Iowa high school wrestling notes: Storied J-Hawk Invitational celebrates 50th year

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Jefferson has a storied wrestling tradition.

The J-Hawks have claimed three state traditional team titles, four runner-up finishes and 14 total top-four state finishes. They also have five state duals appearances. Don’t forget 30 individual state champions, including one of the state’s three-timers in Mel Wieland.

Jefferson’s wrestling program will be celebrated again Saturday during the 50th J-Hawk Invitational. The event that began in 1975 has been a local staple of regular-season wrestling tournaments.

“I can go back to the 1990s” Cedar Rapids Jefferson Coach Rob Martin said. “Teams and individuals that won state may not have won the J-Hawk that year.”

Former Jefferson Coach Bill McNiel, who led the J-Hawks to state team titles in 1973 and 1974, started the tournament the following season. It was just a six-team field then, growing to an 18-team field this year. McNiel will be honored during a ceremony, along with former J-Hawk wrestlers Jim Balvanz, Jed Brown and Tom Sadler, who won titles at the inaugural competition.

The field includes Class 3A second-ranked Fort Dodge, No. 8 Iowa City High and No. 10 Bondurant-Farrar, plus 1A No. 4 Alburnett. Boone, Cedar Falls, Clinton, Dallas Center-Grimes, Davenport Central, Davenport North, Forest City, Fort Madison, Muscatine, Pleasant Valley, Waterloo East, Waukee Northwest and West Des Moines Valley round out the field.

“I didn’t want to build the tournament with a team that was going to hang around for a while, like an MVC team that we saw a lot,” said former Jefferson Coach Dick Briggs, who coached his alma mater for more than 33 seasons. “I tried to be selective just because I wanted this very eclectic group from all over the state — Central, South, North …”

The individual weights will be stacked as well, displaying some of the state’s top talent. At 175 pounds, the bracket is expected to have Waterloo East’s top-ranked Maximus Magayna, who previously won three state crowns for Waterloo Columbus, Fort Dodge’s No. 2 Damarion Ross, No. 7 Nic Van Arkel, of West Des Moines Valley, Pleasant Valley’s No. 10 Avyn Nelson and Muscatine’s No. 11 Andy Franke.

Similarly, 138 could include Fort Dodge’s 3A top-ranked Koy Davidson, Waukee Northwest’s Carter Freeman, City High’s No. 3 Kael Kurtz and Alburnett’s Preston Klostermann, who is ranked No. 4 in 1A.

Top-ranked Koufax Christensen (Waukee Northwest) and 1A No. 2 Tayten Coufal (Alburnett) are among four ranked wrestlers at 126.

“I think it’s neat,” Martin said. “It will be a great event.”

The tournament has had notable high school stars, including four-time state champions Ben Kueter of City High, Brody Teske of Fort Dodge and Alex Thomsen of Underwood. Teske and Thomsen wrestled in the finals, which was won by Thomsen, avenging his lone loss of his high school career and handing Teske his only high school setback.

Michael Blockhus, formerly Michael Millage, wrestled at the J-Hawk. Blockhus, the 157 starter for Minnesota, and Iowa’s Teske are expected to be in their respective lineups for a Big Ten dual Monday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

Just a small sample of the 50 years of notable performers and moments produced at the J-Hawk Invitational.

“It’s got a great history and pedigree,” Martin said. “It’s one of the tougher ones in the Eastern part of the state.”

Linn-Mar wins ranked battle

Linn-Mar hosted its annual Lions Duals tournament Saturday. The Lions are ranked No. 7 in Class 3A, while tournament regular Mount Vernon is No. 2 in 2A. Both won their pools that set up the finals battle between ranked teams.

Linn-Mar claimed nine of 14 weights and dropped the Mustangs, 47-28. The Lions managed bonus points in each victory, including pins by Nate Fish (126), Hud Turner at 132, Barrett Mieras (165), Grant Kress (175) and 215-pounder Griffin Schultz.

The marquee match between three-time state medalists at 144 went the Lions’ favor as well. Linn-Mar’s 3A No. 1 Kane Naaktgeboren, an Iowa State signee, handled Mount Vernon’s Jackson Jaspers, 19-4.

Mount Vernon’s No. 4 Mikey Ryan followed with a 10-0 major decision over No. 10 Grant Boddicker at 150 in another ranked matchup.

2024 Iowa high school boys’ wrestling district hosts

The postseason is about a month away, but the district sites have been previously posted by the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

Cedar Rapids Prairie will host the lone area 3A district. Wamac teams Independence, Solon, West Delaware and Williamsburg will hold 2A districts. In 1A, MFL MarMac is the only area host.

The state tournament is Feb. 14-17 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The top two district finishers at each weight in Classes 1A and 2A qualify for state. The top three district medalists in 3A advance.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com