2024 Boys Wrestling Rewind Reads
2nd Team
Alex Hansen- Audubon- Junior
Hansen was one of the most consistent wrestlers for the Wheelers earning 31 wins on the season. Alex was 2nd at the Wheeler Invite, 3rd at the Dan Hill Invite while finishing 4th at the Riverside Invite, WIC Tournament and at the District meet. He ended the season with 21 wins by fall.
Lane Elmquist- Audubon- Sophomore
Elmquist finished his season at the State Tournament, going 23-13 on the season. He earned his trip to State with a 2nd place finish at the District meet in Glenwood, falling in the finals to Jesse Jens of Harlan, who he wrestled again in the 1st round at State. He earned a 3rd place finish at the Dan Hill Invite, was 2nd at the WIC Tournament and the Wheeler Invite. He had 10 wins by fall this season.
Kieran Polking- Carroll- Sophomore
Kieran closed the season going 2-2 at the State Tournament, wrestling well in all four matches. The Sophomore gives the Tigers a talented young wrestler to build around for the next two years. He qualified for State with a 2nd place finish at the District in Glenwood. Polking took 2nd at the Carroll Invite, was 4th at the Rollin Dyer Invite and was 3rd at the Raccoon River Conference Meet. He had 16 wins by fall.
Johnny Cortez- Coon Rapids Bayard- Sophomore
For a second straight year Cortez was the Crusaders top wrestler. He ended the season with 32 wins and only 7 losses. He started the season with a 5th place at the Dennis Field Invite, then took 3rd at the Lenox Invite. He won his home meet with a pair of wins and followed it up with a 2nd place finish at Ogden’s Invite. He just missed qualifying for State, taking 3rd at the District in Riverside. He had 17 wins by fall this season.
Caleb Hoffman- Kuemper- Sophomore
Hoffman was one of five Knights to qualify for the State Tournament, earning a win in his opening round match. He earned his way to State with a District title at Ogden, winning by fall to close a perfect 2-0 day. He was consistent all season, taking 3rd at the Joe Fitch Invite to start the season, was 2nd at the Hawkeye 10 Tournament and had a stretch in December where he won 9 straight matches. He earned 14 wins by fall.
Tate Bieret- Kuemper-Junior
Bieret went 2-2 at the State Tournament with both of his wins by fall. He wrestled very well in Des Moines, following up a strong District performance, where he went 3-0. Bieret took 3rd at the Joe Fitch Invite, Carroll Invite, Tri Center Invite and the Hawkeye 10 Conference Tournament. He went 33-10 on the season with 9 straight wins between late December and early January.
Zach Trott- South Central Calhoun- Senior
Trott battled through injuries late in the season and at the District meet in Ogden, finishing the season 34-8. He had won 9 of his last 11 matches going into the District meet. He started the season strong, taking 2nd at the Doug Wood Invite, went 5-0 at the Crusader Invite and was 2-2 at the Herb Irgens Invite with both wins by fall and advancing to the quarterfinals. He had 19 wins by fall.
1st Team
Cael Nelson- Carroll- Senior
Nelson set Tiger history this season, becoming the first four time qualifier for the State Tournament. He earned his bid with a District title at Glenwood. He picked up 3 wins at the State Tournament, finishing his senior campaign 3-2 at State. Cael was a technician on the mat, studying his opponent and using their weaknesses to pick up 16 wins by fall. He took 3rd at the Andy Davidson DCG Invite, was 2nd at the Rollin Dyer Invite and the Raccoon River Tournament. He won 17 matches in a row from early December to early January.
Cooper Ludwig- Carroll- Senior
Ludwig qualified for the State Tournament, earning a bye in the opening round as one of the top 8 seeds. Ludwig battled injuries for a good portion of the season, having to sit out a few tournaments but still finding a way to win 31 matches. He started the season strong with a title at the Andy Davidson DCG Invite. He followed that with 10 straight wins from early December to early January. He took 2nd at the Herb Irgens and won a District Championship at Glenwood, helping the Tigers send 8 guys to the State Tournament.
Owen Klocke- Carroll- Junior
Klocke won 24 straight matches to open the season, moving up to 3rd in the rankings at 157-pounds. That helped propel him to a strong season, wrapping up with a 3-2 mark at the State Tournament. Klocke won the Andy Davidson DCG Invite and the Carroll Invite before Christmas. He took 5th at the Rollin Dyer Invite and was 4th at the Herb Irgens Invite. He added a 3rd place finish at the Raccoon River Conference Tournament and was 2nd at the District at Glenwood. He had 20 wins by fall.
Chase Ragaller- Carroll- Senior
Ragaller wrapped up a terrific career for Carroll with a trip to the State Tournament, winning his District at Glenwood. He picked up a win by fall at the State tournament in his second match of the tournament, finishing the season with 20 wins by fall. Ragaller opened the season with a 4th place finish at the Andy Davidson DCG Invite. He was 2nd at the Carroll Invite and 4th at the Herb Irgens Invite and the Raccoon River Conference Tournament.
Quinten Polking- Carroll- Sophomore
Quinten had a strong showing at the State Tournament, going 3-2 overall with two wins by fall and both of his losses extremely competitive. He was wrestling as well as anyone at the end of the season. Polking went 3-0 at the Glenwood District with dominating wins in all 3 matches and entered State on a 5 match win streak. He started the season taking 5th at the Andy Davidson DCG Invite. He was 3rd at the Carroll Invite, Rollin Dyer Invite and the Herb Irgens Invite. He had his best finish in tournaments, taking 2nd at the Raccoon River Conference Tournament. He ended the season with 28 wins by fall.
Jake Irlbeck- Kuemper- Senior
Irlbeck opened the season with a title at the Joe Fitch Invite and finished the season with a return trip to the State Tournament. The senior was very consistent all season with two- seven match win streaks during the season. He took 3rd at the Carroll Invite, was 2nd at the Tri Center Invite and was 3rd at the Rich Gray Invite. He closed the regular season with 2nd place finishes at both the Hawkeye 10 Tournament and the District meet at Ogden. Jake earned a bye at the State Tournament as a top 8 seed, finishing the tournament 2-2 with both losses 4-2. He had 16 wins by fall.
Bryce Wiskus- Kuemper- Senior
Wiskus had a great run at the State Tournament, winning two of his three matches with come from behind wins late, going 3-2 at State. Bryce was 2nd at the Joe Fitch Invite to start the season, then won 17 straight matches from early December to early January. During the streak, he won the Carroll Invite. He added a 3rd place at the Tri Center Invite and was 4th at the Rich Gray Classic. Wiskus took 3rd at the Hawkeye 10 Conference and took 2nd at the District in Ogden. He had 25 wins by fall.
Brock Nattress- South Central Calhoun- Senior
Nattress concluded a strong career with a 8th place finish at the State Tournament at 150-pounds. Nattress was a top 8 seed entering the tournament after a strong season and a District Title at Ogden. He battled his way to Saturday after losing his first match at State, winning three straight matches, finishing the tournament 3-3. He won his first- eight matches of the season, then won 23 straight matches from early December to mid-January. He won the Doug Wood Invite and the Crusader Invite. He finished the season with 31 wins by fall.
Bradyn Burns- East Sac- Senior
Burns earned his 150th career win at the State Tournament, going 2-2 at State with both wins by fall. Burns nearly advanced to Saturday, falling just shy. He strung several five match winning streaks together, along with an 8 match win streak, with his longest of 10 helping him win the District title at Ogden and head to State on a streak. He took 2nd at the Doug Wood Invite, Paul Fuhrman Tournament and was 5th at the Charger Invite. He won 39 matches by fall.
Wrestler of the Year
Charlie Veit- East Sac- Senior
Veit was a warrior all season long, taking it another step forward at the State Tournament, finishing in 7th place at 144-pounds while batting two injuries that nearly kept him off the mats this season. He won the District at Ogden with two wins by fall and a major decision, earning a bye in the opening round as a top 8 seed. He won his 2nd round match by fall and led the 2nd ranked wrestler in the quarterfinals before falling. He bounced back to win his 3rd match at State, qualifying him for Saturday, doing it with a re-injured knee that forced him to forfeit the chance to wrestle for 5th place. He dominated his 7th place match, earning a place on the stand. He started the season with championships at the Doug Wood Invite, Paul Fuhrman Tournament and the Charger Invite. He took 3rd at the Herb Irgens Invite. He won his 19 straight matches to start the season, then won 8 in a row and won 17 more in a row heading to the State Tournament. He finished with 32 wins by fall.
Coach of the Year
Eric Nagl- Carroll
Nagl has built one of the elite programs in Western Iowa and shows no sign of slowing down. The Tigers went 13-5 in duals this season battling against a conference that every team but two were ranked at one point during the season. Carroll was really strong in weekend tournaments as well. They won the Carroll Invite, took 2nd at the Ogden Dual Tournament, 3rd at Andy Davidson DCG Invite, 4th at the Raccoon River Conference Tournament, 7th at Herb Irgens Invite and 8th at the Rollin Dyer Invite. Carroll earned their first District Title, sending 8 wrestlers to the State Tournament tying a record from early in the 20th Century. Carroll qualified for the Regional Duals Tournament, losing to eventual Dual Team Champion Creston in the Regional Final. Nagl has built a family atmosphere with the Carroll wrestling team and the athletes say it’s easy to see he cares about them as people and not just as athletes.
