By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Wrestlers

Area Qualifiers/First Round Opponent

160 – Ryan Schott (21-2) Jr. Regina vs. Tyler Paulson (30-7) Sr. Tri-Center

170 – Nick Milder (35-4) Soph. Regina vs. Nick Haynes (51-7) Fr. Missouri Valley

195 – Mason Simpson (28-7) Sr. Regina vs. Nick Gaes (35-3) Soph. Alta-Aurelia

285 – Jared Brinkman (34-1) Sr. Regina vs. Chase Arends (31-9) Jr. Dike-New Hartford

Returning State Champions

Current Weight/Wrestler/2016 Championship Weight

120 – Brock Henderson, Sr., North Linn (113)

126 – Donny Schmit, Jr., Wapsie Valley (106)

126 – Alex Thomsen, Jr., Underwood (126)*

170 – Tanner Sloan, Jr., Alburnett (170)

195 – Slade Sifuentes, Sr., Lake Mills (195)

285 – Jared Brinkman, Sr., Regina (285)

*-Denotes 2-time champion

Undefeated Wrestlers

113 – Uvaldo Camarillo (41-0), Jr., Postville

120 – Brady Kyner (49-0), Sr., Southeast Warren

126 – Alex Thomsen (41-0), Jr., Underwood

145 – Dylan Schuck (48-0), Sr., Sibley-Ocheyeden

152 – Zachary Axmear (39-0), Sr., English Valleys

160 – John Henrich (39-0), Soph., Akron-Westfield

160 – Dalton Nelson (25-0), Sr., North Butler  

182 – Daniel Bishop (34-0), Sr. Hinton

182 – Sam Gregory (36-0), Sr., Treynor

195 – Slade Sifuentes (46-0), Sr., Lake Mills

Who to Watch

Jared Brinkman made Regina history last week when he joined his head coach Adam Martensen as the only four-time state qualifiers in program history.

Brinkman can stake a claim to the best ever to wear a Regina singlet if a second consecutive state title this weekend.

The senior 285-pounder will attempt to become the first two-time state champ in Regina history when he sets out to defend his title from last season.

Brinkman is 76-1 over the past two years and has been as dominant as ever as a senior.

Only three of Brinkman’s matches have lasted the entire six minutes and he has recorded a pin in less than a minute in seven consecutive matches.

Brinkman has needed a combined 97 seconds to record four postseason wins in the section and district meets.

The only loss this season for Brinkman (34-1) came to top-ranked and defending 3A champion Aaron Costello 3-2.

Weight Class to Watch

Good luck picking the outcomes in the 160-pound bracket.

Seven of the 16 wrestlers in the 160-pound field have two or fewer losses including a pair of unbeaten wrestlers in North Butler senior Dalton Nelson and Akron-Westfield sophomore John Henrich.

Regina junior Ryan Schott (21-2) is among the 160-pound qualifiers with two or fewer losses and opens with un-ranked Tri-Center senior Tyler Paulson (30-7).

With a win Schott would likely face Nelson in the quarterfinals while Henrich (39-0) and top-ranked Karsen Seehase of Sumner-Fredericksburg are expected to meet in the other quarterfinal on the bottom half of the bracket.

Don’t Miss This

Underwood junior Alex Thomsen will attempt to keep his prep mark unblemished by capping a third consecutive unbeaten season with a third state title this weekend.

Thomsen is 41-0 this season and 135-0 in his career.

He won the 44-0 and won the 1A 113-pound title as a freshman and went 50-0 on his way to the 126-pound title last year.

Thomsen is ranked the 10th best 126-pounder in the nation by Intermat. 

The Teams

District Champions (State qualifiers)

Don Bosco (9); Lisbon (9); Sibley-Ocheyedan (8); Missouri Valley (7); Interstate-35 (7); Lake Mills (6); Alburnett (6); Underwood (6).

2016 Top 5

1. Alburnett 119.5; 2. Lisbon 111; 3. Mason City Newman 52; 4. Highland 50.5; 5. Underwood 49.

Last 5 Team Champs

2016 – Alburnett

2015 – Alburnett

2014 – Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

2013 – Alburnett

2012 – Don Bosco

What to Watch In Team Race

It should be the usual suspects battling it out for the Class 1A team title.

Top-ranked Lisbon and second-ranked Don Bosco appear to have a leg up on the rest of the field, each have nine qualifiers including six that are ranked but there will be plenty of competition.

Lisbon has top-ranked wrestlers at 113 and 132 pounds and has the balance to go from runner-up last year to champ in 2017.

Don Bosco has three top-five ranked wrestlers including top-ranked Gable Fox at 120 pounds.

Don’t count out defending champion Alburnett who has two top-ranked wrestlers among its four ranked qualifiers.