Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – The state wrestling season came to an end on Saturday evening at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

If you are looking for a team on the rise in Class 1A look no further than West Branch.

West Branch capped a strong state tournament showing on Saturday morning with two Bears securing state medals during the Class 1A consolation session.

Sophomore Ethan Humphrey and junior Cooper Gates each secured the second state medals of their careers on Saturday morning.

Humphrey finished third at 106 pounds while Gates concluded 3-2 state-tournament effort with a seventh-place finish at 175 pounds.

“I just used the semifinal loss as motivation,” Humphrey said. “I wanted to be (in the final) but it didn’t happen but I used it as motivation.”

The medals for Humphrey and Gates marked the second consecutive season West Branch has had a pair of medalists and helped the Bears rack up 55.5 points.

Since failing to qualify a wrestler for the state meet in 2021 the Bears have increased their point total and raised its finishing position in each of the past four seasons.

The 55.5 points for West Branch this season were 6.5 more than Bears had a year ago and five the Bears state qualifiers from this season will return next year.

Fifth-ranked Humphrey (23-3) went 5-1 on his way to the third-place finish knocking off a pair of ranked opponents on Saturday morning.
Humphrey defeated sixth-ranked Karson Wuebker of South Central Calhoun 7-6 in the consolation semifinals and won a 4-3 decision over No. 10 Carver Hinz of Jesup in the third-place match.

“I am just excited for the future,” Humphrey said. “I am thankful for what we have right now but I am ready for the next thing.”

Eighth-ranked Gates (38-6) closed the season with a 10-1 major decision over sixth-ranked Alex Tiedemann of Northwood-Kensett in the 165-pound seventh-place match.

Regina senior Will Aitchison (33-6) capped his career with his first career state medal finishing seventh in Class 1A at 157 pounds.

Aitchison won a 10-2 decision over Chase England (46-9) of Lenox in the seventh-place match to finish the state tournament 4-2.

Class 1A State Tournament

At Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Don Bosco 225.5; 2. Alburnett 144.5; 3. Wilton 109; 4. Osage 100.5; 5. Woodbury Central 93; 6. Jesup 75; 7. Hinton 73; 7. Lake Mills 73; 9. Denver 69; 10. Nashua-Plainfield 68; 15. West Branch 55.5; 73. Regina 7.5

Individual Results

Consolation semifinals (area athletes)

103– Ethan Humphrey (West Branch) dec. Karson Wuebker (South Central Calhoun) 7-6

Third-place match (area athletes)

106 – Ethan Humphrey (West Branch) dec. Carver Hinz (Jesup) 4-3

Seventh-place match (area athletes)

157 – Will Aitchison (Regina) major dec. Chase England (Lenox) 10-2

165 – Cooper Gates (West Branch) major dec. Alex Tiedemann (Northwood-Kensett) 10-1

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