Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Another season, another state semifinal appearance for Alexander Pierce.

As much as the state-meet results have remained the same for Pierce throughout his stellar prep career the latest semifinal appearance came with a different feeling for the West High senior.

Pierce returned to the Class 3A semifinals for the fourth consecutive season on Thursday with a 18-2 tech fall over Aiden Kirk of Cedar Rapids Prairie in a 126-pound quarterfinal at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.

“It’s a different season, different opponents I’ve wrestled, at a different weight,” Pierce said. “It feels different and new every time but it’s fun.”

Pierce was a state champion at 106 pounds as a freshman in 2023 before back-to-back runner-up finishes at 113 pounds the past two seasons.

Wrestling at a new weight this season Pierce has kept his same attacking style and the results have been equally impressive.

Second-ranked Pierce improved to 47-0 on the season with his quarterfinal win, his 39^th win this season by fall or tech fall.

“It feels new and it feels different every time,” Pierce said. “I am just taking one match at a time and I’m happy to be here.”

Pierce had three takedowns and added a pair of four-point nearfalls in his 18-2 quarterfinal win over Kirk that took just 2:34.

It was the 27^th consecutive win for Pierce by fall or tech fall only two of which have lasted longer than two periods.

“It feels different this year and that’s fun,” Pierce said. “If it’s the same thing over and over it doesn’t feel as fun, it’s a new experience every time and that’s fun.”

Pierce will face third-ranked Weston Porter (36-2) of Council Bluffs Lewis Central in the semifinals on Friday that begin at 5 p.m.

A three-time semifinalist, Porter was third last season at 113 pounds after a runner-up finish at 106 two seasons ago.

It’s definitely exciting, it’s a good opponent and I am really excited for this match,” Pierce said. “I just want to show that I’m number one and I have to go do that tomorrow if I want to make a fourth (final).”

Pierce will be joined in the 3A semifinals by freshman teammate Diego Robertty.

Top-ranked Diego Robertty (37-1) won a 14-13 decision over fourth-ranked Cain Crosson of Indianola in the 113-pound quarterfinals on Thursday.

Robertty will face third-ranked Jack Wallukait (34-3) of West Des Moines Dowling in the semifinals.

“I like that I had a tough match today to get me ready for the semis and finals matches,” Robertty said. “That’s definitely helpful.”

While Pierce is making his fourth semifinal appearance Robertty is making his semifinal debut in his first high school season.

The talented 113-pounder has relied on the guidance of his older teammates this season and this week at the state meet.

“Those guys have showed me always keep a high pace and just worry about your wrestling,” Robertty said. “Don’t worry about the other guys just worry about your wrestling.”

West High had a pair of seniors secure medals with fourth-round consolation wins on Thursday.

Senior 165-pound Campbell Janis and senior 285-pounder Kaden Stitt each won fourth-round consolation matches and will wrestle in the consolation semifinals on Friday.

Liberty High senior Landon Bell returned to the state semifinals for the second consecutive season in dramatic fashion on Thursday.

Bell scored a takedown four seconds into sudden victory period to win a 4-1 decision over Taylor Floyd of Southeast Polk in a 175-pound quarterfinal on Thursday.

Eighth-ranked Bell (10-0) will face second-ranked Maximus Dhabolt (15-1) of Ankeny Centennial in the semifinals.

Liberty High junior 106-pounder Connor McGonegle (22-5) fell to top-ranked Amir Newman-Winfrey of Southeast Polk in the quarterfinals but secured a medal with a first-period pin of No. 11 Eddie Salgado of Ankeny in a consolation match.

City High junior Zyaire Washpun (34-12) fell to top-ranked Jake Knight of Bettendorf in the 132-pound quarterfinals but bounced back with a 4-1 win over Brody Harrington of Clinton to lock up a medal.

Class 3A State Tournament

At Casey’s Center in Des Moines

Team scores (Top 10; Area teams) – 1. Southeast Polk 117.5; 2. West Des Moines Dowling 88.5; 3. Indianola 87.5; 4. Bettendorf 77; 5. North Scott 75; 6. Linn-Mar 73.5; 7. Waukee Northwest 70.5; 8. Pleasant Valley 63; 9. Urbandale 57; 10. Fort Dodge 55; 11. West High 54; 29. Liberty High 25; 34. Clear Creek Amana 18; 36. City High 17

Individual Results (Area wrestlers)

Quarterfinals

106 – Amir Newman-Winfrey (Southeast Polk) pinned Connor McGonegle (Liberty High) 3:52

113 – Diego Robertty (West High) dec. Cain Crosson (Indianola) 14-13

120 – Benjamin Walsh (Ankeny) pinned Hugo Hughes (West High) 2:42

126 – Alexander Pierce (West High) tech. fall Aiden Kirk (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 18-2

132 – Jake Knight (Bettendorf) tech. fall Zyaire Washpun (City High) 20-4

165 – Calvin Rathjen (Ankeny) major dec. Nolan Dao (Clear Creek Amana) 10-2

175 – Landon Bell (Liberty High) dec. Taylor Floyd (Southeast Polk) 4-1 SV-1

285 – Cary Cox (Pleasant Valley) dec. Kaden Stitt (West High) 7-1

Third round consolation

106 – Anakin Deppe (Cedar Rapids Xavier) tech. fall Jack Litton (City High) 19-1

113 – Wyatt Iburg (Clear Creek Amana) major dec. Landon Vue (Urbandale) 13-0

113 – Chase Williams (City High) dec. Julian Davila (Des Moines East) 1-0

120 – Liam Fitzgibbon (Pleasant Valley) pinned Benjamin Rosen (Liberty High) 1:54

120 – Tytus Steapp (Clear Creek Amana) dec. Zayd Ingram (Cedar Rapids Jefferson) 7-6

138 – Zion Deah (Dubuque Senior) dec. Malachi Clement (City High) 9-4

157 – Blest Woods (West High) tech. fall Efren Huerta (Ottumwa) 17-0

165 – Campbell Janis (West High) dec. Lane Rozendaal (Newton) 13-7

Fourth Round Consolation

106 – Connor McGonegle (Liberty High) pinned Eddie Salgado (Ankeny) 1:44

113 – Austen Fry (West Des Moines Valley) dec. Wyatt Iburg (Clear Creek Amana) 12-6

113 – Chase Miller (Cedar Falls) pinned Chase Williams (City High) 2:36

120 – Landon Gottschalk (Dubuque Hempstead) major dec. Hugo Hughes (West High) 13-2

120 – Chase Watkinson (Cedar Rapids Prairie) pinned Tytus Steapp (Clear Creek Amana) 1:03

132 – Zyaire Washpun (City High) dec. Brody Harrington (Clinton) 4-1 SV-1

157 – Alex Penzkover (Southeast Polk) dec. Blest Woods (West High) 17-11

165 – Shannon Hughes (Bettendorf) tech. fall Nolan Dao (Clear Creek Amana) 17-2

165 – Campbell Janis (West High) won by injury default Brody Warrick (Boone) 1:39

285 – Kaden Stitt (West High) major dec. Armon Williams (Bettendorf) 13-4

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