Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Ryan Schott has wrestled a lot of great matches during a senior season that has produced 46 wins.

Regina head coach Adam Martensen fully believes that Friday’s state semifinal was among the best.

It just wasn’t quite enough for Schott to take down number one.

Top-ranked and defending state champion John Henrich of Akron-Westfield scored the only takedown of the match in the second period and held on for a 3-0 win over Schott in a Class 1A 160-pound semifinal at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“I think this whole tournament every match he progressed in the tempo brought and the offense he brought,” Martensen said. “You saw in that semifinal match that he was really hitting his peak with that and he came out and fought him hard and gave it everything he’s got.”

Schott reached the semifinals for the first time in his career with a pair of major decisions, outscoring his first two opponents by a combined score of 24-1.

The Regina senior simply couldn’t find any offense against Henrich (43-0) who will attempt to cap a second consecutive unbeaten season against third-ranked Brennan Swafford of Mediapolis in the 160-pound title match.

Following a scoreless first period Henrich broke the tie with an escape and scored the only takedown of the match with 28 seconds left in the second period.

“The kid was really strong,” Martensen said. “I heard he has only given up one point this year which I think really shows how good he is on top. Ryan did a good job of keeping from giving up any points on top and I think he played well with him but didn’t come out on top.”

The loss was just the third of the season for Schott (46-3) with two of those defeats coming against the 160-pound state finalists.

Schott has already secured the first state medal of his career but will try to end his career on a high note on Saturday starting with a consolation semifinal matchup against No. 8 Cameron Rasing (24-3) of Rockford.

Understandably he is upset, he wanted to be in the finals, he wanted a chance to be at the top of the podium and I just told him that it’s o.k. to be upset right now,” Martensen said. “It’s o.k. to be that way but he doesn’t want to look back in five or 10 years and wonder about what could have been after he lost that semifinal match. It’s just a matter of resetting and getting back after it right where we left off.”

Class 1A State Meet

Team scores (Top 10; Area Teams) – 1. Lisbon 106; 2. Don Bosco 89; 3. Denver 63; 4. Wapsie Valley 52.5; 5. Alburnett 43; 5. Missouri Valley 43; 5. West Sioux 43; 8. Martsendale St. Marys 41; 8. Underwood 41; 10. Logan-Magnolia 40; 42. Regina 9

Individual Results (Area Athletes Only)

Quarterfinals

160 – No. 2 Ryan Schott (Regina) major dec. Elijah Wagner (Lake Mills) 11-0

Semifinals

160 – No. 1 John Henrich (Akron-Westfield) dec. No. 2 Ryan Schott (Regina) 3-0