Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – As a former freshman state champion Ben Kueter offered up some advice to his current freshmen teammates as the City High team van pulled up to Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday.

“I told them you have to walk in here like you own the place,” Kueter said.

Kael Kurtz and Cale Seaton may not qualifying as owning Wells Fargo Arena just yet but the City High freshmen certainly felt at home in their state meet debuts.

Kurtz and Seaton each picked up opening-round wins in their first career state matches as City High pushed three wrestlers through to Friday’s quarterfinals.

“I wasn’t nervous, I knew I prepared myself well,” Kurtz said. “It is just another tournament to me.”
Fifth-ranked Kurtz needed just 1:22 to pin Dallas Center-Grimes junior Luke Stover in the opening round at 106 pounds.

Kurtz scored a takedown 26 seconds into the match and added three near fall points to build a 5-0 lead less than a minute into the match before putting Stover on his back.

“He was leaving his arms out a lot,” Kurtz said. “I was able to pull them back and get a bar.”

Kurtz remained unbeaten at 13-0 with the win and will faced third-ranked and unbeaten Cedar Rapids Prairie sophomore Blake Gioimo (17-0) in the quarterfinals.

“We were out a lot during the season but having Cale with me in the room I got a lot of matches that way,” Kurtz said. “I think that prepared me well.”

Seaton (12-1) steadily built an 7-4 lead and held on for an 8-6 win over Aime Mukiza of Des Moines North-Hoover in a 113-pound opener.

While Kurtz said he wasn’t nervous for his opening at 106, Seaton admitted to feeling some nerves before hitting the mat.

“I was nervous but it was good nervous,” Seaton said. “I was excited.”

Once Seaton got on the mat the butterflies disappeared as he went to work against Mukiza.

Seaton snapped a 2-2 tie with a five-point flurry in 40 seconds on an escape, a takedown and a two-point near fall.

“I feel right off the whistle I attacked,” Seaton said. “After warmups I felt really good and that went into the first period.”

Mukiza scored a late reversal in the second and again in the third to trim the lead to 7-6 but Seaton added a point on an escape and fended off a late takedown attempt to advance.

He will face top-ranked Nathanael Jesuroga (23-0) of Southeast Polk in the quarterfinals on Friday beginning at 9 a.m.

“It felt really good,” Seaton said. “It’s a new experience but it’s fun.”

Kueter (8-0) joined the two freshmen in the quarterfinals with an impressive 76-second pin of Sioux City East’s Victor Bird in his 195-pound opener.

The defending state champion scored a takedown 40 seconds into the match and had Bird on his back 30 seconds later.

Kueter moved his career record to 32-0 with the first-round pin and will face Cade Sheedy (17-6) of Davenport North in the quarterfinals.

“I don’t really think about a second state championship I just focus on my next match,” Kueter said. “That’s the most important thing is my next match. That will be my biggest focus.”

Class 3A State Wrestling Tournament

At Wells Wargo Arena in Des Moines

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Waukee 32.5; 2. Waverly-Shell Rock 28.5; 3. Southeast Polk 26.5; 4. West High 23; 5. Bettendorf 22.5; 6. Ankeny 22; 7. Fort Dodge 21.5; 8. Norwalk 20; 9. Linn-Mar 19; 10. North Scott 18

Opening Round (Area Wrestlers)  

106 – Kael Kurtz (City High) pinned Luke Stover (Dallas Center-Grimes) 1:22

113 – Cael Seaton (City High) dec. Aime Mukiza (DM North-Hoover) 8-6

113 – Max Bishop (Fort Dodge) tech. fall Jack Stevens (Clear Creek Amana) 16-0

120 – Travis Hodges (Davenport West) pinned Parker McBride (West High) 2:42

120 – Rheiner Stahlbaum (Johnston) pinned Carsen Newton (City High) 1:01

126 – Grant O’Dell (West High) tech fall. Noah Madison (Johnston) 17-1

132 – Kael Scranton (West High) dec. Braden Blackorby (Johnston) 10-4

138 – Hunter Garvin (West High) tech fall Damarian Ross (Fort Dodge) 20-3

145 – Christian Stanek (CR Xavier) pinned Ryan Ott 3:45

152 – Graham Gambrall (West High) pinned Cole Rutter (Spencer) 5:28

170 – Ashton Barker (West High) pinned Seth Madden (North Scott) :44

182 – Jayden Angle (Boone) dec. Mason Applegate (West High) 8-4

195 – Ben Kueter (City High) pinned Victor Bird (Sioux City East) 1:16

195 – Sawyer Nauman (Western Dubuque) pinned Vinny Lima (Liberty High) 1:06

220 – Carson Williams (Marshalltown) dec. Brett Pelfrey (West High) 7-0

220 – Bradley Hill (Bettendorf pinned Caden Yoerger (Liberty High) :54

First Round Consolation

113 – JJ Maihan (Ankeny) dec. Jack Stevens (Clear Creek Amana) 9-5

120 – Parker McBride (West High) pinned Christian Newton (City High) 2:53

145 – Jude Card (CB Abraham Lincoln) major dec. Ryan Ott (City High) 13-4

182 – Mason Applegate (West High) pinned Nolan Simpson (Burlington) 3:13

195 – Vinny Lima (Liberty High) dec. Abe Duval (Marion) 5-4

220 – Cael Knox (CR Kennedy) pinned Caden Yoerger (Liberty High) 1:36

220 – Luke Vonderhaar (Pleasant Valley) pinned Brett Pelfrey (West High) 3:23

Friday’s Quarterfinal Matches

106 – No. 5 Kael Kurtz (13-0) Fr., City High vs. No. 3 Blake Gioimo (17-0) Soph., CR Prairie

113 – No. 10 Cale Seaton (12-1) Fr., City High vs. No. 1 Nathanael Jesuroga (23-0) Soph., Southeast Polk

126 – No. 3 Grant O’Dell (13-0) Jr., West High vs. No. 4 Carter Fecht (28-6) Jr., Waverly-Shell Rock

132 – No. 8 Kael Scranton (10-2) Jr., West High vs. No. 1 Ryder Block (22-0) Soph., Waverly-Shell Rock

138 – No. 1 Hunter Garvin (13-0) Jr., West High vs. Jace Anderson (9-2) Soph., Ankeny

152 – No. 3 Graham Gambrall (9-2) Sr., West High vs. No. 8 Abass Kemokai (17-2) Sr., Linn-Mar

170 – No. 3 Ashton Barker (13-0) Sr., West High vs. Tristen Duncan (31-8) Sr., Norwalk

195 – No. 1 Ben Kueter (8-0) Soph., City High vs. Cade Sheedy (17-6) Jr., Davenport North

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.