K.J. Pilcher

The work and dedication since a disappointing 2023 finish have paid dividends for Iowa City West’s Justin Avila. Fourth-ranked Avila defeated Ankeny Centennial’s Lucas Bruhl, avenging a loss in last season’s state quarterfinals and capturing the 150-pound title at the Class 3A district meet Saturday at Cedar Rapids Prairie. He was one of three West champions and eight state qualifiers.

Top-ranked Penn State won eight matches, including five with bonus points, dominating No. 3 Iowa, 29-6, Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Penn State Coach Cael Sanderson earned his 200th career dual win with the Nittany Lions.

Starmont’s Keaton Moeller was third at state wrestling as a freshman last season. He is ranked No. 1 at 150 pounds in Class 1A with a 39-1 record. Moeller enters Saturday’s district tournament at MFL MarMac with a 26-match win streak.

Zach Glazier was destined to be a wrestler. The sport is in his blood with a father who wrestled in college and was a high school coach when Glazier was born. His mother was an avid wrestling fan and supporter.

A nearly two-hour episode of the Pinning Combination podcast talks all things wrestling in Iowa with Hall of Fame coach Dick Briggs, including the Hawkeye men’s loss to Michigan ahead of this week’s Penn State dual, the upcoming UNI-Iowa State dual, Wartburg’s one-sided win over Coe and recaps of the girls’ state tournament and boys’ state duals.

Michigan handed Iowa its first loss, Iowa State and Northern Iowa were unkind hosts to West Virginia, Wartburg thumped Coe, plus final thoughts on the IGHSAU state tournament in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

Don Bosco won the last four matches to beat top-seeded Alburnett for the Class 1A title. Creston won its first title since 2007, winning the final match for a 36-33 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton. Southeast Polk rolled through the 3A field

Alburnett Coach Clayton Rush knew exactly how long it had been since his team wrestled for a State Duals title. The wait ended. The Pirates beat Nashua-Plainfield to reach the Class 1A State Duals finals for the first time since 2016.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton has slowly climbed the state duals placing chart. The Warriors defeated returning state finalist West Delaware and defending state champion Osage for its first Class 2A state duals finals appearance.

Decorah’s Naomi Simon captured the 170-pound at the IGHSAU state wrestling tournament Friday night at Xtream Arena in Coralville. She became the first Iowa female to become an undefeated four-time state champion.

Decorah’s Chloe Sheffield opened Friday with a pin to reach the 100-pound finals of the IGHSAU state wrestling tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Naomi Simon reached her fourth final and was one of five medalists for the Vikings, who clinched the team title after the third session.

West Delaware returned to the State Duals for the seventh straight season. They have reached the finals the last six seasons. The Hawks enter as the No. 4 seed in Class 2A. Action begins Saturday at 9 a.m. at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

The Iowa high School Athletic Association State Duals are Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Five Gazette area teams are in the field.

West Liberty’s Silvia Garcia-Vasquez placed third at state last year with her lone loss coming to Sioux City North’s runner-up Molly Sek. She got revenge Thursday, pinning the top seed in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 115-pound state quarterfinals. Garcia-Vasquez was joined in the quarterfinals by sisters, Dionni and Bricsia.

Sigourney’s Reanah Utterback has placed at the IHSAA state tournament. She is competing in the IGHSAU state tournament this season and opened with two pins quicker than a minute Thursday morning.