Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling 2024: Class-by-class breakdowns and predictions

Here is a class-by-class breakdown of the 2024 Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling tournament, which begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Class 3A boys’ state wrestling breakdown

Top qualifiers

14 – Indianola

13 – Bettendorf, Southeast Polk

12 – Johnston

11 – Ankeny Centennial, Clear Creek Amana, Fort Dodge, Waukee Northwest, Waverly-Shell Rock

10 – Bondurant-Farrar, Carlisle

Gazette area qualifiers

11 – Clear Creek Amana

9 – Linn-Mar

8 – Iowa City High, Iowa City West

7 – Cedar Rapids Prairie

6 – Cedar Rapids Xavier

5 – Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Marion

4 – Western Dubuque

3 – Cedar Rapids Washington, Iowa City Liberty

2 – Cedar Rapids Jefferson

2023 top three teams

1. Waverly-Shell Rock 169

2. Southeast Polk 153

3. Bettendorf 149

Unbeaten qualifiers

Weston Porter (Council Bluffs Lewis Central, fr., 32-0, 106)

Tyler Harper (Norwalk, sr., 36-0, 113)

Carter Pearson (Southeast Polk, jr., 35-0, 120)

Kane Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar, sr., 33-0, 144)

Maximus Magayna (Waterloo East, sr., 41-0, 175)

Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge, so., 43-0, 215)

Andrew Price (West Des Moines Valley, jr., 3-0, 215)

Daniel Herrera (Ames, sr., 14-0, Hwt.)

Outlook

Southeast Polk is a heavy favorite. The Rams qualified all but one wrestler and enter the tournament with 12 wrestlers ranked eighth or better. They are looking for their second title in three seasons and attempting a state championship sweep.

Bettendorf has the best shot to challenge the Rams. The Bulldogs have the same number of qualifiers and high-powered point scorers to be a contender.

Third place is up for grabs. Fort Dodge, Waukee Northwest, Ankeny Centennial, Indianola and Waverly-Shell Rock are all capable of nabbing that final trophy.

The Gazette area’s top chances to crack the top five, or top 10, are No. 6 Linn-Mar and Iowa City High. The Lions are led by top-seeded and returning state finalists Kane Naaktgeboren and Grant Kress. Linn-Mar has a strong shot at five to six medalists. The Little Hawks are led by returning state champion Cale Seaton and top-ranked Kael Voinovich. Add in Kael Kurtz, Kendall Kurtz and Jake Mitchell and five on the podium and three in the finals is a possibility.

Team predictions

1. Southeast Polk

2. Bettendorf

3. Fort Dodge

Individual champion predictions

106 – Nico DeSalvo, Southeast Polk

113 – Alexander Pierce, Iowa City West

120 – Jake Knight, Bettendorf

126 – Koufax Christensen, Waukee Northwest

132 – Cale Seaton, Iowa City High

138 – Carter Freeman, Waukee Northwest

144 – Kane Naaktgeboren, Linn-Mar

150 – Bas Diaz, Waverly-Shell Rock

157 – Kael Voinovich, Iowa City High

165 – Jacob Helgeson, Johnston

175 – Maximus Magayna, Waterloo East

190 – Brent Slade, Southeast Polk

215 – Dreshaun Ross, Fort Dodge

Hwt. – Daniel Herrera, Ames

Class 2A boys’ state wrestling breakdown

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Top qualifiers

11 – Creston

9 – Sergeant Bluff-Luton

8 – Carroll, Mount Vernon, New Hampton/Turkey Valley, Osage

7 – Algona, Burlington Notre Dame, Davenport Assumption, Decorah, Glenwood, North Polk, Sioux Center, West Delaware

Gazette area qualifiers

8 – Mount Vernon

7 – Decorah, West Delaware

6 – Anamosa, Independence

5 – Benton Community, North Fayette Valley, South Tama, Union Community, Williamsburg

4 – Solon, West Liberty

3 – Waukon

2 – Maquoketa, Monticello, Tipton

1 – Center Point-Urbana, Oelwein, Vinton-Shellsburg, Washington (Iowa)

2023 top three teams

1. Osage 175.5

2. Burlington-Notre Dame 106.5

3. Mount Vernon 99

Unbeaten qualifiers

Klayten Perreault (Mount Vernon, sr., 42-0, 106)

Carson Doolittle (Webster City, sr., 39-0, 126)

Kade Blume (Roland-Story, sr., 36-0, 132)

Matt Beem (Glenwood, sr., 35-0, 132)

Anders Kittelson (Osage, sr., 41-0, 144)

Tucker Stangel (Osage, sr., 50-0, 157)

Colin Young (Dubuque Wahlert, sr., 16-0, 165)

Austin Scranton (Anamosa, jr., 45-0, 175)

Daniel Gorskikh (Knoxville, sr., 32-0, 175)

Jarrett Roos (Sheldon/South O’Brien, sr., 24-0, 190)

Mac Muller (Osage, sr., 45-0, Hwt.)

Paul Ballard (Albia, sr., 37-0, Hwt.)

Outlook

The team race may not be as exciting as it was during the state duals tournament where Creston edged Sergeant Bluff-Luton for the title. Both have a chance at a trophy but likely won’t make a run at the championship. Osage has seven qualifiers but a whopping five are seeded No. 1, including state champions Blake Fox (138) and Tucker Stangel and returning runner-up Anders Kittelson, the son of Decorah 1990 152-pound state champion Ryan Kittelson. The Green Devils could be busy on Saturday night.

Union Community has quality versus quantity. The Knights bring only five to state but state champions Brayden Bohnsack (113) and Jace Hedeman (126) are No. 1 seeds. Caleb Olson is No. 3 at 150 and is another title contender, while 106-pounder Coy Mehlert gives them four strong potential medalists.

Mount Vernon has firepower and balance. Klayten Perreault is top-seeded at 106. Jase Jaspers was a state runner-up as a freshman last season and is the No. 2 seed at 138. Jackson Jaspers is looking to become the Mustangs’ first four-time state medalist since Greg Randall won four titles from 1979-82. Mikey Ryan (150) and heavyweight Ethan Wood are No. 5 seeds. Burlington Notre Dame, Roland-Story and Glenwood could make a run at the top five.

Team predictions

1. Osage

2. Mount Vernon

3. Union Community

Individual champion predictions

106 – Klayten Perreault, Mount Vernon

113 – Brayden Bohnsack, Union Community

120 – Vinny Mayberry, Glenwood

126 – Jace Hedeman, Union Community

132 – Kade Blume, Roland-Story

138 – Blake Fox, Osage

144 – Anders Kittelson, Osage;

150 – Caleb Olson, Union Community

157 – Tucker Stangel, Osage

165 – Zayvion Ellington, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

175 – Brent Yonkovic, West Delaware

190 – Brody Sampson, Ballard

215 – Braden McShane, New Hampton/Turkey Valley

Hwt. – Mac Muller, Osage

Class 1A boys’ state wrestling breakdown

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Top qualifiers

11 – Alburnett

10 – Don Bosco, Nashua-Plainfield, Wilton

9 – Jesup, West Branch

8 – Hinton, Oakland Riverside, Wapsie Valley

7 – Logan-Magnolia, Underwood, West Hancock, Woodbury Central

Gazette area qualifiers

11 – Alburnett

9 – Jesup, West Branch

6 – East Buchanan, Lisbon

5 – South Winneshiek

3 – BGM, Iowa City Regina, Iowa Valley, Maquoketa Valley

2 – Clayton Ridge, MFL MarMac, North Tama

1 – Belle Plaine, Cascade, Elkader Central, English Valleys/Tri-County, Highland, Lone Tree, Midland, Montezuma, North Cedar, Postville, Starmont

2023 top three teams

1. Don Bosco 165

2. Wilton 139

3. Nashua-Plainfield 112

Unbeaten qualifiers

Hayden Schwab (Don Bosco, fr., 34-0, 106)

Gavin Landers (Denver, fr., 41-0, 113)

Jesse Lewis (West Sioux, jr., 42-0, 126)

Tanner Arjes (North Butler-Clarksville, sr., 43-0, 132)

Blake Allen (Underwood, sr., 17-0, 138)

Dylan Stein (Lenox, jr., 47-0, 138)

Corbin Reisz (Logan-Magnolia, jr., 43-0, 144)

Kolt Knaack (North Tama, jr., 43-0, 144)

Kyler Knaack (Don Bosco, jr., 24-0, 157)

Titus Evans (Nashua-Plainfield, sr., 27-0, 175)

MaKade Bloker (North Butler-Clarksville, sr., 36-0, 190)

Louden Huisenga (WACO, jr., 34-0, 190)

Mason Knipp (Waterloo Columbus, sr., 34-0, Hwt.)

Outlook

Don Bosco is poised to win its sixth straight traditional state team title. The Dons are looking for another state title sweep after winning the dual crown. They qualified 10 and each is ranked. They have multiple wrestlers capable of wrestling Saturday, including unbeaten freshman 106-pounder Hayden Schwab and Kyler Knaack at 157.

Alburnett leads the field with 11 qualifiers, including four returning state medalists. Rowdy Neighbor (120) and 126-pounder Tayten Coufal are No. 1 seeds. The Pirates’ Preston Klostermann (138) is the No. 2 seed. They also have 215-pounder Emmitt Fleshman, who has tournament experience at West Lyon before moving to Alburnett. The Pirates will need to wrestle above a few seeds to challenge the Dons.

Wilton has the balance and a couple highly-seeded wrestlers who could stockpile some points. Wilton, Nashua-Plainfield and Underwood could make a run at the top five. Don’t overlook Jesup. The J-Hawks have had a banner season, placing fifth at the state duals. They compete well in traditional tournaments with capable point scorers, like Ayden Bergman at 106, second-seeded Cooper Hinz (113), 132-pounder Ethan Krall and No. 4 seed Kile Bucknell at 175.

Team predictions

1. Don Bosco

2. Alburnett

3. Wilton

Individual champion predictions

106 – Hayden Schwab, Don Bosco

113 – Mason Shirk, Wilton

120 – Rowdy Neighbor, Alburnett

126 – Jesse Lewis, West Sioux

132 – Tanner Arjes, North Butler-Clarksville

138 – Blake Allen, Underwood

144 – Corbin Reisz, Logan-Magnolia

150 – Keaton Moeller, Starmont

157 – Kyler Knaack, Don Bosco

165 – Ryan Stiles, Earlham

175 – Kaiden Knaack, Don Bosco

190 – MaKade Bloker, North Butler-Clarksville

215 – Brady Davis, Maquoketa Valley

Hwt. – Mason Knipp, Waterloo Columbus

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com