Prep Wrestling- The Iowa High School Wrestling season is meandering through the early phases of the season with postponements causing some boys’ teams to have only one meet under their belt, while the Van Buren County girls’ team has participated in six—should have been eight—meets thus far.
Despite the spectrum of experience, IAwrestle released their first edition of their season rankings and southeast Iowa was well represented with 17 local wrestlers finding a spot in the top 12 of their respective weight classes and a top ten team.
Class 1A Boys
The 113-pound weight class appears to be gearing up for a rematch of last year’s state championship match between #1 Kaiden Belinsky of Don Bosco and WACO’s #2 Ian Maize. So far this season, the sophomore has produced an 8-0 record, including a gold medal finish at the 61st annual Willard Howell Invitational.
New London’s Kane Forseen was slotted in at #9 in the 132-pound weight class.132: The junior has participated in only one meet this season and finished in 2nd place at his home Invitational, losing by technical fall to Chris Moore of Ottumwa, a Class 3A school.
Lastly, #4 Cohen Wolford of Wapello will be looking to punch his ticket back to the state tournament and the junior is off to a solid start, snatching 2nd place at the Willard Howell Invitational two weekends ago and winning the 165-pound weight class at the North Cedar Invitational this past Saturday. Overall, Wolford is 11-1 on the season.
Class 2A Boys
Burlington Notre Dame was the favorite last year and after claiming two individual state champions, the Nikes then got to celebrate their second team title in a four-year span. This season, the Nikes will start off as underdogs with Notre Dame getting placed at #10 in the team rankings with five individuals ranked.
In the 113-pound weight class, Fairfield’s #1 Cael McCabe might not have wrestled yet, but the Trojan is expected to make a run at individual title in his senior season after taking 3rd place last year.
The Nikes may have graduated a Dietzenbach last year, but they also return one, as Kohen was placed at #4. Dietzenbach went 5-0 after a first round bye at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational to grab the gold in his first and only appearance of the season thus far.
In the 120-pound weight class, #7 Rowan Berndt finished the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational with a 5-2 record to claim 5th place. The Nike was challenged throughout the Invitational as he had to face off against the #4 and #5 ranked wrestlers, falling in close matches.
Burlington Notre Dame’s Colt Boyles earned the #6 ranking for the 126-pound weight class after a 9th place finish at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational. A loss in the 3rd round prevented the Nike from finishing any higher as he collected a 5-1 record through the two-day tournament.
After an 8th place finish at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational, Jared Glendening of Notre Dame was put at #12 in the 138-pound weight class. Glendening struggled after making the quarterfinals, being pinned in his final three matches of the tournament to finish with a 3-3 record.
For the last member of Notre Dame, #3 Kael Cook’s impressive run through the two-day invitational resulted in the 150-pound wrestler being ranked #3. The Nike defeated two ranked wrestlers on his way to the gold, including Class 3A’s #10 Soren Kelsall of Pleasant Valley.
Kyler Crow of Mediapolis has been a mainstay in Des Moines, placing at state every year, but is now looking for that individual state title in the 175-pound weight class. The Southwest Minnesota State commit is 5-0 to start the season, winning his weight class at the Willard Howell Invitational.
Slotted in at #5 is Dain Burkhart of Fairfield. The Trojan qualified for state last year and is looking for another 1st Team All-SEC nod. Burkhart fell in the championship match of the Bob Murphy Tournament but was holding at 5-0 record before the match.
Class 1A Girls
Wapello’s got a pair of impressive wrestlers with #1 Kenadee Helscher presenting as the favorite for the 105-pound weight class and #4 Clara Ball contending in the 115-pound weight class. Helscher in starting her season 16-0 as she ended last year one win away from an unblemished record. Ball has been busy to start the year, touting a 20-1 record.
In the 125-pound weight class, #11 Rylee Caviness of Van Buren County is 12-7 to start her senior season. Caviness has finished in the top three of every invitational she has participated this year.
Last year’s Southeast Conference Wrestler of the Year #2 Samantha Lyons of Fairfield is off to a fast start in the 170-pound weight class, earning an 8-0 record and three 1st place finishes at her tournaments.
In the 235-pound weight class, Fairfield’s Kendra Allison was placed at #4 in the rankings with victories at the Wilton Tournament and the Bill Rex Invitational. Her lone loss of the year was at the hands of Class @A’s #5 Delilah Subsin of Ottumwa.
Class 2A Girls
Burlington could be a team to watch out for as the season progresses with a couple of state qualifiers returning and newcomer Kylee Hill getting off to a quick 11-1 start. Yet, the Grayhounds have only one wrestler ranked at the moment and that’s Macy Peterson at #11 in the 170-pound weight class.
The Grayhound is 10-4 with a 1st place finish at her home invitational. She has had two tough matches against Lyons, but currently possesses an 0-2 record against her Trojan nemesis.