2020 state wrestling: Team rankings, returning champs, undefeated wrestlers and cool names

The greatest week in Iowa high school sports has arrived, finally and again.

Wrestling fanatics from all corners of the state will descend on Des Moines and fill Wells Fargo Arena this week. They’re coming for Wednesday’s state duals, followed by the traditional state tournament that runs Thursday through Saturday. For some, it will be their first trip. For others, maybe they’re 50th or even more.

That’s part of the beauty of the week, that so many faces, new and old, young and seasoned, will experience the roller coaster that is the state wrestling championships. They will see the highest of highs and the lowest of lows — sometimes all within a few minutes of each other.

There are many reasons why the state wrestling tournament is so special. It takes a special blend of skill, grit and mental fortitude to navigate the three-day competition. On top of that, the ever-important team races require consistency, dominance and maybe a little bit of luck, too.

How to watchand follow the 2020 Iowa high school state wrestling tournament

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It’s crazy and awesome and sometimes a little bit weird, but it’s always fun.

Here, we offer some quick nuts and bolts ahead of this week’s tournament. We list the top 10 teams in each class along with their total number of qualifiers. Below that is the list of previous state champions back this year, plus the remaining undefeated wrestlers and, for kicks, some of the best names in the field.

Top 10 teams in each class

Rankings from IAWrestle

CLASS 3A

1. Waverly-Shell Rock — 10 qualifiers
2. Southeast Polk — 13 qualifiers
3. Fort Dodge — 11 qualifiers
4. Iowa City West — 7 qualifiers
5. Bettendorf — 10 qualifiers
6. Waukee — 7 qualifiers
7. Ankeny — 5 qualifiers
8. Linn-Mar — 8 qualifiers
9. Mason City — 3 qualifiers
10. North Scott — 7 qualifiers

CLASS 2A

1. West Delaware — 12 qualifiers
2. Union — 5 qualifiers
3. Osage — 6 qualifiers
4. Centerville — 3 qualifiers
5. Independence — 4 qualifiers
6. Sergeant Bluff-Luton — 8 qualifiers
7. Winterset — 5 qualifiers
8. Solon — 6 qualifiers
9. New Hampton-Turkey Valley — 4 qualifiers
10. Central Lyon-George-Little Rock — 5 qualifiers

CLASS 1A

1. Don Bosco — 10 qualifiers 
2. Lisbon — 8 qualifiers
3. Underwood — 6 qualifiers
4. West Sioux — 8 qualifiers
5. Logan-Magnolia — 6 qualifiers
6. Denver — 4 qualifiers
7. New London — 6 qualifiers
8. West Hancock — 6 qualifiers
9. Hudson — 3 qualifiers
10. Nashua-Plainfield — 5 qualifiers

Returning state champions

Three-Time Champs (2)

• Adam Allard, sr., West Sioux — 2017, 2018, 2019
• Cael Happel, sr., Lisbon — 2017, 2018, 2019

Two-Time Champs (2)

• Cullan Schriever, sr., Mason City — 2017, 2018
• Matthew Lewis, jr., Centerville — 2018, 2019

One-Time Champs (15)

• Trever Anderson, soph., Ankeny — 2019
• Drake Ayala, jr., Fort Dodge — 2019
• Carson Taylor, sr., Fort Dodge — 2019
• Caleb Rathjen, jr., Ankeny — 2019
• Eli Loyd, sr., Pleasant Valley — 2019
• Gabe Christenson, sr., Southeast Polk — 2019
• Carter Fousek, soph., Crestwood — 2019
• Hayden Taylor, soph., Solon — 2019
• Jack Thomsen, sr., Union — 2019
• Cody Fisher, sr., Woodward-Granger — 2019
• Marcel Lopez, soph., New London — 2019
• Aidan Noonan, jr., Cascade — 2019
• Robert Avila Jr., soph., Lisbon — 2019
• Wade Mitchell, sr., Woodbury Central — 2019
• Treyton Cacek, sr., GT-RA — 2019

Undefeated wrestlers entering the 2019 state tournament

CLASS 3A

• Ryder Block, Waverly-Shell Rock — 37-0, 106 pounds
• Nathaneal Jesuroga, Southeast Polk — 32-0, 106 pounds
• Drake Ayala, Fort Dodge — 41-0, 120 pounds
• Cullan Schriever, Mason City — 12-0, 126 pounds
• Cayden Langreck, Waverly-Shell Rock — 5-0, 145 pounds
• Caleb Helgeson, Johnston — 31-0, 160 pounds
• Ben Keuter, Iowa City High — 20-0, 160 pounds
• Logan Neils, Ankeny Centennial — 39-0, 170 pounds
• Griffin Liddle, Bettendorf — 15-0, 285 pounds

CLASS 2A

• Camron Phetxoumphone, Webster City — 38-0, 106 pounds
• Lane Scorpil, Columbus Community — 33-0, 106 pounds
• Dominik Ridout, East Marshall — 34-0, 120 pounds
• Bryce Hatten, Winterset — 16-0, 132 pounds
• Jalen Schropp, Williamsburg — 50-0, 138 pounds
• Hayden Taylor, Solon — 48-0, 145 pounds
• Will Esmoil, West Liberty — 38-0, 152 pounds
• Wyatt Applesseth, Panorama — 38-0, 152 pounds
• Caleb Swalla, Van Meter-Earlham — 32-0, 170 pounds
• Sage Walker, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont — 44-0, 182 pounds
• Dylan Winkel, Central Lyon-George-Little Rock — 40-0, 195 pounds
• Cody Fisher, Woodward-Granger — 48-0, 220 pounds
• Crew Howard, Clarinda — 35-0, 220 pounds
• Kobe Simon, West Liberty — 34-0, 220 pounds

CLASS 1A

• Gable Porter, Underwood — 31-0, 106 pounds
• Mikey Baker, West Sioux — 46-0, 106 pounds
• Clayton McDonough, Central Springs — 45-0, 113 pounds
• Braden Graff, West Sioux — 42-0, 113 pounds
• Chris Ferguson, Sioux Center — 17-0, 120 pounds
• Adam Allard, West Sioux — 47-0, 126 pounds
• Aidan Noonan, Cascade — 34-0, 126 pounds
• Robert Avila Jr., Lisbon — 41-0, 132 pounds
• Isaac Schimmels, Denver — 25-0, 132 pounds
• Cael Happel, Lisbon — 46-0, 138 pounds
• Nick Hamilton, Underwood — 51-0, 145 pounds
• Ethan Fulcher, Hudson — 45-0, 170 pounds
• Drew Venteicher, Bedford-Lenox — 31-0, 170 pounds
• Tate Hagen, West Hancock — 39-0, 195 pounds
• Gideon Rollene, Northwood-Kensett — 45-0, 220 pounds
• Chet Buss, North Butler — 42-0, 285 pounds

Cael, Kael and Cale (and other great names in this year’s tournament)

One unique thing about the state wrestling tournament every year is seeing all the kids named Gable and Cael that have qualified. We’ve compiled a list here, as well as other cool names to listen for over the loud speaker this week.

There is only one Gable — Gable Porter, from Underwood — but four other Gabes (Christenson, Hemsted, Carter and Mcgeough) and one Gabriel (Greenlee).

There are many more Caels. In 2002, when Cael Sanderson won his fourth NCAA title to cap an undefeated college career, 76 newborns in Iowa were named Cael. Those kids will turn 18 this year. There are 13 with the same spelling in this year’s state tournament, as well as three Kales, two Kaels and one Cale — and another Carl.

Some names will sound familiar to those who have followed wrestling for generations. There’s an Oostendorp (Jay) and Sindlinger (Jack) in the field, as well as another Miklus (Sean). 

Some sound similar, like Cullan (Schriever) and Cullen (Koedam), Mayberry (Mitch) and Mooberry (Spencer), Danker (Seth) and Decker (Karter). One first-round match features a Dominic (Lopez) against a Dominick (Dicesare). There’s also two Treytons and another Treyten, two Griffins and another Grifen — and that’s not counting Mason Griffin.

Some names sound like they go together, like Chet Buss, Aiden Carr, Kruise Kiburz, Jace Rhodes and Bryce Parke. There’s two Bakers and two Cooks, too. Some are teammates, like the two Tanners (Wink and Higgins) from Lewis Central. Some are a few letters from wrestling words, like Dominik Ridout and Peyton Westlin.

There’s a Brock Fox, a Nick Fox, an Alex Beaver, a Derrick Bass and a Brayden Wolf. There’s Gunnar Larsen and Easton Larson. Some are two first names, like Hayden Taylor, Payton Drake, Carter Elliot, Bryce Cole and Kyle Cole (those last two are in the same bracket, by the way). 

There’s three Ryders, four Meyers, eight Moores — yes, really — as well as a couple of O’Briens and three Hunters. But at this stage of the season, everybody would rather be the hunter than the hunted.

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

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