K.J. Pilcher

Mikey Ryan won the only match between ranked wrestlers, helping Mount Vernon beat Clear Creek Amana, 49-24, in a boys’ wrestling dual Thursday at Mount Vernon. The Mustangs’ girls’ wrestling team completed the sweep with a 48-18 dual win over the Clippers.

The Pinning Combination podcast with The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher and hall of fame coach Dick Briggs breakdowns UNI and Iowa State’s performance in Las Vegas and Iowa’s wrestling programs’ dominance in Missouri. They also discuss last weekend’s highlights from the high school season.

Coaches react to some new rules introduced for the 2024-25 high school wrestling season. Mount Vernon crowned four champions at Cardinal Classic in Newton. Jesup off to strong dual start.

Class 1A second-ranked Alburnett had a dual win over No. 3 Wilton when Cooper Franklin took the mat in the finale. He closed the night with a 5-0 decision over No. 2 Gabriel Brisker at 138 pounts Tuesday night at Alburnett. The Pirates won, 38-22.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced Tuesday that Sioux City and Carroll will host state baseball tournaments in 2025. Sioux City welcomes Class 4A and 3A, while Carroll will be the site for Class 2A and 1A through 2028.

UNI’s Parker Keckeisen struck more gold, winning his third straight title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Iowa men and women dominate in Missouri. Upper Iowa remains unbeaten, standouts from the Dan Gable Donnybrook and more in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

Rayce Heitman of Williamsburg is the 2024 Gazette area football Player of the Year.

Union Community’s Jace Hedeman has subscribed to a new free and fun approach after his drerams of four state titles were dashed last season. He was dominant Saturday, winning the 132-pound title of the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational

Brady Shekleton used a five-point move to win his 175-pound match and record one of nine Western Dubuque wins in a 45-25 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier in a boys’ wrestling dual. The Bobcats also won the girls’ wrestling dual, 78-6, for the Mississippi Valley Conference sweep.

Stephen Buchanan has enjoyed success in each of his college wrestling stops. After competing for Wyoming and Oklahoma, the top-ranked 197-pound his making an impression of the Iowa men’s program.

Second-ranked Iowa faces Army and Princeton in Jouurneymen Wrestling’s “Uncivil War” in St. Charles, Mo. Two wins would give Hawkeyes Coach Tom Brands 300 career dual victories.

The start of the boys’ high school wrestling competition this week means the wrestling season is firing on all cylinders. The Pinning Combination podcast with The Gazette's K.J. Pilcher and hall of fame coach Dick Briggs takes a look ahead at the upcoming events for Iowa, Iowa State and UNI. They also discuss girls’ wrestling teams off to a good start and previews the beginning of the boys’ season.

Brad Smith spent a season in his second retirement. As a favor, he returned to the coaching ranks to temporarily fill in for Clear Creek Amana Coach Kyle Forness, who will miss this season due to obligations with the Army Reserves.

Here is a list of 20 wrestlers and nine teams to keep an eye on for the 2024-25 boys’ wrestling season.

If you follow college wrestling, you know Jason Bryant. He joins the Pinning Combination podcast with Hall of Famer Dick Briggs this week after filling in as the public-address announcer for Saturday’s Iowa vs. Iowa State wrestling dual.