HIGH SCHOOL

10 final thoughts on the 2017-18 Iowa high school wrestling season

Cody Goodwin
The Des Moines Register

The release of our All-Iowa Wrestling Teams, our Wrestler of the Year Finalists and our Coach of the Year is the official end of the 2017-18 Iowa high school wrestling season. And to be honest, I’m sad to see it go.

It was another tremendous year on the mat, full of tremendous showings and incredible storylines. Individuals and teams alike made history. Some champions emerged from seemingly nowhere, while others put forth repeat performances.

It was a great season to break into the wrestling beat, is what I’m saying, and I have 10 parting thoughts. Join me in closing another excellent chapter on the mat, and taking an early look at what’s to come next winter.

We’ll remember this season for Teske-Thomsen

This is not a shot at the other wrestlers who were incredible this season, but every year there’s a potential four-timer in the works, all eyes are on them in their chase for glory.

We will remember this stellar senior class for a number of different reasons, but we’ll always think of Brody Teske and Alex Thomsen first, and rightfully so. We will remember their bids for perfect careers, their two classic matches, their amazing Twitter conversations and their becoming the first duo to win their fourth titles at the same weight in the same year.

It was an incredible story to follow, and I won’t soon forget either of those matches or either of those wrestlers. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

This senior class, as a whole, was phenomenal

Teske and Thomsen were the headliners, but consider the other seniors in this 2018 class — Kyle Biscoglia, Drew Bennett, Michael Blockhus, Harlan Steffensmeier, Nelson Brands, Josh Ramirez, Ben Sarasin, Joel Shapiro, Bryce Esmoil, Boone McDermott, John McConkey and Caleb Sanders. And those are just some of Iowa's nationally ranked state champs.

Let’s not forget about guys such as Kobey Pritchard, Cayd Lara, Grant Stotts, Zane Mulder, Anthony Sherry, Francis Duggan, Shea Ruffridge, Matt Robertson, Isaac Judge, Josh Ramirez, Cooper Lawson, Gable Fox, Nathan Haynes, Tanner Sloan, Hunter DeJong, Tom Rief, Kaleb Reeves Cameron Beminio, Brian Sadler and countless others I know I’m missing.

I’m not the right person to compare this senior class to those of years past, but I’d wager that this one is near the top. They were memorable wrestlers, but also great people. The Iowa high school wrestling scene is much better for having known and watched these guys.

 

Wahlert's Josh Ramirez wins his match against Dyersville Beckman's Luke Hageman during the championship round of the class 2A Iowa high school state wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Wells Fargo Arena.

The future looks bright as ever

Check out these names who are coming back: Cullan Schriever, Nick Oldham, Cade DeVos, Matthew Lewis, Andrew Flora, Aden Reeves, Lucas Roland, Julien Broderson, Daniel Kimball, Adam Allard, Cael Happel, John Henrich, Gabe Pauley.

That’s the list of returning state champs. Of that group, Schriever, Allard and Happel are all sophomores with two titles in hand. Not to put any pressure on that trio, but we’ve never had a year where three wrestlers all won four.

And I didn’t even mention guys such as Drake Ayala, Caleb Rathjen, Ben Monroe, Eli Lloyd, Nathaniel Genobana, Jack Gaukel, Cody Fisher, Briar Reisz, Daniel Meeker and Wade Mitchell, all of whom were freshman or sophomore state finalists this winter.

The future of Iowa prep wrestling looks bright, is what I’m saying here.

Assumption's Julien Broderson wins his match against Southeast Valley's Kyler Fisher during the championship round of the class 2A Iowa high school state wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Wells Fargo Arena.

Northern Iowa is getting one heck of a recruiting haul

Hard to miss this, but the future of Panther wrestling looks incredible. Six state champions — Biscoglia, Bennett, Blockhus, Fox, Esmoil and McConkey — are headed to Cedar Falls next year. I can’t wait to see who Doug Schwab trots out in his starting lineup in a few years.

A quick shout-out to South Winneshiek’s Felicity Taylor

She did not reach the state tournament this year, like I know she would’ve liked, but her wrestling career will be one we point to when girls’ wrestling becomes a sanctioned high school sport in Iowa someday.

I say that with confidence, because it is impossible to ignore the sport’s growth in this wrestling-rich state. I’m not sure when it’ll become official, but my gut tells me it’s on the way, and Taylor and Rachel Watters and the many girls who came before them all played a role in its rise.

So Felicity, if you’re reading, please don’t forget: You may not be in the Iowa High School Athletic Association record books as a state qualifier, but you are at the heart of a movement that’ll mean so much more than a gold medal or a big piece of cardboard. 

South Winneshiek junior Felicity Taylor began wrestling as a freshman, and despite the late start she has quickly climbed her way up to the upper level wrestlers in the 106-pound weight class.

Three teams to watch in 2018-19

One for each class.

Class 3A — Southeast Polk. The Rams could jump back on top of Iowa’s largest class, with six returning medalists, including four (DeVos, Lance Runyon, Devin Harmison, Gabe Christenson) who finished in the top four at their weights.

Class 2A — Centerville. Only three state qualifiers this year, but they all finished in the top three at their weights. Lewis won at 106, Genobana took second at 113 and Kayden Kauzlarich placed third at 126. 

Class 1A — Denver. The Cyclones took nine to state this year, and seven brought home medals. All seven are coming back. Can’t count out Lisbon or Don Bosco ever, but Denver might be the early small-class favorite.

Three way-too-early predictions for 2018-19

At least two of the following will win state titles next February: Drake Ayala, Caleb Rathjen, Ben Monroe, Caleb Corbin, Lance Runyon, Eric Faught, Drake Doolittle, Jack Gaukel, Griffin Liddle. At least two.

Des Moines East will have multiple state finalists in 2019. I liked what I saw from the three Scarlet wrestlers at the state tournament. Brock Espalin, Matthew Jordan and Deville Dentis all medaled, and they’re all coming back. I’ll bet at least two of them reach the finals next year.

Someone who took eighth this year will win a title next year. Of the 42 eighth-place finishers at this year’s state tournament, 23 are returning. I’ll bet at least one of those dudes will win the whole thing in 2019.

Hold me to these.

Deville Dentis of Des Moines East celebrates a pin over Norwalk's Carter Schmidt 138 lb 3A semi-final round at the state wrestling championships on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, in Des Moines.

More two-piece uniforms in the future?

I don’t have any super official statistics, other than from the story we wrote at the beginning of the year, but from what I saw throughout the year, it looks like the two-piece wrestling uniform might be catching on. Maybe we’ll see more of them next year. Maybe.

Biggest team surprise of 2017-18

Has to be Waukee’s performance at the state tournament. The Warriors hadn’t ever been to the state duals tournament, but they qualified and took second. They followed up with a second-place finish in the traditional state tournament, and remained fully in contention heading into Saturday night’s finals. It made for an incredible Class 3A race.

Biggest individual surprise of 2017-18

Greg Hagan, Dowling Catholic. There are a lot of other names who could fit here, but holy moly, Hagan went from a solid two-year varsity wrestler without state tournament experience to a state finalist. If not for Francis Duggan, he would’ve been the Class 3A’s best 220-pounder this year. Kudos, Hagan, and good luck again next year.

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.