5 storylines to watch in the 2023 Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling tournament

Here are five storylines to follow during this week’s Iowa high school boys’ traditional state wrestling tournament:

Arnold vs. Naaktgeboren IV

This season has brought us one of the best ongoing marquee matchups. Iowa City High’s Gabe Arnold (37-0) and Linn-Mar’s Tate Naaktgeboren (30-3) have delivered on the excitement promised in a battle between nationally-ranked seniors.

Arnold, originally from Georgia, won two national prep titles at Wyoming Seminary College Prep School in Kingston, Pa. He is ranked fourth in the country at 182 and No. 14 in Flowrestling’s pound-for-pound national rankings. Naaktgeboren, a two-time state champion and three-time finalist for the Lions, is No. 6 nationally at 182 by Flo.

They have a mutual respect. Both have mentioned how they like wrestling one another and are pushed to be better by each other. They have entertained fans with a fourth possible meeting in the finals.

Top-seeded Arnold has won the three previous bouts, posting decisions in each — 8-3 in the Dan Gable Donnybrook semifinals on Dec. 2, 3-1 in a dual and 3-2 in tiebreaker-1 in the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet final on Jan. 28.

Arnold, who has signed with the University of Iowa, is the top seed. Naaktgeboren, who is an Iowa State signee, is the No. 2 seed. If all goes to seed, which it should for them, a fourth high-profile meeting should come Saturday night in front of a sold-out Wells Fargo Arena with a state title up for grabs.

Brandon Paez looking for third title

Lisbon’s Brandon Paez has the opportunity to join a group of four-time state finalists and win a third 120-pound state crown in Class 1A. The Lisbon standout won as a freshman and finished second to New London’s four-time state champion Marcel Lopez as a sophomore. He rebounded with the title as a junior.

Paez (49-0) is the top seed and is the lone unbeaten wrestler in the bracket. He enters the tournament with a 69-match win streak. The University of Northern Iowa signee has 26 pins and 12 technical falls this season and has won just three by decision. Who are those three against? The answer is Cedar Rapids Prairie’s two-time state finalist and 3A No. 4 seed Blake Gioimo (7-0 and 5-0) and Mount Vernon’s 2A fifth-seeded 126-pounder Jase Jaspers (11-4).

His unyielding neutral attacks are hard to defend and his pace is hard to match for six minutes. He has been on a mission this season and is a heavy favorite. If it weren’t for that 1-0 loss to Lopez, he would be vying for a fourth title.

Paez is one of nine wrestlers attempting to win a third title. Waverly-Shell Rock’s Ryder Block (3A 138) and McCrae Hagarty (3A 195), Naaktgeboren, Waukee Northwest’s Carter Freeman (3A 132), Greene County’s Kale Petersen (2A 132), Underwood’s Gable Porter (1A 132), Logan-Magnolia’s Wyatt Reisz (1A 160) and 1A 170-pounder Maximus Magayna, of Waterloo Columbus, are going for a third championship.

Sigourney-Keota’s Reanah Utterback wrestles the boys

Reanah Utterback is one of the top girls’ wrestlers in the state. She surprised many when she opted to wrestle for Sigourney-Keota’s boys’ program, instead of being one of the leaders in the inaugural Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union sanctioned season.

Utterback was the lone girl in school to show interest. Without a team or sharing agreement in place, she was able to choose to compete on the boys’ team. She was a state qualifier last season with a 38-5 record, going 0-2 in Des Moines.

Utterback is, well, back in the Class 1A field. She is the No. 8 seed with a 35-8 mark, receiving a first-round bye and facing the winner of Clayton Ridge’s Erik Flores and Underwood’s Avery Vacek.

Seeds project her to make the podium. She could become the first girl to place at the IHSAA state tournament since Megan Black placed eighth at 106 pounds of the 2012 1A tournament.

Cale Seaton returns

Iowa City High junior Cale Seaton suffered a knee injury in a dual against Mount Vernon at the Little Hawks’ Clyde Bean Duals on Jan. 21. The injury was so gruesome at the time City High Coach Cory Connell said he had reservations to re-watching the match. Members of other programs said it appeared season-ending. His mother was uncertain of his ability to return.

None of them are Cale Seaton (33-4) and none of them are the top-seeded 126-pounder in Class 3A. He returned for the district tournament at Bettendorf. Bolstered by a brace, the two-time state medalist advanced to the finals with two straight pins and medically forfeited to Bettendorf’s second-seeded Cody Trevino. He did the same in the wrestleback to place third.

Anything is gravy for someone who many thought was done for the season.

Teams going for state title sweeps

Waverly-Shell Rock, Osage and Don Bosco are all attempting state team title sweeps. All three completed the first step with state duals titles Feb. 4 at Xtream Arena in Coralville. All three are contenders for traditional tournament team titles.

Waverly-Shell Rock is looking to accomplish the feat for the sixth time in Class 3A. The Go-Hawks achieved championship sweeps in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2021. They were third last year to rival and defending champion Southeast Polk and runner-up Waukee Northwest.

Osage is a favorite to accomplish the feat for the first time in school history. The Green Devils have won four traditional tournament titles and four state duals titles before this season, but none were in the same season. Osage won its fifth duals crown and will have to fend off defending champion West Burlington/Notre Dame, West Delaware, Mount Vernon and others to finish on top.

Don Bosco has made a habit of sweeping 1A titles. The Dons have done it a whopping eight times already. They are also looking for their third straight title sweep, which is the program’s longest streak since sweeping state titles for five straight seasons from 2006-10.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com