The 2016 Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena wrapped up its three day run on Saturday night and two area wrestlers won individual titles. . ADM senior Zach Johnston won the 160 lbs. title in Class 2A with an 11-4 decision over Trevor Nelson of Solon, and Ogden senior Austin Lentz won 6-3 over Daniel Bishop of Hinton. The Tigers had not had a state wrestling champion since 1975 until Saturday night and Johnston becomes the sixth in the program’s history. Lentz is the first Ogden state wrestling champion since 2001 when Jesse Sundell won the last of his four titles. Jason Keenan won four titles from 1992-95, and Lentz becomes the school’s third individual to win a title. This is also the last year coaching for Ogden’s Brian Reimers who is set to retire. Sundell is the assistant and he’s slated to take over the top spot.
Extensive play-by-play coverage was carried Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on all three Raccoon Valley Radio stations and also streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com.
Perry had an outstanding tournament as well with three wrestlers placing seventh or higher for head coach Trevor Kittleson.
The ADM Tigers had their best team finish in decades by finishing in fifth place with four wrestlers placing fifth or higher. Creston/Orient-Macksburg won the 2A team title and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows was second.
Results of Saturday’s matches and final placings for those finishing third through eighth from the area in the 1A and 2A classes are listed below.
Class 1A
126 Ben Freese, Nodaway Valley lost by fall 3:25 to Garrett Thompson, Logan-Magnolia 8th place.
138 Logan Scheuermann, Guthrie Center lost 6-2 to Tom Jennings, Underwood; lost 8-2 to Austin Pontier, I-35 (Truro); sixth place.
195 Nick Ross, Ogden won 10-6 over Colton Francis, West Hancock (Britt); won 3-1 over Jordan Challis, Tipton; third place.
Class 2A
120 Zach Thompson, Perry did not wrestle (medical forfeits); sixth place.
126 Gisaveri Niyibizi, Perry won 8-2 over Tanner Probasco, South Tama County; won 4-2 over Ryan Steffen, Crestwood; third place.
132 Kade Van Kirk, Perry won 7-0 over Colton Vest, South Tama County; seventh place.
182 Cole Bennett, ADM lost 9-4 (ultiimate tie-breker) to JJ Clark, Clarinda; won by fall 3:22 over Cade Baker, Garner-Hayfield/Ventura; fifth place.
220 Hunter Gibson, ADM won 1-0 over Alex Paulson, Forest City; lost 9-3to Noah Broderson, Assumption-Davenport; fourth place.
285 Nathan Heath, ADM won by fall :23 over Tanner Hofstetter, Grinnell; won by fall 1:46 over Caleb Sanders, Glenwood; third place.