Prep Wrestling- The 2024-2025 Iowa high school wrestling season has started rolling with most of the teams with at least one competition under their belts. On schedule, IAwrestle released their first round of rankings for both the boys’ and girls’ classes and weight divisions.
Boys’ Class 1A
WACO touts two wrestlers ranked within the top 5, including a top wrestler for their weight division. In the 113-pound weight class, Gage Samo enters at the #4 slot as the senior looks to improve upon a 6th place finish from last year’s state tournament. Louden Huisenga sits at the top of the 190-pound weight class as he started the year with three pins within the first round.
New London still awaits their first match of the season with their own tournament on Saturday, but Gage Burden will start his senior season ranked #9 in the 126-pound weight class after a trip to the state tournament last year.
Class 2A
Notre Dame/West Burlington has been a powerhouse of wrestling for Southeast Iowa the last half-decade and will keep that claim with the Nikes slotted at the #7 slot with six ranked wrestlers. The one interesting aspect is no one is the favorite for their respective weight class.
In the 120-pound weight class, Colt Boyles is ranked 7th. CJ Davis, according to the rankings, is the 3rd best wrestler in the 138-pound weight class. Kaiden Dietzenbach is ranked #2 for the 144-pound weight class after finishing as the runner-up a season ago.
In the 150-pound weight class, Blake Wilson is ranked at #8. Dirk Boyles is #7 in the 157-pound weight class and Kael Cook rounds out the top 10 in the 165-pound weight class.
Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union shocked the Nikes in last year’s conference tournament, usurping the title. They return two key members in #7 Dakota Aney of the 106-pound weight class and #11 Jacob Nelson of the 113-pound weight class.
Fairfield will be looking to make a dent in not only the Southeast Conference (SEC) but also the state tournament with four wrestlers ranked to start the year. Cael McCabe has made his name known in the 106-pound weight class as the junior ranks #1 as he eyes a gold to add to his silver medal.
Cason Miller had a phenomenal run through the consolation bracket last year in the 157-pound weight class, rightfully, he starts the year ranked 3rd. Dain Burkhart and Dre Smithburg are both ranked 9th in the 175-pound and 215-pound weight classes, respectively.
Another local name to look out for is #7 Kyler Crow of Mediapolis in the 175-pound weight class. Crow managed two victories by fall in their triangular back on Tuesday night.
Girls’ Class 1A
In the debut season for multi-class girls’ wrestling, there will be plenty of local talent to watch as the season progresses. Fairfield touts two wrestlers ranked within the top 10 with Alyia Abbot ranked 4th in the 110-pound weight class and #8 Samantha Lyons in the 170-pound weight class.
Wapello’s Kenadee Helscher is ranked 5th in the 100-pound weight class and Elyssa Graber of WACO slides in the 105-pound weight class rankings at #8.
This upcoming Saturday, December 7th, will be a busy day for our local wrestlers as they travel all around southeast Iowa to participate in various tournaments and invites.