Iowa boys’ state wrestling 2A quarterfinals: Solon’s Jordan Schmidt wins thriller, South Tama’s Amare Chavez uses snub as fuel

DES MOINES — Why not Jordan Schmidt? The Solon junior has made a steady climb from state wrestling qualifier to medalist with a second one already in hand. He wants to make it gold.

Schmidt won a thriller to maintain his title aspirations, beating Independence’s Kaden Kremer in a tiebreaker-1 overtime thriller during the quarterfinals of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 2A state wrestling tournament Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.

The victory avenged two previous losses to Kremer this season.

“I was setting goals for myself,” Schmidt said. “I’ve been setting a high standard, trying to meet it. Getting that win and being in the semis for the first time (after) being in the quarters for the first time, it was really cool.

“I didn’t do the greatest my freshman and sophomore year. I placed last year, so why not win it this year?”

Schmidt and Kremer are not strangers and their meetings have been entertaining to say the least. The previous meeting was settled in sudden victory. This time they needed two extra 30-second tiebreaker periods to determine an 8-7 winner and who advanced into the top six at 138 pounds.

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Photos: Class 2A boys’ state wrestling quarterfinals

“It’s a good scrap, you know?” Schmidt said. “We’ve always been close together. Respect to him but I just kind of look forward to the next match. Try not to look too far forward. Try and get to the finals.”

They exchanged takedowns in the first two periods and exploded for 10 total points in the final period. The frame consisted of four lead changes and two ties.

Schmidt’s reversal with 24 seconds left put him up a point. Kremer took advantage of a restart with 12 seconds to go for a lead but Schmidt kicked free for an escape as time expired to force overtime.

“I had a shock,” Schmidt said. “God, how do I do that? I don’t know. I’ve never gotten out so fast. Worked my butt off to get out. I said I need to get out for a second chance.”

No points were scored in sudden victory, despite a couple of flurries that almost produced points. Schmidt managed a rideout and an escape in the tiebreaker periods.

“Knowing that my nutrition and conditioning are solid,” Schmidt said about gutting out the win. “Being able to go those long matches. That’s what we do in practice. Long consecutive matches, just being able to feel good the whole match and not getting tired.”

Schmidt will experience another rematch in the semifinal. He faces Mount Vernon No. 2 seed and returning state finalist Jase Jaspers. Schmidt defeated him 5-4 in the district final but lost a 3-1 decision in a dual. Confidence is a key for consecutive wins.

“(Big Game Wrestling Club) Coach Dylan Carew told me before my finals match at districts that confidence isn’t negotiable,” Schmidt said. “Having faith in yourself and going out there believing you can do it.”

Jaspers was one of two Mount Vernon semifinalists. He was joined by top-ranked 106-pounder Klayten Perreault, who pinned his second straight foe by decking Waukon’s Berinobis in 3:03. Six remain alive for the second-place Mustangs. They have 54 points, trailing Osage by 8 1/2.

Amare Chavez back on the podium for South Tama

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South Tama, Decorah and Anamosa each matched Mount Vernon with two semifinalists. Two veterans returned to the podium for South Tama, including three-time state medalist Amare Chavez at 126.

Sixth-seeded Chavez defeated Atlantic’s No. 3 Aiden Smith, 5-2.

“It feels good,” Chavez said. “There’s only one goal left and that’s getting to the top.”

Chavez said he has seen predictions, online comments about favorites and matchup breakdowns. Despite placing sixth as a sophomore and fifth a year ago, he wasn’t included. He said he has something to prove.

“Reading all the posts and everything, my name hasn’t been mentioned at least once in there,” Chavez said. “It’s always the other guy getting it. That just pumps you (up) so much. They’re always looking past most of us guys until we actually show up.”

Smith opened the scoring with a reversal early in the second. Chavez answered with a reversal and controlled the rest of the way. He added an escape and takedown, scoring the bout’s last five points.

“I just broke him down,” Chavez said. “I really read how he was wrestling there and wanted to see if he can make it all the way through the third.”

Chavez analyzed Smith during the match and adjusted. South Tama Coach Nathan Van Dyke said Chavez possesses good match awareness and shows poise during intense situations.

“He’s just a really intelligent wrestler,” Van Dyke said. “He has a good sense of how much time is on the clock and what he has to do to win big matches. He’s calm under pressure. He’s just a cool cat.”

The Trojans’ Gavin Bridgewater also reached the semifinals. Bridgewater beat Clarinda’s Karson Downey, 5-2, for his third straight semifinal appearance. Bridgewater was second in 2022 and third last season.

Union has 3 state wrestling semifinalists

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Union Community ended Day 2 on the verge of the top five with 42 points and three semifinalists. Two-time state champion Jace Hedeman advanced with a 4-3 victory over Humboldt’s Tyce Clarken at 126. Defending state champion Brandon Bohnsack was dominant in his 113 quarterfinal, posting a 12-4 major decision over Sergeant Bluff-Luton’s Jayce Curry.

“It felt good,” Bohnsack said. “I had a good warmup. It feels good to be out there wrestling again. Yesterday was fun but as it gets closer and closer to Saturday it gets more fun.”

Bohnsack (40-4) said chasing a second state title isn’t different than last year’s trek. He has the same focus.

“It’s the same thing for me,” Bohnsack said. “I want to be the best, but it’s just another tournament.”

Caleb Olson (45-1) also reached the 150 semifinals for the Knights.

Anamosa’s Hudson and Austin Scranton won quarterfinals. Hudson Scranton topped Mount Vernon’s No. 5 Mikey Ryan, 8-4, in sudden victory at 150. Top-seeded Austin Scranton handled Western Christian’s Rylan DeGroot, 13-3, at 175. The Blue Raiders are 12th with 37 points.

Class 2A state wrestling Top 10 team scores after Thursday

1. Osage, 62 1/2

2. Mount Vernon, 54

3. Burlington Notre Dame, 48 1/2

4. Creston, 46

5. Glenwood, 45

6. Union Community, 42

t-7. Decorah, 41

t-7. Roland-Story, 41

9. Sioux Center, 40

10. Davenport Assumption, 39 1/2

Thursday’s Class 2A Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling quarterfinal results

106 pounds

Klayten Perreault (Mount Vernon) pinned Kale Berinobis (Waukon), 3:03

Easton Enyeart (Ballard) dec. Taye Jordan (Atlantic), 9-2

Urijah Courter (Nevada) dec. Colt Boyles (Burlington Notre Dame), 5-3

Cael McCabe (Fairfield) dec. Coy Mehlert (Union Community), 3-2

113

Brayden Bohnsack (Union Community) major dec. Jayce Curry (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), 12-4

Carter West (Burlington Notre Dame) dec. Mitchell Schmauss (Crestwood), 7-2 SV-1

Jon Gonzalez (West Marshall) dec. Lincoln Schropp (Williamsburg), 5-0

Linden Phetxoumphone (Webster City) major dec. Caiden Latch (Roland-Story), 10-0

120

Gage Spurgeon (Eddyville EBF) dec. Kaden Weber (Nevada), 8-2

Emmitt Newton (Davis County) dec. Christian Ahrens (Creston), 4-1

Carter Schmauss (Crestwood) dec. Brayden Maury (West Delaware), 7-5 SV-1

Ryan Bahnson (West Lyon) pinned Vinny Mayberry (Glenwood), 7:26

126

Jace Hedeman (Union Community) dec. Tyce Clarken (Humboldt), 6-0

Landen Davis (Eddyville EBF) dec. CJ Davis (Burlington Notre Dame), 8-3

Amare Chavez (South Tama) dec. Aiden Smith (Atlantic), 5-2

Carson Doolittle (Webster City) major dec. Ethan Skoglund (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), 11-2

132

Kaiden Dietzenbach (Burlington Notre Dame) major dec. Elijah Kupka (Benton Community), 10-2

Mason Avila (Decorah) dec. Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa), 5-3

Kade Blume (Roland-Story) dec. Aaron Boone (Washington), 3-0

Matt Beem (Glenwood) pinned Carter Cajthaml (Charles City), 2:52

138

Blake Fox (Osage) pinned Barrett Morgan (Algona), 5:04

Cadyn Wild (Davenport Assumption) dec. Shane Hanford (West Marshall), 6-2

Jordan Schmidt (Solon) dec. Kaden Kremer (Independence), 8-7 TB-1

Jase Jaspers (Mount Vernon) dec. Ragen Hasche (Central Lyon/George-Little Rock), 5-0

144

Anders Kittelson (Osage) major dec. Ashton Moreno (Algona), 12-3

Tucker Wheeler (Monroe PCM) dec. Jackson Jaspers (Mount Vernon), 4-3

Royce Butt (DeWitt Central) dec. Carter Lamont (Vinton-Shellsburg), 4-2

Tyler Wieland (Independence) dec. Jackson Kinnetz (Sioux City Heelan), 1-0

150

Lucas Kral (Garner GHV) dec. Dirk Boyles (Burlington Notre Dame), 3-1

Hudson Scranton (Anamosa) dec. Mikey Ryan (Mount Vernon), 8-4 SV-1

Caleb Olson (Union Community) dec. Tucker Vitzthum (Ballard), 3-0

Tate Slagle (Algona) dec. Talan Weber (Charles City), 1-0

157

Tucker Stangel (Osage) pinned Blake Wilson (Burlington Notre Dame), 1:07

Gavin Scheuermann (Greene County) dec. Taevyn Zinnel (Algona), 6-2

Karson Kolbet (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) dec. Sir Brandon Watts (Sioux City Heelan), 4-2 TB-1

Bo Koedam (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) dec. Taylor Mahler (Hampton-Dumont-CAL), 6-1

165

Max Gast (Osage) dec. Caleb Seaba (Clarion CGD), 10-7

Broedy Hendricks (Humboldt) dec. Brenden Heying (Benton Community), 3-2

Logan Powers (Roland-Story) pinned Brock Mulder (Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley), 1:41

Colin Young (Dubuque Wahlert) dec. Zayvion Ellington (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), 8-6

175

Austin Scranton (Anamosa) major dec. Rylan DeGroot (Western Christian), 13-3

Brent Yonkovic (West Delaware) major dec. Kenny Kerr (North Fayette Valley), 11-2

Hesston Johnson (Roland-Story) pinned Dominick Polsley (Clarinda), 2:23

Leander Reicks (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) dec. Watson Krob (Mount Vernon), 6-2

190

Jarrett Roos (Sheldon/South O’Brien) dec. Troy Kupka (Benton Community), 7-4

Kain Kilmer (Perry) dec. Parker Moritz (Garner GHV), 6-2

Ben Bryant (North Polk) dec. Zach Adelmund (Dike-New Hartford), 5-4

Thomas Sexton (Decorah) dec. Brody Sampson (Ballard), 10-6

215

Braden McShane (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) major dec. Jaydn Cooper (Winterset), 15-4

Henry Christensen (Ballard) dec. Rhett Schaefer (Davenport Assumption), 3-2

Mason Koehler (Glenwood) pinned Keegan Snyder (Perry), 3:17

Gavin Bridgewater (South Tama) dec. Karson Downey (Clarinda), 5-2

285

Mac Muller (Osage) pinned Trent Patton (Glenwood), 3:11

Carter Heilskov (Hampton-Dumont-CAL) pinned Ethan Wood (Mount Vernon), 5:03

Russel Coil (Columbus/WMU) dec. Trent Cakerice (Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center), 6-0

Paul Ballard (Albia) dec. Max Chapman (Creston), 7-2

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com