Iowa City West’s Diego Robertty, Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Louden Bloxham earn state wrestling silver

DES MOINES – Iowa City West’s Diego Robertty produced a successful freshman season.

He provided a lot of pins and bonus-point victories throughout the year. One setback doesn’t define what he was able to accomplish this season. It’s just another learning opportunity to be even better.

Robertty’s quest concluded with a runner-up finish at 113 pounds at the Class 3A state wrestling tournament Saturday night at Casey’s Center. Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Louden Bloxham also placed second at 190.

Robertty dropped a hard-fought 10-9 decision to Waukee Northwest’s top-seeded Carew Christensen in the championship bout.

“The sun comes up tomorrow and we reevaluate,” West Coach Nate Moore said. “It's not gonna derail him, you know, it's this is just part of his journey.”

No. 3 Robertty (38-2) started strong, scoring a takedown in the first six seconds of the match, and held a 3-1 lead after the first. It was the pace he needed to wrestle the entire match.

“He can score takedowns on anybody, I think, in the world in his age level, I feel like he's just gotta keep that pace,” Moore said. “Can't let guys in on the legs and stay strong defensively. Just kind of stick to where he's good at, and when he kind of lulls to sleep, that's when we get into trouble.”

Christensen scored a takedown in the second and rode Robertty out the rest of the period. He maintained and extended his lead to 8-3 early in the third with an escape and takedown.

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Robertty rallied with a reversal and takedown, continuing to attack. Christensen staved off points and winning the title, giving up a point for stalling in the final seconds.

“He wasn't gonna give up,” Moore said. “The worst enemy with him is the clock, right? He gives up takedowns and he's gotta figure out how to come out of that hole.”

Moore added, “…it’s a lot of fun watching him wrestle. He’s a good kid.”

Bloxham, the sixth seed, had been stingy all tournament, staying in good position and advancing to the finals while allowing a mere three points in his first three matches. Bettendorf’s Brayden Koester was a different story. Koester built an 11-0 lead before getting a fall in 2:56.

Bloxham (23-4) captured his second state medal, improving his eighth-place finish last season. He became the Hawks’ first finalist since Blake Gioimo in 2022. Bloxham also overcame a lower-leg injury but endured the pain to reach his goal of making the state finals. He said he will have surgery now the season is done.

“He bought in to everything we asked him to,” Prairie Coach Derick Ball said. “There were ups and downs along the way but he continued to believe in our staff. He had an unbelievable run through the tournament on a broken foot. We couldn’t be more proud of him as a wrestler, but more importantly, the person that he is.”

Robertty is the first West freshman to reach the final since Alexander Pierce won the 106-pound crown in 2023. Pierce, who was a state runner-up the last two seasons, had his quest to be a four-time finalist thwarted in a sudden-victory overtime loss to Lewis Central’s Weston Porter.

Pierce rebounded and earned the next best finish.

“I think it shows my character because it was like a punch to the gut,” Pierce said after his 5-2 decision over Ankeny Centennial’s No. 4 Cale Vandermark. “It hurt in the moment. It hurt really bad. But life goes on, you gotta get the next best thing and that's what I did. I just punched the rear-view mirror. Don't look back, just keep moving forward.”

Pierce won his first ever state consolation match, needing a third-period takedown for a 4-1 win over Waukee Northwest’s fifth-seeded Joey Cahill. He had to refocus from the disappointment and wanted to prove his mettle. Moore said Pierce demonstrated his resolve, especially against tough opponents.

“There's two ways he could have been gone,” Moore said. “He could have pouted, been a baby and went out there, laid an egg and got sixth,” Moore said. “But he went out and he fricking fought and did what he had to do. He represented himself and he represented our program the way we expect, and I'm proud of him.”

West finished with four medalists, including sixth-place heavyweight Kaden Stitt and Campbell Janis, who was eighth at 165. The Trojans was 13 th before the championship matches.

“I think we learned a lot,” Moore said. “I don't necessarily think we represented our ability completely a lot of weights, but we learned a lot. I think it's a good springboard to take a little break here this spring and start getting into freestyle. I think some of them are already excited for next year.”

Linn-Mar posted the best Gazette-area team finish with five placewinners. The Lions placed sixth with 109 points.

“For not having any finalists and pushing for the top-five finish as a team, is good,” Linn-Mar co-Coach Beau Westpfahl said. “We had seven blood-round matches and went 4-3 in them. All three that we lost slipped away.

“You’re never really satisfied. We think we could have won all seven of those and put three more guys on the podium, but those guys are competing hard. That is what we really ask this time of year.”

The Lions closed strong winning four of five placing matches to close the tournament. Noah Howk-Erwin (165) and 175-pounder Barrett Mieras placed third, Tegan Ray earned fifth at 138, Kylan Walsh (113) finished seventh and two-time medalist Philip Jacobs was eighth.

“I’m proud of the way guys bounced back and came back to get win, get bonus points,” said Westpfahl, referencing No. 2 165-pounder Noah Howk-Erwin pushing for a technical fall after a tough quarterfinal defeat and 175-pounder Barrett Mieras’ win over Iowa City Liberty’s Landon Bell in placing matches. “Overall, a really good end to the tournament.”

Fort Dodge’s Dreshaun Ross became the 34th four-time champion, following Osage’s Blake Fox, who joined the group earlier in the evening. Ross (35-0) beat West Des Moines Dowling’s Brady Hagan, 21-6, for the heavyweight title. He posted a 146-2 record this season, winning his final 143 matches.

Southeast Polk won the team title with 229 points, 83 1/2 ahead of runner -up Bettendorf. Indianola was third at 134.

Bloxham was joined by teammate Chase Watkinson, who was fifth at 120.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy also had two medalists. Freshman Thayer Hagstrom (106) and 138-pounder Aidyn Roman each got seventh.

Western Dubuque’s Joe Hirsch won his second straight medal, placing fourth at 157. Liberty’s Connor McGonegle (106) and Iowa City High’s Zyaire Washpun (132) finished eighth.

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