Class 1A State Wrestling: Adam Allard, Cael Happel halfway to four-peat, Cameron Beminio's 'good weekend' and more

Adam Allard and Cael Happel aren’t afraid to address it. They know they’re halfway to history and aren’t running from the challenge.

On a night where Brody Teske and Alex Thomsen cemented their wrestling legacies as four-time state champions, West Sioux's Allard and Libson's Happel reached the halfway point of accomplishing the same. Each sophomore cruised to his second Class 1A title in as many years, winning at 113 pounds and 120 pounds, respectively.

Confidence oozes from both.

“Oh yeah, I’ll take that challenge,” Allard said. “I’ll take on anyone. I put in a lot of work to get to this moment, and I’m willing to get to the four state titles.”

Said Happel: “I always expect to dominate, regardless of who I’m wrestling.”

Neither had much trouble. Allard had the first crack, knocking off Logan Magnolia’s Briar Reisz, 9-2, to cap a 46-0 sseason. Happel rolled in a similarly convincing fashion, upending Wapello’s Daniel Meeker by tech fall to clinch Lisbon’s team title.

On the other side of victory was a bubbly green prize. As Happel jogged off the mat and headed toward the tunnel, the Lisbon staff handed him a large bottle of Mountain Dew. He instantly started guzzling.

“Something to look forward to, I guess,” Happel said with a laugh. “I haven’t had pop since June of last year, so first one in a while.

“Tasted pretty good.”       

After a 2-for-2 start, the target only enlarges for Allard and Happel as they progress to upperclassmen. Their names will cause commotion at tournaments and duals throughout the year, and everyone will yearn to knock them off during next year's postseason.

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But they have the experience and know the winning feeling. It’s on them to keep grinding.

Coaching history with Lisbon win

Not only did Happel’s tech fall give him a second title, but it carved Brad Smith’s name further into the Iowa high school wrestling history books. Lisbon’s 127.5-121 win over Don Bosco gave Smith his 12th career traditional team title, breaking Bob Siddens’ record for the most ever in state history.

Nine of those have come at Lisbon split between two stints. The other three arrived at City High.

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“That’s huge,” Happel said. “He’s been nervous all week for this moment and to give back even just a little bit, he’s meant so much to our team as a whole. To have this tournament title go along with his legacy is crazy. We can’t thank him enough. It was big just to go out there and do it for him.” 

Unbeaten update

There were six undefeated 1A wrestlers at the start of the day and five by day’s end. Along with Allard, Akron-Westfield’s John Henrich (44-0, 160 pounds), AHSTW’s Gabe Pauley (56-0, 170 pounds), Martensdale-St. Marys’ Logan Schumacher (52-0, 182 pounds) and Jesup’s Brian Sadler (44-0, 285 pounds) all finished perfect seasons with a state title.

Sibley-Ocheyedan’s Hunter DeJong was the only unbeaten who fell, losing to Alburnett’s Tanner Sloan.

‘It was a good weekend’

Cameron Beminio’s final high school wrestling match was a taxing affair, one that needed multiple overtimes and an ultimate tiebreaker to decide. By the time it concluded, the Belmond-Klemme senior was almost too tired to talk.

Every grueling second was worth it.

Beminio knocked off Manson Northwest Webster’s Enrique Maravilla, 3-2, in the ultimate tiebreaker to finish third at 285 pounds in Class 1A. The win capped a productive state tournament run that featured support and admiration spilling from every wrestling crevice.

“It was a good weekend,” Beminio said.  

Beminio's father, police officer Tony Beminio, was ambushed and killed in November 2016 while on duty in Urbandale. He was just 38 years old and served with the Des Moines Police Department for 11 years. Tony Beminio won the 275-pound state title at Iowa City West in 1996 and transferred his wrestling love to his son. The two bonded over the sport until his death.

“When I wrestle,” Cameron Beminio said in an interview with the Register’s Cody Goodwin last week, “I can always hear his voice in the back of my head.”

The Belmond-Klemme senior opened the tournament with wins over Louisa Muscatine’s Gabe Hayes and South Winnesheik’s Jackson Lukes before falling in Friday’s semifinals to Jesup's Brian Sadler.

Beminio then opened Saturday with an 8-2 victory over Denver’s Brock Farley in the 285 wrestlebacks, which included a takedown and two backs at the end of the third. That set the stage for the Maravilla showdown.  

Jubilation ensued once the final seconds ticked away.

“I think I accomplished what I came to do,” Beminio said. “I knew Sadler was going to be my hardest match — and I failed at beating him — but third place is the next best thing.

“So I’m happy with that.” 

Adding to the record book

Although Nathan Haynes won’t be leaving Des Moines with a state title, the Missouri Valley senior continued piling onto his state record. Haynes upended Newman Catholic’s Chase McCleish and Denver’s Cael Krueger, 6-3, on Friday to take third place at 170 pounds in 1A.

He concludes his decorated career with a state-best 219 wins and 161 pins, having passed the previous record of 210 (co-owned by Max Thomsen and Bryce West) earlier this season.  

“It’s been a long ride, trying to get those records,” Haynes said, “but it happened — and we got it — and we’re super excited. A great feeling.”   

Class 1A Team Race

1. Lisbon, 127.5

2. Don Bosco-Gilbertville, 121

3. Denver, 86

4. Wapsie Valley, Fairbank 66.5

5. Underwood, 58

Final Results

106: Daniel Kimball (Don Bosco-Gilbertville) 45-2, Jr. over Jaymus Wilson (Alburnett) 41-5, Jr. (Dec 6-2)

113: Adam Allard (West Sioux) 46-0, So. over Briar Reisz (Logan-Magnolia) 51-5, Fr. (Dec 9-2)

120: Cael Happel (Lisbon) 52-2, So. over Daniel Meeker (Wapello) 44-5, So. (TF-1.5 4:45 (27-12))

126: Alex Thomsen (Underwood) 51-1, Sr. over Cobe Siebrecht (Lisbon) 51-2, Jr. (MD 18-6)

132: Donny Schmit (Wapsie Valley, Fairbank) 47-2, Sr. over Brady Henderson (North Linn-Troy Mills) 33-5, Jr. (Fall 1:59)

138: Gable Fox (Don Bosco-Gilbertville) 43-1, Sr. over Kolton Roth (Graettinger-Terril/R-A) 48-3, Sr. (Dec 11-10)

145: Cooper Siebrecht (Lisbon) 51-5, Sr. over Wade Mitchell (Woodbury Central, Moville) 47-9, So. (Dec 3-2)

152: Trey Brisker (Wilton) 52-1, Sr. over Kaleb Krall (Wapsie Valley, Fairbank) 34-6, Jr. (Dec 6-2)

160: John Henrich (Akron-Westfield) 44-0, Jr. over Brennan Swafford (Mediapolis) 52-3, Sr. (Dec 8-7)

170: Gabe Pauley (AHSTW) 56-0, Jr. over Bryce Werderman (Lisbon) 48-6, Sr. (Dec 6-5)

182: Logan Schumacher (Martensdale-St. Marys) 52-0, Sr. over Garet Sims (Iowa Valley, Marengo) 55-2, Jr. (Dec 2-0)

195: Tanner Sloan (Alburnett) 48-1, Sr. over Hunter DeJong (Sibley-Ocheyedan) 47-1, Sr. (Fall 3:18)

220: Cam Fulcher (Hudson) 32-2, Sr. over Tom Rief (Missouri Valley) 56-2, Sr. (Fall 5:44)

285: Brian Sadler (Jesup) 44-0, Sr. over Chase Arends (Dike-New Hartford) 45-7, Sr. (Fall 0:52)

Dargan Southard covers preps, recruiting, Iowa and UNI athletics for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, The Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.