Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Class 1A, District 8

When: Saturday, Noon

Where: Wapello

Teams (Number of Qualifiers): Lisbon (12); Wilton (8); Midland (6); Wapello (6); Regina (5); North Cedar (3); Highland (3); Mediapolis (3); West Branch (2); Bellevue (2); Durant (2); Louisa-Muscatine (2); WACO (1); Northeast (1)

Ranked Teams: No. 2 Lisbon

Area Qualifiers

132: Cale Seydel (West Branch) Fr. 10-10

145: Sam Aitchison (Regina) Jr. 17-8

170: Aidan Udell (Regina) Jr. 20-3

182: Christopher Waikel (Regina) Soph., 18-10

195: Ronan Poynton (Regina) Soph. 16-2

195: Morgan Hartz (West Branch) Sr. 19-9

285: Caden Shetler (Regina) Jr. 14-12

What to Watch

Regina enters the district meeting riding the momentum of a strong sectional showing that produced three champions among its five qualifiers.

The five district qualifiers are two more than Regina had last season as first-year district qualifiers Christopher Waikel, Ronan Poynton and Caden Shetler join Aidan Udell and Sam Aitchison in seeking spots at the state meet.

A returning state qualifier, Udell leads the way for Regina while Aitchison is hoping to improve on an 0-2 performance at the district meet last season.

Aitchison (17-8) has a tough task in his 145-pound opener with unbeaten and two-time defending state champion Robert Avila Jr. (28-0) of Lisbon awaiting.

Waikel (18-10) won a sectional title at 182 pounds last week and for his reward the sophomore gets a loaded District 8 bracket that includes a semifinal matchup with No. 10 Jamien Moore (28-5) or Lisbon. Ninth-ranked Cayden Miller (33-5) of Midland likely awaits the winner.

Shetler (14-12) won a wrestleback match following a semifinal loss at the sectional meet to reach the district meet for the first time and will have his hands full with third-ranked Lisbon senior Brant Baltes (29-0) in the semifinals.

West Branch freshman Cale Seydel (10-10) will make his district debut following a runner-up sectional finish last week at 132 pounds and will face No. 8 Quinten Aney (43-1) of Mediapolis in the semifinals.

Wrestler to Watch

Aidan Udell was a breakthrough star for Regina last season posting a 34-9 record as a sophomore while winning sectional and district titles before a 1-2 showing in his state meet debut.

On Saturday Udell will be looking for a second straight state tournament trip, one that the 170-pound junior hopes involves a longer stay.

Udell needed just 48 total seconds to pin his way through the 170-pound bracket at the sectional meet last week and will face Sabian Mesinas (7-14) of North Cedar in his district opener.

The intrigue for sixth-ranked Udell should come in the 170-pound final in the form of eighth-ranked Lisbon junior Max Kohl (26-3).

A state qualifier last season at 170 pounds, Kohl has won 19 matches in a row with his last loss coming on December 17.

Weight Class to Watch

One of the most wide open at the District 8 meet the 195-pound bracket should be among the most entertaining and competitive among all 14 weight classes.

The 195-pound also features the most area flavor with West Branch senior Morgan Hartz (19-9) and Regina sophomore Ronan Poynton (16-2) firmly in the chase for a top-two finish and a spot at the state meet.

Hartz is making his second straight district appearance giving him an edge in experience over his semifinal foe Poynton.

The West Branch senior went 0-2 at the district meet during a 21-12 junior season that ended with a second-period pin against Truman Krob of Lisbon.

Hartz showed his improvement on Saturday pushing sixth-ranked Krob (27-5) in a 5-3 loss in the sectional final.

Hartz is seeking to end a state meet drought for West Branch that goes back to 2016 and would be the Bears’ first state qualifier since Drew Finnegan.

Poynton enters the district meet doing his best wrestling of the season and riding an eight-match winning streak following a 2-1 win over Wapello junior Owen Housman in the sectional final.

The winner of the semifinal likely gets a showdown with Krob in the title match.

Ranked Wrestlers

106:     No. 10 Brody Brisker (Wilton) Fr.

113:     No. 5 Bryce Thompson (Highland) Sr.

120:     No. 2 Brandon Paez (Lisbon) Soph.

126:     No. 5 Cade Siebrecht (Lisbon) Jr.

No. 6 Damon Huston (Midland) Sr.

132:     No. 6 Quincy Happel (Lisbon) Jr.

No. 8 Quinten Aney (Mediapolis) Jr.

138:     No. 1 Kael Brisker (Wilton) Sr.

145:     No. 1 Robert Avila Jr. (Lisbon) Jr.

152:     No. 7 Lincoln Holub (Lisbon) Jr.

160:     No. 10 Caden Ballou (Midland) Soph.

170:     No. 6 Aidan Udell (Regina) Jr.

No. 8 Max Kohl (Lisbon) Jr.

182:     No. 9 Cayden Miller (Midland) Jr.

No. 10 Jamien Moore (Lisbon) Jr.

195:     No. 6 Truman Krob (Lisbon) Sr.

220:     No. 1 Cole Clark (Lisbon) Sr.

285:     No. 3 Brant Baltes (Lisbon) Sr.

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