It was a thrilling first day at the Iowa state tournament on Wednesday in Des Moines, where three state championship teams were crowned. Beginning Thursday, it’s individual glory these Iowa wrestlers now covet. 

Check out FloWrestling’s full Iowa state tournament preview HERE as well as LIVE coverage all tournament long beginning Thursday. 

2022 Iowa Team State Championship Results:

3A: Waverly - Shell Rock over Southeast Polk (30-26)

2A:  West Delaware over Independence (55-18)

1A: Don Bosco over Lisbon (38-25)

Jesse Mendez Eyeing Title #4 in Single-Class Indiana

Crown Point’s Jesse Mendez will be the star of the show this weekend in Indianapolis as the senior is going for his fourth state title to become the 10th in single-class Indiana and the first since University of Nebraska’s Chad Red did it in 2016. It’s some pretty nice company of fellow four-timers Mendez could be joining that also includes NCAA champions Jason Tsirtsis and Angel Escobedo

Mendez briefly occupied the top spot in FloWrestling’s pound-for-pound rankings last offseason, making the Ohio State commit one of the most exciting prospects in high school wrestling.

In last year’s final, it took him only a minute before he pinned Bloomington South’s Delaney Ruhlman with a sweet takedown and hard finish to cruise to a third title. We’ll see if anyone can push Mendez, but don’t be surprised to see the senior end his high school career with a bang.

Mendez is one of five wrestlers headed to Indianapolis this weekend to defend their state title. One of the five, Zeke Seltzer, will be looking to make some history of his own if he can finish his career with a third state title and a fourth finals appearance.

It shouldn’t be hard to spot Christian Carroll in action all weekend long, as the New Prairie junior is one of the most physically imposing high schoolers you’ll ever see. What you may find surprising, though, is that the Penn commit and the top 220-pound wrestler in the country, is still eyeing just his first Indiana state championship.

Despite a packed list of national credentials that includes two Super 32 titles and Fargo freestyle crown, injuries and transfer rules interrupted his first two high school seasons. Finally, Carroll gets a chance to win his first state title. Tune in this weekend!

Nationally Ranked Matchup in Missouri’s Class 4 About More Than Just a Gold Medal 

The 145-pound bracket in Missouri’s Class 4 looks to have the feature matchup of the tournament – a nationally ranked showdown between #6 Kal Miller and #7 Kyle Dutton. The two met just last week in the District 4 finals where Miller prevailed 3-0. They look to be on a collision course for the finals. 

Dutton was the champ at this weight last year, while Miller was winning a state title up at 152 pounds. Now, it’s time for the champs to face off and both seniors are eyeing title number three.

But this one will be about more than a spot in the record books.

Miller and his older brother, Ethen, won back-to-back state titles back in 2020 and were hoping to repeat the feat in 2021 before it was Dutton who spoiled the fun by taking out Ethen 3-1 in sudden victory. You can bet, younger brother Kal hasn’t forgotten about that state finals match. 

Dutton, an Ironman runner-up this year, is one of the standouts on a Liberty team that enters the weekend as two-time defending state champions.

That won’t be the only top 10 matchup to look forward to this weekend in the Show-Me State, though.

At 120 pounds in Class 4, expect to see a thrilling lightweight showdown between (#5 at 113) Draegen Orine and defending state champion and #6 (at 120) Zan Fugitt. 

Both wrestlers finished third at Ironman back in December at separate weight classes. This weekend, they’ll be expected to hit in the semis with a trip to the state finals on the line. 

Two Illinois Studs Set to Square Off Once Again

The 126-pound bracket in Class 3A is the one to watch in Illinois this weekend.

Vincent Robinson, ranked fifth nationally, will likely face off against #6 Sergio Lemley of Mt. Carmel in a rematch from the Ironman semi-finals that Robinson won in sudden victory on his way to a title. The pair also met on the backside at Super 32, where Robinson won 5-3.

Homewood-Flossmoor’s Robinson is one of the nation’s most dynamic wrestlers in the entire country at this weight and is hoping for his first state title after a runner-up finish back in 2020.

Lemley, on the other hand, was the Illinois state champ in 2020 but spent last year in Indiana when the Illinois state tournament was called off, making him one of the rare wrestlers to capture titles in two different states. Now, he’s back home and is one-half of the weekend’s (potentially) showcase match.

Clear your schedule. Anytime these two go at it, it’s a match you’re not going to want to miss.

Sixth-ranked 132-pounder Kannon Webster was another national-ranked standout who was part of the loaded Ironman bracket that Robinson won, but he won’t get a rematch in this one as the Washington junior is the #1 seed in Class 2A.

Other ranked wrestlers to be on the lookout for this weekend in Champaign include #2 Brayden Thompson (170), #13 Bradley Gillum (182), #20 Ethan Stiles (145) and #9 Ryan Boersma (285), all of whom enter the weekend as the #1 seeds at their respective weights in Class 3A.

Be sure to keep an eye on FloWrestling all weekend long for all kinds of state tournament action from your favorite state and SO MANY others in our State Tournament HUB!