Allen’s run to gold medal included three falls and two major decisions. This season she recorded 23 falls, 3 technical falls, and 2 major decisions. Prior to the IGHSAU sanctioning girls wrestling, Allen was a state champion at the IWCOA state championships making her a three-time Iowa state champion. Next year she will go for her fourth title. Allen also boasts winning a Super 32 title, a Fargo freestyle national title, and is currently the #1 ranked high school wrestler at 125 pounds. Allen was also a finalist for the Ms. Wrestler Award in 2023, and her brother Blake is a finalist for the 1A award.
Naomi Simon (Decorah)
Simon finished off her career with a historic fourth state title. She won two IWCOA state championships prior to the IGHSAU sanctioning girls wrestling. At this year’s state tournament she recorded four falls on the way to the finals where she finished on top of her bracket by earning a 15-2 major decision in the finals. Prior to her finals match Simon had recorded an impressive 44 straight pins on the year. Simon is also a USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals champion, a Fargo freestyle national champion, and is ranked #3 in the country at 170 pounds. She was a finalist for the Ms. Wrestler Award in 2023 and she is committed to wrestle for the University of Iowa next season.
Reanah Utterback (Sigourney-Keota)
Utterback finishes her junior season with a 49-0 record and won her first ever IGHSAU state title. In those 49 matches she recorded 5 technical falls and 44 falls – including five of those falls coming during her state title run. As a sophomore Utterback qualified and placed at the boys state tournament, earning an eighth place finish at 106 pounds making her the second ever girl wrestler to place at the tournament. As a freshman Utterback qualified for the boys state tournament, and was an IWCOA state champion. She is currently ranked #14 nationally at 115 pounds.
MR. WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
CLASS 1A
Blake Allen (Underwood)
Allen completed his senior season with an undefeated record that resulted in him winning his second Iowa high school title. His run to the championship included wins over the #12, #4, #7 and #3 ranked wrestler in succession. He ends his career with three state medals earning a fourth place finish as a sophomore. He also continues a streak of three straight years where an Underwood wrestler has been named a finalist for this award. Allen’s sister Molly is a finalist for the Dan Gable Ms. Wrestler Year Award as well.
Kyler Knaack (Don Bosco)
Knaack finished his junior season a perfect 28-0 and for the second straight season he ended with a state title. His finals opponent was a repeat of the 2023 finals and once again Knaack proved victorious with a 3-2 decision. His junior season also included his team Don Bosco winning both the dual and traditional team titles. He is now a member of state history in being a member of a team that has won the most consecutive tournament titles in a row with Don Bosco now having won six straight championships. He is the first Don Bosco wrestler to be named a finalist for this award since current assistant coach at Don Bosco, Gable Fox was named in 2018. He is already committed to the University of Northern Iowa.
Mason Knipp (Columbus Catholic)
Columbus Catholic’s Mason Knipp ended his high school career a two-time state champion. After not qualifying as a freshman and sophomore, Knipp made the most of his two state appearances going undefeated. His run to the title included wins over the #4, #5, and #8 ranked wrestlers at his weight class. He is the second wrestler from Columbus Catholic to be named a finalist for the Dan Gable Mr. Wrestler of the Year award. Knipp has committed to play football next year for the University of Iowa.
2A
Anders Kittelson (Osage)
Kittelson ends his career with an undefeated record and winning his first state individual state title. Prior to this year Kittelson had reached the finals on two other occasions as a freshman and junior, and he also finished fourth as a junior. His team finished with the traditional team title for the second straight year. His teammate, Tucker Stangel is also a finalist for the award, and this is the second straight year an Osage wrestler has been a finalist for the award. Kittelson is committed to wrestle for Air Force Academy next year.
Austin Scranton (Anamosa)
Scranton completed his junior season a perfect 49-0 and earned his first ever state title at 175 pounds. His path to the title included wins over #7, #3, and the #2 ranked wrestler at his weight. Prior to this year Scranton’s highest finish at the state tournament was a sixth place medal at the 2023 tournament. He is the first finalist for the Dan Gable Mr. Wrestler of the Year award for Anamosa.
Tucker Stangel (Osage)
Stangel finished his senior year a perfect 54-0 and he pinned the #4 wrestler and then won 2-1 against the #2 ranked wrestler to win his second state title. This is the fourth time that Stangel has earned a top four finish at the state tournament, placing fourth, third, followed by back-to-back seasons in first. His team finished with the traditional team title for the second straight year. His teammate, Anders Kittelson is also a finalist for the award, and this is the second straight year an Osage wrestler has been a finalist for the award.
3A
Kane Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar)
Naaktgeboren ended his career with his first ever state title after placing top five in each of the previous three season. He finished the season a perfect 37-0 and was one point away from bonusing his way through the 2024 state tournament. He picked up two falls and a major decision, before winning his final 9-2 over his weight’s #3 ranked wrestler. He is the first finalist from Linn-Mar, and he is committed to wrestle for Iowa State University next year where he will join his brother Tate.
Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge)
Ross ends his sophomore campaign with a second straight title and perhaps the most dominating performance among any individual champion. Ross pinned his way through his 215-pound bracket and wrestled only 6 minutes and 39 seconds for his second title. He was the only champion to accomplish the feat of pinning his way through the tournament. He joins former award winners Brody Teske and Drake Ayala as wrestlers from Fort Dodge to be named a finalist for the award, he also matches their accomplishment of being nominated as a finalist as a sophomore. Ross already has several football scholarship offers that will soon be matched with wrestling offers once he become eligible for contact with college coaches.
Cale Seaton (Iowa City, City High)
Seaton ended his career by winning his second straight individual avenging his only season loss of the season in the state finals. Seaton won his first state title as a junior and took his first and only loss of the season in the District finals. Seaton won the rematch by a score of 3-2 to finish his career on top. He ends his career having never finished lower than third at the tournament, taking third as both a freshman and sophomore. This is the third straight year that a City High wrestler has been named a finalist for the award, and his former teammate Ben Kueter was the 2023 award winner. Seaton is committed to wrestler for South Dakota State University next year.
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We would like to invite media to attend the ceremony. The winners will be announced at the luncheon awards banquet taking place at the Fareway Conference Center in Boone, Iowa on February 28th at noon. Media members are encouraged to arrive by 11:45AM.
About Fareway
Fareway Stores, Inc. is a growing Midwest grocery company currently operating 139 stores in a seven-state region. Fareway’s mission is to provide the highest quality products, while treating customers like family, and valuing dedicated employees. Its stores are known for their unmatched, full-service meat departments, farm-fresh produce, and exceptional to-your-car customer service. Fareway is a family-owned business, recognized as a top 10 employer in Iowa, and has more than 12,000 total employees. Visit Fareway.com for more information or shop online by visiting Shop.Fareway.com.
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