It was a huge weekend of competition with five of our incoming Iowa Wrestling recruits competing in their state tournament.
Angelo Ferrari (Texas), Kael Voinovich (Iowa), and Leister Bowling (Colorado) won titles. Jake Howell (Colorado) placed second and Dru Ayala (Iowa) placed third.
Brady Benham won Regionals and will compete at the Oklahoma State Tournament next weekend. Val Solorio won District 7 and will next compete at West Regional on March 2.
Joe Kennedy won his only match at the Team Section 1AA Championship for team duals.
Leo DeLuca had one match at the New York/New Jersey National Prep Qualifier where he won by a pin in :15.
Karlee Brooks is in the 53 KG/116 lbs. finals at the Klippan Lady Open in Klippan, Sweden. Brooks is representing Team USA in the Senior division on Saturday and Sunday.
I am still researching for results for Miguel Estrada.
As I have done for years I will continue to post a blog of where our incoming recruits will be competing for the weekend and a follow up blog with results.
Recruiting Class of 2024
Dru Ayala – Fort Dodge, Iowa 120 lbs.
Wed/Sat Feb 14-17 – at Iowa High School State Tournament
Champ. Round 1 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Nick McCallister (Waukee) 24-13 (Dec 18-12)
Quarterfinal – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by major decision over Reid Foster (Bondurant-Farrar) 27-9 (MD 16-3)
Semifinal – Jake Knight (Bettendorf) 34-2 won by decision over Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 (Dec 12-6)
Cons. Semi – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Malik DeBow (Linn-Mar) 34-4 (Dec 7-4)
3rd Place Match – Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) 43-4 won by decision over Cody Vandermark (Ankeny Centennial) 35-6 (Dec 5-4)
Keyan Hernandez – Billings (West), Montana 126 lbs.
Season completed – State Champion.
Miguel Estrada – Bakersfield (Frontier HS), California 152 lbs.
Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – Masters (Selland Arena)
Angelo Ferrari – Melissa, Texas 175 lbs.
Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – at UIL State Championships (Cypress)
Champ. Round 1 – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over Aiden Rodriguez (Edcouch-Elsa) 43-11 (Fall 1:19)
Quarterfinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over Erik Woolston (Frisco Lone Star) 40-7 (Fall 1:28)
Semifinal – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by fall over De`Andre Richardson (Carrollton Creekview) 29-13 (Fall 1:21)
1st Place Match – Angelo Ferrari (Melissa) 34-0 won by tech fall over Isaac Zapata (Georgetown) 55-4 (TF-1.5 4:37 (27-12))
Jake Howell – Glenwood Village (Cherry Creek HS), Colorado 215 lbs.
Fri/Sat Feb 15-17 – at Colorado State Championships (Denver)
Champ. Round 1 – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by fall over Mouhamed Benbelkacem (Cherokee Trail) 9-15 (Fall 1:29)
Quarterfinal – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by fall over Oz Nowick (Grandview) 23-12 (Fall 2:28)
Semifinal – Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 won by major decision over Maddux Najera (Pomona) 30-6 (MD 11-2)
1st Place Match – Quinn Funk (Legacy) 45-0 won by fall over Jake Howell (Cherry Creek) 30-3 (Fall 3:36)
Kael Voinovich – City High HS, Iowa City, Iowa 157 lbs.
Wed/Sat Feb 14-17 – at Iowa High School State Tournament
Champ. Round 1 – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by fall over Dominic Tigner (Norwalk) 35-11 (Fall 3:06)
Quarterfinal – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by major decision over Isaac Bruhl (Ankeny Centennial) 20-3 (MD 19-7)
Semifinal – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by injury default over Grant Kress (Linn-Mar) 32-2 (Inj. 1:50)
1st Place Match – Kael Voinovich (Iowa City, City High) 41-1 won by major decision over Jaxon Miller (Carlisle) 36-3 (MD 12-3)
Joe Kennedy – Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota 152 lbs.
Sat Feb 17 – at Team Section 1AA Championship (Rochester)
Joseph Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville) over Laiken Copeman (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) Dec 8-4
Brady Benham – Sperry, Oklahoma 165 lbs.
Fri/Sat Feb 16-17 – at 3A Regionals (Vinita, OK)
Champ. Round 1 – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Nathaniel Acevedo (VICTORY CHRISTIAN) 1-2 (Fall 0:48)
Champ. Round 2 – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by tech fall over Joseph Cummings (HENRYETTA) 16-11 (TF-1.5 2:50 (17-2))
Quarterfinal – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Kutter Thompson (WYANDOTTE) 1-2 (Fall 1:30)
Semifinal – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by tech fall over Seth Elam (SALINA) 27-12 (TF-1.5 4:50 (17-2))
1st Place Match – Brady Benham (SPERRY) 37-0 won by fall over Landon Beliel (TONKAWA) 31-7 (Fall 1:12)
Recruiting Class of 2025
Leo DeLuca – Blair Academy New Jersey 120 lbs.
Sat Feb 17 – New York/New Jersey National Prep Qualifier (Blair)
Leo DeLuca (Blair) won by fall in :15
Leister Bowling – Mead, Colorado 175 lbs.
Fri/Sat Feb 15-17 – at Colorado State Championships (Denver)
Champ. Round 1 – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by fall over Kc Mendoza (Mountain View) 25-20 (Fall 1:37)
Quarterfinal – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by major decision over Michael Garcia (Roosevelt) 32-12 (MD 16-4)
Semifinal – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by fall over Walker Hayman (Loveland) 41-1 (Fall 1:55)
1st Place Match – Leister Bowling (Mead) 55-1 won by major decision over Jack Doughty (Canon City) 48-3 (MD 8-0)
Women’s Recruiting Class of 2024
Val Solorio – Canon-McMillan HS, Pennsylvania 100 lbs.
Sat Feb 17 – at District 7 (North Allegheny)
Val Solorio (Canon-McMillan) tech fall over Kristen Walzer (Montour) 16-1
Karlee Brooks – Valiant College Prep HS (Phoenix, AZ) 120 lbs.
Sat/Sun Feb 17-18 – at Klippan Lady Open (Sweden)
WIN Lobna Icaoui (Tunisia), tech. fall, 12-0
WIN Lilya Cohen (France), fall, 4:15
WIN Maelyss Rousselet (France), 5-4
VS Magdalena Glodek (Poland)
Cadence Diduch – Freeport, Illinois 135 lbs.
No competition scheduled.
Kiara Djoumessi – Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa 140 lbs.
Season completed – State Champion.
Naomi Simon – Decorah, Iowa 170 lbs.
Season completed – State Champion.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
