The energy inside Wells Fargo Arena during the state tournament isn't something you can easily explain to someone who hasn't sat in those stands. It’s loud. It’s hot. The air basically smells like popcorn and sweat. If you’re looking for the Iowa high school state wrestling results, you’re likely trying to make sense of a weekend that moved at about a hundred miles per hour.
Iowa wrestling isn't just a hobby; for a lot of these towns, it's the only thing that matters in February.
The Southeast Polk Dynasty and the 3A Power Shift
If you followed Class 3A, you saw Southeast Polk basically turn the tournament into a personal highlight reel. They didn't just win; they dominated in a way that felt almost unfair to everyone else. The Rams put up a massive 259.5 points to take the team title, fueled by four individual champions.
Honestly, watching Eddie Woody as a freshman was something else. He ended his year 41-1 by pinning his way through the 106-pound final in just 79 seconds. Most kids that age are just happy to be there, but Woody looked like he was on a mission. Then you had Nico DeSalvo at 113, who took down Alexander Pierce in a tight 4-1 decision. DeSalvo finished the season undefeated at 38-0, which is just absurd when you think about the schedule those guys pull.
Justis Jesuroga grabbed the 144-pound title, though it was a bit of a bittersweet win. He won by medical forfeit after Koy Davidson from Fort Dodge had to pull out. Davidson had a compressed vertebrae from the semifinals—tough break for a guy who’s usually a hammer. To cap it all off, Cooper Martinson won the heavyweight (285) title with a 4-1 decision over Brady Hagen.
Other 3A Standouts Who Stole the Show
- Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge): The kid is a junior and already has three titles. He’s an Oklahoma State commit and honestly looks like a grown man out there. He tech-falled Jean Ngoma 18-2 in the 215 finals.
- Jake Knight (Bettendorf): Took the 120-pound crown with an 11-4 win over Cale Vandermark.
- Jacob Helgeson (Johnston): Secured the 175-pound title by pinning Lincoln Jipp in under three minutes.
- Asa Hemsted (Carlisle): Won the 190-pound bracket, helping Carlisle put a couple of guys on top of the podium.
Class 2A: The Battle for the Top
While Southeast Polk was running away with 3A, the 2A race was a bit more of a grind. Burlington Notre Dame ended up taking the team trophy with 129 points. It wasn't the massive blowout we saw in the larger class, but a win is a win.
📖 Related: Jets game today Winnipeg: Why the Minnesota matchup is a massive trap
Jace Hedeman from Union LaPorte City is a name you'll keep hearing. He capped off a 55-0 senior season by pinning Carter Cajthaml for his third state title. There’s something special about a kid who goes through an entire Iowa season without dropping a single match. His teammate, Brayden Bohnsack, also joined the three-timer club by winning a 3-2 nail-biter at 120 pounds.
2A Individual Highlights
Jase Jaspers from Mount Vernon finally got over the hump. After being a runner-up twice, he finished a perfect 47-0 season by major decisioning Tyler Wieland 10-0 at 144 pounds. You could see the relief on his face when the whistle blew.
Zayvion Ellington (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) also finished a perfect season at 175 pounds. He handed Clear Lake’s Christian Dunning his only loss of the year in the finals. That’s the thing about the Iowa high school state wrestling results—it doesn’t matter if you’re 53-0 going into the finals; the mat doesn't care about your record once the lights go up.
Class 1A: Don Bosco’s Thousand-Win Legacy
Don Bosco is basically the gold standard for small-school wrestling in the country. They won the 1A team title again with 225.5 points. Just recently, they actually hit their 1,000th dual win as a program, joining Osage as the only other school in the state to do that.
At state, the Schwab brothers were a force. Hendrix Schwab took the 113-pound title, and Hayden Schwab followed it up at 120. When you have brothers like that in the room, everyone gets better. Dawson Youngblut also brought home a title for the Dons at 138.
Ashton Honnold and Trenton Warner from Nodaway Valley both won titles at 215 and 285 respectively. It’s rare to see a school sweep the two heaviest weights like that, but those guys were immovable.
💡 You might also like: Who's Pitching for the Braves Today: Why You Won't See a Game in January
Speed and Stats: The Records People Miss
A lot of people just look at the champions, but the "hustle" stats are where the real stories are. Kash Johnson from Ankeny had the fastest fall of the tournament, pinning his opponent in exactly 10 seconds. You blink and the match is over.
Duncan Harn from Bettendorf was a statistical monster. He racked up five pins and tech falls in a total combined time of 8 minutes and 56 seconds. That's basically finishing five matches in less time than it takes to get through two full regulation bouts.
Looking Ahead to 2026
If you're already thinking about next year, the landscape is shifting. Decorah has actually moved up to the No. 1 spot in the 2A dual rankings, bumping Clarion-Goldfield/Dows. We’re heading into the regional duals on February 3, 2026, with the State Duals hitting the Xtream Arena in Coralville on February 7.
The traditional state tournament—the big one at Wells Fargo—is set for February 18-21, 2026.
If you're trying to keep up with the current season, keep an eye on these things:
- Weight Management: This is the time of year where guys start settling into their "post-scratch" weights.
- Dual Rankings: Southeast Polk is still the team to beat in 3A, but Dowling Catholic and Indianola are lurking.
- Injury Reports: As we saw with Koy Davidson last year, one bad landing can change the entire bracket.
Check the IHSAA website for the updated district assignments that were just released. Knowing where your favorite wrestler is headed for districts is the first step in figuring out their path to the podium. Get your tickets early for Des Moines; the Saturday night finals sell out faster than you'd think.