K.J. Pilcher

Bohnsack is a key piece of those accomplished Knights. The defending state champion defeated Williamsburg’s Lincoln Schropp, 18-5, for the 113-pound title of the 50th annual Bobcat “Jerry Eckenrod” Invitational on Saturday at Benton Community High School.

Any questions Linn-Mar boys’ wrestling coach Doug Streicher had returning from the holiday break were answered in a 49-25 win over No. 15 Iowa City High. The Lions also won the girls’ dual, 48-30.

The NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals return to the UNI-Dome. The two-day event includes some of the top teams in NCAA Division II and III and NCAA women’s and NAIA men’s and women’s brackets. Here are a few notable items to watch this weekend in Cedar Falls.

This week’s episode of the Pinning Combination podcast with Hall of Fame coach Dick Briggs looks at the ramifications of the Soldier Salute tournament.

Just three years after placing 46th at the Class 1A state tournament, Alburnett is back among the top 1A programs. The Pirates are ranked second in dual and tournament rankings with seven ranked wrestlers to start the second half of the boys’ wrestling season.

At a time that was put up or shut up, Iowa’s Caleb Rathjen made some noise, going 5-0 and winning the 149-pound title at the second annual Soldier Salute Saturday at Xtream Arena.

Lilly Luft won a state title for Charles City at the inaugural Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union sanctioned wrestling championships held at Xtream Arena in February. Now, she’s part of Iowa in its first official season of women’s competition — the first by a Power 5 institution. Luft earned a spot in the 136-pound final of the second annual Soldier Salute.

Patrick Kennedy returned from injury and filled in at 174 pounds in Iowa men’s wrestling duals before the holiday break. He looked strong at 165, reaching the semifinals at the Soldier Salute Friday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Kick butt. Take names. Stake a claim in the lineup. Iowa men’s wrestling coach Tom Brands said he wants to see that from the Hawkeyes vying for a starting spot in the second half of the season.

Here is The Gazette’s first 2023-24 installment of area high school boys’ wrestling individual rankings.

The Iowa high school boys’ wrestling is paused until 2024. The season resumes with 6 1/2 weeks of competition until champions are crowned in Des Moines. Here are some notable events for the second half of the season.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Cael Smithhart has dealt with adversity, battling major hip injuries the last two years. He showed his resolve, yet again, overcoming an excessively bleeding nose to record a fall in the Cougars’ 43-24 loss to North Scott.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released the first installment of its dual rankings for all classes. The poll is used to determined regional dual qualifiers and are considered in pairings. Eight regional dual champions advance to the State Duals tournament Feb. 3 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach Derick Ball emphasizes the mental aspect of wrestling. The Hawks have made progress from a slow opening week to the season. They were fifth at the Battle of Waterloo and are ninth in the IHSAA Class 3A dual rankings.

This week’s Pinning Combination ponders “duck or not to duck” competition as ISU goes 3-0 at Collegiate Duals. K.J. Pilcher and Dick Briggs also discuss UNI’s next meets, senior nationals, Upper Iowa’s big weekend at Indianapolis and area high school action. Our last podcast of 2023 includes our top Christmas movies and songs.