Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Over the past four years Justin Avila has steadily assembled an impressive prep wrestling career.

Avila has posted four consecutive 30-win seasons, racked up 145 career wins, three trips to the state tournament and a pair of top-five finishes.

“I think so far my high school career has been coming together like a puzzle,” Avila said. “I’ve just been building piece by piece.”

On Thursday evening Avila slid another small piece into place as the West High senior looks to complete his career masterpiece next month.

Avila celebrated senior night with a first-period pin to help West High roll to a 42-26 win over Liberty High in a Mississippi Valley Conference dual meet on Thursday at West High.

“It feels good, it’s kind of sad,” Avila said. “It feels good to leave here with a win.”

A four-year varsity veteran Avila has been slowing piecing together an incredible career.

As a freshman Avila bumped up to 170 pounds to earn a spot in a crowded West High lineup and finished fourth at the Class 3A state meet.

The next season he won 39 matches but missed a state medal before returning to the podium with a fifth-place performance at 150 pounds a year ago.

Every season Avila has taught Avila a new lesson.

This year he’s attempting to put it all together.

“I think I’ve learned a lot of different things in different year,” Avila said. “My freshman year it was just finding myself and what I want to do. My sophomore year it was more about self-discipline and last year I learned a lot about mental toughness and wrestling through tough situations. This year’s its about piecing everything together.”

Avila has been among the most impressive wrestlers in the state this season.

He is ranked third at 150 pounds and is unbeaten against in-state competition.

Avila hasn’t lost in 2025, his last setback coming on December 14.

“I think he’s a lot more composed,” West High coach Nate Moore said. “He comes into every practice with his ears open and ready to learn and he’s a lot more receptive to what the coaches say. He’s spot on when he says he’s truly trying to learn.”

In his final home match Avila needed just 1:28 to pin Liberty High’s Finn O’Toole.

Avila turns his attention toward a Mississippi Valley Conference title on Saturday and another run toward a state title next month.

“I know I can go have a good run, I know since freshman year I’ve been capable of winning a state title,” Avila said. “That’s what it’s going to come down to for me is the mental toughness. I know I am physically capable it’s all about the mental toughness.”

The pin by Avila at 150 pounds was part of an early blitz for West High on Thursday.

West High won the first four matches, all by first-period fall, to take an early 24-0 lead.

Fifth-ranked Cole Krutzfeldt opened the match with a pin at 144 pounds followed by Avila’s pin.

Campbell Janis and Sterling Warren followed with pins to give the Trojans an insurmountable 24-0 lead.

Alexander Pierce pinned Konstantinos Panos at 113 pounds, Matthew Tran won by tech fall at 120 pounds and Charles Barnhouse won a 18-5 major decision over Asher Eisenbach at 126 pounds.

Wyatt Schultz capped the dual win for West High with a 9-4 win over Christos Panos at 138 pounds.

“I think we did well, you can always improve in certain areas,” Moore said. “We are still getting beat in on the legs in situations that work on every day at practice and luckily we still have two and half weeks to figure it out before districts.”

West High 42, Liberty High 26

106 – Connor McGonegle (ICL) tech. fall Owen Smock 5:43

113 – Alexander Pierce (ICW) pinned Konstantinos Panos 1:33

120 – Matthew Tran (ICW) tech. fall Benjamin Rosen 20-5

126 – Charles Barnhouse (ICW) major dec. Asher Eisenbach 18-5

132 – Rex Edmonds (ICL) tech. fall Bruce Cantua 20-3

138 – Wyatt Schultz (ICW) dec. Christos Panos 9-4

144 – Cole Krutzfeldt (ICW) pinned Mason Karam :51

150 – Justin Avila (ICW) pinned Finn O’Toole 1:28

157 – Campbell Janis (ICW) pinned Charles Nicknish 1:01

165 – Sterling Warren (ICW) pinned Carter Bevins :33

175 – Landon Bell (ICL) pinned Davey Garcia :31

190 – Ethan Barber (ICL) tech. fall Jack Law 17-2

215 – Korbin Howard (ICL) major dec. Jordan Gamia 15-3

285 – Randale Kelly (ICW) won by forfeit

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