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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.
Sigourney’s Reanah Utterback has placed at the IHSAA state tournament. She is competing in the IGHSAU state tournament this season and opened with two pins quicker than a minute Thursday morning.
West Liberty’s Silvia Garcia-Vasquez placed third at state last year with her lone loss coming to Sioux City North’s runner-up Molly Sek. She got revenge Thursday, pinning the top seed in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union 115-pound state quarterfinals. Garcia-Vasquez was joined in the quarterfinals by sisters, Dionni and Bricsia.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Cael Smithhart has dealt with adversity, battling major hip injuries the last two years. He showed his resolve, yet again, overcoming an excessively bleeding nose to record a fall in the Cougars’ 43-24 loss to North Scott.