Starmont’s Keaton Moeller, Jesup’s Cooper Hinz capture Class 1A state wrestling championships

DES MOINES – If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

Starmont’s Keaton Moeller has blitzed opponents with relentless offensive and a non-stop tempo. With a state title on the line, Moeller wasn’t going to alter his approach.

“Why change things now? I mean, I’ve been doing it all year long,” Moeller said. “Just trying to push the pace. Just drop us both in deep water and see who can survive.”

Moeller’s onslaught yielded him a 21-6 technical fall over Nodaway Valley’s Caleb Christensen for the 190-pound title at the Class 1A state wrestling tournament Saturday night at Casey’s Center. Moeller became a two-time champion, winning the 150 title in 2024.

“Good things take time,” said Moeller, who missed all of last season to a knee injury. “Nothing good ever comes easy. To be able to have gone through what I went through and to be where I am now makes me all the more grateful.

“On the flip side, you never really have it that bad. There’s always people out there that have it way worse than you do. I want to be an example for everybody else that God’s plan is so much greater than your own. Had things not happened the way they did I don’t know if I would be where I am now.”

Moeller was a dynamo from the opening whistle, needing just 25 seconds to score his first takedown and adding another just six ticks later. Moeller tallied five takedowns in the first period and used two more to end the match in 2:28. He used a huge throw on the edge to close things out after barely missing on the same move at the end of the first.

“It’s definitely one of those things you don’t plan on doing before the match but why only go 50 percent when you’re in the state finals, right? If you’re going to decide to do something, you better decide to do it 100 percent,” said Moeller, who became the third Starmont wrestler to win multiple state crowns and the first in 37 years. Kent Streicher won the last of three titles in 1989. Doug Streicher (1986-87) was a two-time champion for the Stars.

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The last time Jesup wrestling was this successful John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President, The Beatles made their debut performance in Liverpool and Vince Lombardi won his first NFL title with the Green Bay Packers.

Oh, and the state tournament was held at the West Gym in Cedar Falls.

For the first time since 1961, the J-Hawks hoisted the second-place team trophy. Jesup finished as the Class 1A runner-up with six medalists, including 132-pound state champion Cooper Hinz.

“That's 60-plus years of what we'll call heartbreak, right? We've always had the wrestling community with us, so I’m proud of these boys for putting it together when it really matters,” Jesup Coach Levi Vogel said. “We've had (individual) state champs in the past. Team-wise hasn't been as strong and we finally got to that point of Jesup wrestling where we can compete fully as a team. I’m super proud of all the hard work these boys put in.”

Hinz, the University of Michigan signee, is a four-time medalist, placing third last year, fifth as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman. He already has a spot in his bedroom to display his large bracket, medal, state title hat and plaque.

“It means a lot,” Hinz said. “It’s the best way to go out. Finish your high school career as a state champ.”

Hinz became Jesup’s seventh state champion and the first since Brian Sadler won the heavyweight crown in 2018. He used an escape and takedown in the third period for a 4-1 decision over Lawton-Bronson’s No. 2 Riley Watts in the final.

“I just finally got to his leg,” Hinz said. “It was do or die. I had to finish or I was going to lose. I got it up in the air, took my time and finished it.”

The J-Hawks have soared to new heights in the four years the current seniors have graced the program. They have led the J-Hawks to three straight State Duals and a dual runner-up finish this year.

Six of them competed in Des Moines this week with Hinz, 120-pounder Ayden Bergman and Dax Youngblut (215) earning medals and contributing to their 115 1/2 points.

“I think it’s awesome to know I’ve had a part in building this program,” Bergman said. “It means a lot to be able to say we finished that high.”

Bergman remembered how the J-Hawks were viewed as an easy team victory when he came in as a freshman. He said coaches started getting people excited for the sport and the program started to grow. The wrestlers responded by putting in the work.

“We pushed each other a lot,” Bergman said. “Every day in practice. We’re always staying late, running sprints. All the time we’re pushing each other.”

Bergman placed third, rebounding from a tough quarterfinal loss to Don Bosco’s Hendrix Schwab. He closed his career with a 5:03 pin of Louisa-Muscatine’s Bo Hake.

“It’s awesome,” Bergman said. “It was everything I imagined. All the hard work I put in. I didn’t come out on top but knowing that I won my last ever high school match is pretty awesome.”

Bergman won medals his first two seasons but missed last year due to an injury suffered at State Duals. He appreciated having another opportunity to wrestle alongside his teammates.

“Watching all my brothers come down and compete, that hurts when you can’t compete,” Bergman said. “It means the world to be able to come out and compete.”

Like Bergman, Youngblut won his last bout for seventh and helped Jesup claim its third traditional tournament team trophy and the first since getting third in Class AA in 1974.

“It feels great, helping the team out anyway I can,” Youngblut said. “We're looking for that second-place trophy here and we need those points.

“Our guys that didn't finish on the podium and our 126-pounder (Deshawn Parrow) that got hurt, doing it for him. We got to do it for the team.”

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Kaleb Gordon (106) placed fourth, senior Kaden Lange finished sixth and Carver Hinz was seventh for the J-Hawks.

“Six medals is not exactly what we were looking for,” Vogel said. “We were hoping to bring home nine. but the boys came out and battled this morning. This is probably the toughest day to wrestle after your dreams get shattered of not winning a state championship but coming back and getting the highest place possible.

“Even the bonus points, we scored two quick pins earlier that really vaulted the attitude and the energy level of the boys. Super proud of these guys. They mean the world to me.”

The program returns two medalists, another qualifier and some veterans that didn’t advance out of district. The future continues to look bright for the emerging power.

“You guys gotta watch out, “ Youngblut said. “You know them JV guys, they're hungry. Some of them guys have been sitting back two, three years and they want it. They want it. They're fiending for that next win. They're fiending for that varsity spot. They'll be there next year. They'll be tough.”

Don Bosco won the team title with 222, three points shy of the 1A record the Dons set last year.

Lisbon was in fourth place before the finals. The Lions boasted medalists in third-place Jack Gogel at 113, sixth-place Cade Happel (126), Jackson Knapp, who was seventh at 144 and eighth-place 165-pounder Ryder Meeks.

“Our guys wrestled hard,” said Lisbon Coach Aaron Helmrich, noting Lisbon barely cracked the final tournament team rankings. “I think we’ve been under ranked all year. The guys showed it today and through this weekend with everyone scoring points. I was real happy with our guys.”

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Knapp and Happel earn their first medals as seniors. Knapp beat Sumner-Fredericksburg’s Jase Jones 14-2 in his last match.

“It really is (icing on the cake),” Knapp said. “I wrestled that guy earlier in the year and I beat him, 6-5, and it was like a nailbiter. So, to come out here and wrestle that well is a perfect ending.

“My first high school match, I lost. I had high hopes. I went out there and I got pinned. So, to be able to kind of come full circle and end on a win. it means a lot. It's really cool.”

Knapp didn’t have images of parading in the hallowed Grand March. He had never advanced beyond the round of 12. He had already come a long way after a rough start to the season, including nine early losses.

“I gotta thank my coaches, especially being Dean Happel and Hallsy (Lisbon assistant Brian Hall),” said Knapp, who also credited Lisbon assistant Brody Hawtrey and Trevor Trende. “They were the ones who spent every opportunity with me working, so to finally get this it means a lot for me, but I think it means more that I spent it with them.”

The Lions also have a strong contingent returning, including seventh qualifiers and younger talent.

“We are hoping to reload,” Helmrich said, “and look even better than we do right now. I’m happy about it.”

Iowa Valley placed three on the podium. In addition to 150-pound finalist Chance Hoyt, Nolan Kriegel was fourth at 190 and Mason Hoyt (175) placed sixth.

Cascade, Sigourney-Keota and Starmont each had two medalists. The Stars’ Jax Tommasin joined Keaton Moeller on the award stand. He entered the tournament as the No. 12 seed and placed sixth at 138.

Bryce Carroll (144) was fifth and Tatum Honda (126) was eighth for the Cougars. S-K’s Ryker VanDenHeuvel was eighth at 138 and heavyweight Owen Menke took fifth.

Dyersville Beckman’s Preston Hunter (150) and Montezuma’s Braxton Plants (215) each placed third.

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