Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling 2025: Class-by-class breakdowns and predictions

Here is a class-by-class breakdown of the 2025 Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling tournament, which begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

CLASS 3A

Top qualifiers: 14 – Southeast Polk; 12– Johnston, Waukee Northwest; 11 – Clear Creek Amana; 10 – Indianola, Linn-Mar, North Scott, Waverly-Shell Rock, Western Dubuque; 9 – Ankeny Centennial, Bettendorf, C.R. Xavier, Dallas Center-Grimes, Fort Dodge, Iowa City High, Pleasant Valley, West Des Moines Dowling

Area qualifiers: 11 – Clear Creek Amana; 10 – Linn-Mar, Western Dubuque; 9 – C.R. Xavier, Iowa City High; 6 – C.R. Prairie; 5 – Iowa City West; 4 – Iowa City Liberty; 2 – C.R. Kennedy, C.R. Washington, 1 – C.R. Jefferson

2024 top three teams: 1. Southeast Polk 221.5, 2. Bettendorf 160, 3. Fort Dodge 119

Unbeaten qualifiers: Nico DeSalvo (Southeast Polk, soph., 34-0, 113), Christian Castillo (Ames, sr., 39-0, 126), Mac Crosson (Indianola, soph., 28-0, 138), Jabari Hinson (Ames, sr., 45-0, 150), Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge, jr., 16-0, 215), Jean Ngoma (C.R. Xavier, sr., 35-0. 215)

Outlook: Southeast Polk is a heavy favorite. The Rams qualified their entire lineup and 13 are seeded seventh or better with 10 in the top four. The trophy battle could be interesting. Bettendorf, Carlisle, Indianola and Johnston are capable of snagging a trophy. Fort Dodge has an outside shot. Linn-Mar has the best shot to crack the top-10 with Iowa City West behind. The Trojans have a quartet of high point scorers, including 2023 state champion and two-time finalist Alexander Pierce (113) and Justin Avila at 150. Cedar Rapids Xavier qualified a school record nine. Iowa City High and the Saints could reach the top 15.

Team predictions: 1. Southeast Polk, 2. Bettendorf, 3. Indianola

Individual champion predictions: 106 – Carew Christensen, Waukee Northwest; 113 – Alexander Pierce, Iowa City West; 120 – Jake Knight, Bettendorf; 126 – Malik DeBow, Linn-Mar; 132 – Carter Pearson, Southeast Polk; 138 – Cody Trevino, Bettendorf; 144 – Justis Jesuroga, Southeast Polk; 150 – Jabari Hinson, Ames; 157 – Bas Diaz, Waverly-Shell Rock; 165 – Jaxon Miller, Carlisle; 175 – Jacob Helgeson, Johnston; 190 – Asa Hemsted, Carlisle; 215 – Dreshaun Ross, Fort Dodge; Hwt. – Kolton Borcherding-Johnson, Norwalk.

CLASS 2A

Top qualifiers: 11– Algona, Burlington Notre Dame, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Williamsburg; 10 – Independence, West Delaware; 9 – Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Davenport Assumption, Mount Vernon, Winterset

Area qualifiers: 11 – Williamsburg; 10 – Independence, West Delaware; 9 – Mount Vernon; 8 – Anamosa; 7 – Benton Community; 6 – Decorah, North Fayette Valley, Union Community; 4 – Center Point-Urbana, Solon, West Liberty; 2 – Maquoketa, Vinton-Shellsburg, Waukon; 1 – Monticello, Washington (Iowa)

2024 top three teams: 1. Osage 128.5, 2. Mount Vernon 110, 3. Union Community 95

Unbeaten qualifiers: Urijah Courter (West Marshall, soph., 39-0, 113), Jace Hedeman (Union Community, sr., 51-0, 132), Jase Jaspers (Mount Vernon, jr., 43-0, 144), Shane Hanford (West Marshall, sr., 42-0, 150), Zayvion Ellington (Sergeant Bluff-Luton, sr., 51-0, 175), Kyler Crow (Mediapolis, jr., 38-0, 175), Christian Dunning (Clear Lake, jr., 50-0, 175)

Outlook: This class is wide open with about seven to eight teams with a legitimate shot at a trophy. Burlington Notre Dame and Sergeant Bluff-Luton have good numbers and multiple title contenders. Mount Vernon, the runner-up from last year, has a chance to join the title hunt with two-time state finalist and top-seeded Jase Jaspers (144) and No. 2 Mikey Ryan at 150. Mustangs heavyweight Ethan Wood is capable of wrestling Saturday night as well. Union Community is intriguing because they have potential for a handful of medalists and multiple champions but need the other qualifiers to place high. Williamsburg and West Delaware both have good numbers and the balance that could lift them into trophy contention.

Team predictions: 1. Burlington Notre Dame, 2. Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 3. Union Community

Individual champion predictions: 106 – Coy Mehlert, Union Community; 113 – Cael McCabe, Fairfield; 120 – Brayden Bohnsack, Union Community; 126 – C.J. Davis, Burlington Notre Dame; 132 – Jace Hedeman, Union Community; 138 – Kaiden Dietzenbach, Burlington Notre Dame; 144 – Jase Jaspers, Mount Vernon; 150 – Mikey Ryan, Mount Vernon; 157 – Tate Slagle, Algona; 165 – Bo Koedam, Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 175 – Zayvion Ellington, Sergeant Bluff-Luton; 190 – Austin Scranton, Anamosa; 215 – Henry Christensen, North Polk; Hwt. – Jaydn Cooper, Winterset.

CLASS 1A

Top qualifiers: 13 – Alburnett; 11 – Don Bosco; 10 – Wilton, Woodbury Central; 9 – Osage; 8 – Hinton, Jesup, Lisbon; 7 – Central Springs, Denver, Nashua-Plainfield, Oakland Riverside

Area qualifiers: 13 – Alburnett; 8 – Jesup, Lisbon; 6 – West Branch; 4 – Maquoketa Valley, MFL MarMac; 3 – Belle Plaine, Cascade, Dyersville Beckman, Highland, Iowa City Regina, Iowa Valley, North Linn, South Winneshiek, Starmont; 2 – East Buchanan, Elkader Central, Montezuma, North Tama, Postville; 1 – BGM, Clayton Ridge, HLV, Lone Tree, Sigourney-Keota

2024 top three teams: 1. Don Bosco 183.5, 2. Alburnett 152, 3. Wilton 144

Unbeaten qualifiers: Kaiden Belinsky (Don Bosco, jr., 10-0, 106), Gavin Landers (Denver, soph., 47-0, 126), Riley Watts (Lawton-Bronson, fr., 50-0, 126), Jayden Rinken (Nashua-Plainfield, sr., 54-0, 132), Dawson Youngblut (Don Bosco, soph., 39-0, 138), Landon Price (Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire, sr., 31-0, 138), Blake Fox (Osage, jr., 47-0, 144), Corbin Reisz (Logan-Magnolia, sr., 52-0, 150), Kolt Knaack (North Tama, sr., 44-0, 150), Teague Smith (West Hancock, jr., 31-0, 150), Boden White (Denver, jr., 52-0, 157), Boston Peters (Sloan Westwood, fr. 37-0, 157), Kyler Knaack (Don Bosco, sr., 41-0, 165), Jacob McGargill (Shenandoah, jr., 53-0, 165), Louden Huisenga (Waco, sr., 38-0, 190), Jayden Dickerson (Shenandoah, sr., 54-0, 190), Ashton Honnold (Nodaway Valley, jr., 48-0, 215)

Outlook: Don Bosco and Alburnett will engage in another two-horse race. Don Bosco has the high-end talent, which includes three top-seeded wrestlers and six seeded in the top two. Alburnett qualified all but one wrestler and counters with No. 1 Shayden Washburn at 175 and second-seeded Rowdy Neighbor (126) and 138-pounder Preston Klostermann. The question is whether the Pirates depth will be enough to overcome Don Bosco’s big scorers. It could come down to a 138-pound final between the Dons’ No. 1 Dawson Youngblut and Klostermann in the finals. Wilton is likely to finish third again, but Jesup has the talent to place third.

Team predictions: 1. Don Bosco, 2. Alburnett, 3. Wilton

Individual champion predictions: 106 – Crosby Yoder, Logan-Magnolia; 113 – Hendrix Schwab, Don Bosco; 120 – Hayden Schwab, Don Bosco; 126 – Gavin Landers, Denver; 132 – Jayden Rinken, Nashua-Plainfield; 138 – Preston Klostermann, Alburnett; 144 – Blake Fox, Osage; 150 – Corbin Reisz, Logan-Magnolia; 157 – Boden White, Denver; 165 – Kyler Knaack, Don Bosco; 175 – Shayden Washburn, Alburnett; 190 – Louden Huisenga, WACO; 215 – Nathan Beitz, Maquoketa Valley; Hwt. – Wyatt Hanna, Lake Mills.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com