Lisbon’s Happel scores third title in a row: 1A Iowa State Wrestling Finals

DES MOINES – OK, Carter Happel.

Here's your chance to be No. 25.

On a night Iowa witnessed its 24th four-time state champion, Happel dominated his way to a third title at the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A state wrestling tournament last night at Wells Fargo Arena. Happel beat Wilton's Trey Brisker, 18-6, for the 138-pound championship.

As he waited to climb the awards stand, the Lisbon junior witnessed the standing ovation for Union's Max Thomsen, who won his fourth title. Happel also watched Southeast Polk's Cory Clark and Des Moines Roosevelt's John Meeks his eighth-grade year, and Denver-Tripoli's Brandon Sorensen and Creston's Jake Marlin his freshman season.

'I've been working my way to achieve that goal,” Happel said. 'Next year, we'll see how it goes, and hopefully get there and go through what he did in that atmosphere.”

He joined another special group, becoming the 80th Iowa wrestler to win three and matching the feat of his father, Dean.

'Every year it keeps getting to be a better and better feeling,” Happel said. 'I keep getting one step closer. This year feels good.”

Happel kept piling on points, getting his first takedown 65 seconds in the match. He was up 7-2 midway through the match and had a five-point move in the third to help pull away. The goal was to stockpile points.

'He just goes out and gets after people,” Lisbon Coach Brad Smith said. 'He's always in their face. He never backs up.

'He wears guys out. He's always on the offense.”

Smith has coached his share of four-timers, including Shane Light, of Lisbon, and two titles by Lisbon's Scott Morningstar and Iowa City High's Jeff McGinness. Smith said Happel's dedication will keep him motivated.

'He will keep working,” Smith said. 'He will keep wrestling in the offseason.

'He'll take a couple weeks off and then get right back at it.”

Maquoketa Valley's Ryan Parmely produced a finish indicative of a stellar prep career. He posted a 12-2 major decision over Woodbury Central's Andrew Petersen for the 220-pound title.

'I knew it was going to be my last high school match going in, so I decided I wanted to go out with a bang,” Parmely said. 'I tried pushing the pace, so I could.”

Parmely said he doesn't pay much attention to records, but it's hard to ignore his resume. He finished with 204 wins, which is tied for sixth-best all-time in Iowa, and 121 career pins. He won his last 105 matches as well.

'He worked harder this year than he did last year,” Maquoketa Valley Coach Tim Andrews said. 'He was in better shape.”

Alburnett's Bryce Paul had redemption on his mind. He was an awe-struck finalist last year that fell short of a title, and he was facing Edgewood-Colesburg's Sawyer Amling, who beat him in the district final.

Paul delivered an individual title for the Pirates, putting Amling on his back for a fall in 2:45 of the 152 final.

'It feels good,” Paul said. 'I made it to the finals last year. I didn't wrestle my best. I got a little scared of all these people, being my first time at the state tournament and making it to the finals. It was hard to take in all at once being a sophomore. This year I was really confident in what the coaches put me through the last three weeks, leading up to this.”

He anticipated another possible matchup with Amling, who became a four-time state medalist for the Vikings. He built a lead and adjusted for a bigger move after a shot.

'I took a nice double off his fake,” Paul said. 'I came up to a bearhug and got a whipover. I had to take it.”

The Pirates had four finalists, earning three runner-up finishes.

Alburnett's Hunter Washburn attempted to beat Happel to the list of three-time state champs. He won titles at 106 and 113 his first two seasons, but he did not place a year ago. Washburn had to settle for second, losing a 3-1 sudden-victory decision to Joel Haberman of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows.

Washburn nearly scored at the end of the first and third periods and was attempting a takedown in overtime when Haberman came out on top of a scramble and was awarded the decisive takedown.

Conner Shulista, who placed fourth the last two years, fell to Sumner-Fredericksburg's Blake Meyer, 8-7, at 145. West Marshall's Dale Hilleman pinned Alburnett's Austin Hoyle at 170.

The Pirates won their second team title in three years, scoring 130 points and beating runner-up Clarion-Goldfield-Dows by 18.

'Last year, we didn't have a single guy finish odd (placing), so that was our goal coming into this,” Paul said. 'We had to dominate from the opening whistle and keep pressure to score, score, score.”

Highland's Bryce West has waited for his shot at state gold since a third-place finish last year. He followed through on that goal, handling West Marshall's Cole Needham, 14-6, for the 120-pound title.

'It feels good to finally be on the top,” Bryce West said. 'It feels good to be able to outscore opponents like that.”

West wasted little time to take control. He had three takedowns and added two nearfall for an 8-2 lead about 50 seconds into the match.

'I wanted to push the pace,” Bryce West said. 'It's what I've been doing all year and what to do the same thing I had been doing.”

Tipton's Eric Lenz beat two higher ranked wrestlers to open the tournament, advancing to face Underwood's Alex Thomsen. The seventh-ranked 113-pound senior capped his career with silver, falling to Underwood's second-ranked Alex Thomsen, 10-3.