As advertised it was a huge weekend for Iowa Wrestling recruits across the country.

126 teams competed at the Walsh Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I am here to tell you wrestling fans, these high school wrestlers just keep get better and better. The level of competition at the Ironman was impressive.

Incoming recruit Angelo Ferrari won the title at 165 at one of the toughest brackets maybe ever in high school wrestling. I do not believe that is an overstatement. It will be interesting to look back at this 165 lbs. bracket in about ten years to see what all of these wrestlers accomplished in their career.

Ferrari defeated Cadet World champion Joe Sealey of Wyoming Seminary in the finals, UTB 2-2.

New commit Leo DeLuca of Blair Academy also looked real good winning the Ironman title at 120 lbs.

As he has done for years, Iowa Assistant Wrestling Coach Ryan Morningstar was at the Ironman.

Keyan Hernandez was 4-0 at the Jim Street Mining City Duals in Butte, Montana.

Dru Ayala placed second at the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic.

Leister Bowling was 4-0 at the Charlie Lake Duals in Cheyenne, WY.

Incoming recruits for the Women’s program performed well. Kiara Djoumessi won the 140 lbs. title at the Vinton-Shellsburg Invitational with three pins. 

Naomi Simon won the 170 lbs. title at the South Winneshiek Invitational with three pins.

I will keep adding to this blog as I get results for other recruits that were unavailable at press time.

I will be back on Friday to get us ready for another big weekend of wrestling for our incoming recruits.

 

 

Recruiting Class of 2024

Dru Ayala – Fort Dodge, Iowa  120 lbs.

Fri/Sat Dec 8-9 – at Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic

Round 2 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by fall over Aidan Oldham (Gardner-Edgerton) 0-4 (Fall 0:31)

Round 3 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by fall over Logan Penry (Millard West) 3-6 (Fall 0:43)

Round 4 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by tech fall over Levi Cerny (Columbus) 6-6 (TF-1.5 5:32 (20-5))

Round 5 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by tech fall over Caden Hulett (Platte County) 6-3 (TF-1.5 4:04 (21-6))

Champ. Round 1 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by fall over Matthew Williams (North Scott) 8-5 (Fall 3:09)

Quarterfinal – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by medical forfeit over Odin Anschutz (Plattsmouth) 7-1 (M. For.)

Semifinal – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 won by fall over Drew Anderson (Lewis Central) 9-2 (Fall 3:36)

1st Place Match – Kiernan Meink (Millard South) 11-0 won by decision over Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 12-1 (Dec 7-0)

 

Keyan Hernandez – Billings (West), Montana 126 lbs.

Fri/Sat Dec 8-9 – at Jim Street Mining City Duals (Butte)

Keyan Hernandez (Billings West) over William Barnes (Flathead) Fall 0:29

Keyan Hernandez (Billings West) over Donte Surechief (Browning) Fall 0:50

Keyan Hernandez (Billings West) over Ty Laslovich (Gallatin (Bozeman) MT) TF 18-2

Keyan Hernandez (Billings West) over Cashton Spolar (Helena Capital) Fall 4:32

 

Miguel Estrada  Bakersfield (Frontier HS), California  144 lbs.

Did not compete.

 

Angelo Ferrari – Melissa, Texas  175 lbs.

Fri/Sat Dec 8-9 – at Walsh Ironman (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

Champ. Round 1 – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won by fall over Hunter Buckland (Wadsworth) 0-2 (Fall 2:15)

Champ. Round 2 – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won by tech fall over Jacob Robie (Christianburg) 2-2 (TF-1.5 3:41 (25-10))

Champ. Round 3 – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won by major decision over Landen Johnson (Massillon Perry) 2-2 (MD 17-8)

Quarterfinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won by decision over Emmitt Sherlock (Gilman School) 5-2 (Dec 4-1)

Semifinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won by decision over Ethan Birden (Dublin Coffman) 53-4 (Dec 5-1)

1st Place Match – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 6-0 won in the ultimate tie breaker over Joe Sealey (Wyoming Seminary (PA)) 5-1 (UTB 2-2)

 

Jake Howell –  Glenwood Village (Cherry Creek HS), Colorado  215 lbs.

Sat Dec 9 – at Lewis-Palmer Invitational

No results at this time.

 

Recruiting Class of 2025

Leo DeLuca  – Blair Academy New Jersey  120 lbs.

Fri/Sat Dec 8-9 – at Walsh Ironman (Cuyahoga Falls, OH)

Champ. Round 1 – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by fall over Collier Hartman (Canon-McMillan) 24-17 (Fall 2:21)

Champ. Round 2 – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by tech fall over Christian Osborne (St. Vincent-St Mary) 1-2 (TF-1.5 4:16 (16-1))

Champ. Round 3 – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by tech fall over Garrison Weisner (Clay) 1-2 (TF-1.5 3:57 (16-1))

Quarterfinal – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by decision over Louie Gill (Reynolds) 5-3 (Dec 6-3)

Semifinal – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by fall over Ethan Rivera (Lake Highland Prep) 5-2 (Fall 3:05)

1st Place Match – Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy) 6-0 won by decision over Beric Jordan (Stillwater) 5-1 (Dec 3-2)

 

Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado  175 lbs.

Sat Dec 9 – at Charlie Lake Duals (Cheyenne, WY)

Leister Bowling (Mead) over Sam Thornhill (Rock Springs) Dec 6-1

Leister Bowling (Mead) over Trinity Chavez (Kelly Walsh) Fall 2:00

Leister Bowling (Mead) over Unknown (Unattached) Fall 2:18

Leister Bowling (Mead) over Sage Lonn (Rawlins) Dec 9-2

 

Women’s Recruiting Class of 2024

Val Solorio – Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania  100 lbs.

Did not compete.

 

Karlee Brooks – Valiant College Prep HS (Phoenix, AZ)  120 lbs.

No events scheduled.

 

Cadence Diduch – Freeport, Illinois  135 lbs.

Sat Dec 9 – at Lancer Invite (Lake Park)

No results at this time.

 

Kiara Djoumessi – Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa  140 lbs.

Sat Dec 9 – at Vinton-Shellsburg Invitational

Quarterfinal – Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock) 25-0 won by fall over Riley Rouse (Independence) 4-15 (Fall 0:16)

Semifinal – Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock) 25-0 won by fall over Kyna Moffit (Pleasant Valley) 16-6 (Fall 3:30)

1st Place Match – Kiara Djoumessi (Waverly-Shell Rock) 25-0 won by fall over Ellie Brenneman (Mid-Prairie) 17-6 (Fall 1:24)

 

Naomi Simon – Decorah, Iowa 170 lbs.

Fri Dec 8 – at South Winneshiek Invitational (Luther College) 

Quarterfinal – Naomi Simon (Decorah) 21-0 won by fall over Addison Schenker (Osage/Riceville) 10-6 (Fall 0:40)

Semifinal – Naomi Simon (Decorah) 21-0 won by fall over Raelynn Manderfield (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) 12-9 (Fall 1:56)

1st Place Match – Naomi Simon (Decorah) 21-0 won by fall over Aleah Eichenberger (New Hampton/Turkey Valley) 14-6 (Fall 1:10)

 

It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.

Go Hawks!