Dylan Munson News Today

A look at Saturday’s Class 3A Iowa high school boys’ state wrestling finals. A district loss was the perfect motivator for Iowa City High’s Cale Seaton to return to form. A state championship form.

The work and dedication since a disappointing 2023 finish have paid dividends for Iowa City West’s Justin Avila. Fourth-ranked Avila defeated Ankeny Centennial’s Lucas Bruhl, avenging a loss in last season’s state quarterfinals and capturing the 150-pound title at the Class 3A district meet Saturday at Cedar Rapids Prairie. He was one of three West champions and eight state qualifiers.

Iowa won 18 of 20 matches in duals at Illinois and Northwestern, UNI and ISU split duals on their Oklahoma tour, Augsburg got revenge in the Battle of the Burgs and Prairie won the MVC team title.

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Wyatt Vlasek posted the principles of a new mental approach on his mirror, reading them each day. He has applied them to his wrestling and has reaped the rewards, climbing to sixth in the 157-pound rankings of Class 3A.

Wartburg captured its 13th title, while Coe and Upper Iowa rebounded after opening-round losses at the NWCA Multi-Divisional Dual Championships at the UNI-Dome. Life University gets title sweep. Iowa State sweeps out west. UNI gets 800th dual win. Alburnett boys’, Decorah girls’ impressive during the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach Derick Ball emphasizes the mental aspect of wrestling. The Hawks have made progress from a slow opening week to the season. They were fifth at the Battle of Waterloo and are ninth in the IHSAA Class 3A dual rankings.

Each of his first two seasons, Alburnett’s Preston Klostermannwas forced to settle for second the opening weekend of the season. Not this time. Klostermann tallied four pins in the two-day competition, including a third-period fall over Clear Creek Amana’s Ryker Jones, to claim the 144-pound title Saturday at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational.

Here are eight Gazette-area teams to keep an eye on during the 2023-24 Iowa high school boys’ wrestling season.

Wrestling action resumed at full-throttle this weekend. College teams competed at all levels with conference duals and multi-divisional national duals. High schools held their first Saturday of tournaments since the break. Here is the Wrestling Weekend That Was.