There’s no warmup period for Iowa high school wrestling. The season’s opening weekend features two high-caliber tournaments that attract top talent from adjoining states — the Dan Gable Donnybrook and the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational — and provide the top Iowa stars with a stage to showcase their abilities. 

Several of Iowa’s best were on display last weekend in Coralville and Independence, while others begin their seasons elsewhere. No matter where they start, however, they’re all ultimately targeting the tournament at the end in Des Moines. 

Here’s a look at 10 of the top wrestlers to watch on the road to the Casey’s Center. 

Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge) — Senior, 285 pounds, Class 3A 

The Oklahoma State recruit and #4 overall prospect on the 2026 Big Board has put together one of the most impressive careers in Iowa high school wrestling history. Ross is a three-time state champion who will be shooting for his fourth in February. He won his first state title as a freshman at 195 pounds, becoming the first freshman to win a state title in Class 3A above 160 pounds. He’s moving up to heavyweight this season after winning his last two titles at 215. Ross hasn’t lost a high school-sanctioned match since his freshman season when he was 44-2. He won his fourth Fargo championship this summer when he captured the heavyweight Junior freestyle title. He also made the 2024 U17 World Team but was unable to participate due to a shoulder injury. 

Gavin Landers (Denver) — Junior, 138 pounds, Class 1A 

Landers, who recently committed to Northern Iowa, is a two-time state champ who’s chasing his third title as a junior. He has yet to lose a match in his high school career. He scored bonus points in all six of his matches last weekend at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational. Landers is ranked the #56 prospect on the 2027 Big Board. 

Hayden Schwab (Don Bosco) — Junior, 120 pounds, Class 1A 

The #22 prospect on the 2027 Big Board is committed to wrestle in college for his father — Northern Iowa coach Doug Schwab. Hayden Schwab is a two-time state finalist who won a title last season in Class 1A at 120 pounds after a runner-up finish as a freshman at 106. Hayden is a three-time Fargo national champion with a pair of those titles coming in 2024 when he swept both styles in the 16U division. Schwab comes from one of the most decorated wrestling families in Iowa high school history. His father and uncles Mike and Mark were all state high school champs for Osage. Mark was a four-time state champ. Hayden’s younger brother, Hendrix, is also a sophomore and a returning state champion for Don Bosco. 

Nico DeSalvo (Southeast Polk) — Junior, 138 pounds, Class 3A 

DeSalvo won state titles each of his first two seasons at Southeast Polk and is on track to become a four-timer. He went undefeated last season as a sophomore and claimed the Class 3A title at 113 pounds after winning the 106-pound title during a one-loss freshman season. He’s also a Fargo freestyle All-American who placed third at the 16U level in 2023. The Arizona State commit is ranked the #51 prospect on the 2027 Big Board. 

Blake Fox (Osage) — Senior, 150 pounds, Class 2A 

Fox is a three-time state champion who’s chasing his fourth title. He entered his senior season with three career losses — one as a sophomore and two as a freshman. His older brother, Nick — who now wrestles at Northern Iowa — was a four-time state finalist and two-time state champ at Osage.

Dawson Youngblut (Don Bosco) — Junior, 144 pounds, Class 1A 

The Iowa commit is the #34 prospect on the 2027 Big Board. He’s bidding for his third state title in three seasons. As a freshman, Youngblut went 39-1 on his way to the 132-pound title in Class 1A. He went 43-0 last season as a sophomore. Youngblut has won a state title in Iowa every year since he was in kindergarten. He opened his junior season by winning the 144-pound title at the Dan Gable Donnybrook. 

Ashton Honold (Nodaway Valley) — Senior, 285 pounds, Class 1A 

Honnold is a two-time state champion and three-time placewinner. He took eighth as a freshman at 195 pounds before winning Class 1A titles at 215 pounds each of the past two seasons. The Northern Iowa recruit placed third in Fargo this summer in Greco-Roman and won Preseason Nationals titles in 2023 and 2024. Honnold’s father, Brad, is the head coach at Nodaway Valley and was an Iowa state runner-up in 1995 for Creston High School. 

Jake Knight (Bettendorf) — Senior, 132 pounds, Class 3A 

Knight enters his senior season as a three-time state finalist and two-time champion. He won a title as a freshman at 113 in 2023, placed second as a sophomore at 120 and won another title last season at 120. Knight — a three-time Fargo All-American who’s headed to Illinois — wrestles for his father, Dan, at Bettendorf High School. Dan Knight was a four-time undefeated Iowa state champion for Clinton High School, where he went 128-0. 

Alexander Pierce (Iowa City West) — Senior, 120 pounds, Class 3A 

Pierce kicked off his senior season with a title this past weekend at the Dan Gable Donnybrook, where he defeated two-time Illinois state champ Allen Woo in the 120-pound title bout. Pierce is a three-time state finalist with one title on his resume. Pierce is a three-time Fargo All-American who won a 16U Greco title in 2024.  

Maximus Dhabolt — Junior, 175 pounds, Class 3A 

One of the nation’s fastest-rising prospects in the 2027 class. Dhabolt rocketed up to #3 in the national rankings and claimed a spot in Who’s Number One after winning a state title as a junior and going 7-1 in Fargo and placing third in the Junior freestyle division. He was an All-American in both styles in 2024. Dhabolt placed third at the Iowa state tournament as a freshman in a loaded Class 3A 144-pound weight class before winning a title this past season when he beat returning state champ Bas Diaz in the finals. He’s currently ranked #20 on the 2027 Big Board.