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Area wrestlers punch tickets to state

20 wrestlers emerge from Class 1A and 2A regional qualifiers

Jack Knowlton

Feb. 16, 2026 12:42 pm

Columbus/WMU assistant coach Brady Milder (right) embraces Justin Knipfer (left) after a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/WMU assistant coach Brady Milder (right) embraces Justin Knipfer (left) after a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)

Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

SIGOURNEY — Seven area Class 1A wrestlers punched their tickets to the the Iowa High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament Saturday. Four members of the Columbus/W-MU boys team and three wrestlers from host Sigourney-Keota booked their places.

The Columbus/W-MU bench celebrates after Justin Knipfer's semifinal pin at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
The Columbus/W-MU bench celebrates after Justin Knipfer's semifinal pin at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)

In total, 20 area wrestlers from seven teams will head to Casey’s Center in Des Moines this week for the state tournament. Along with the 1A entries from the Sigourney regional, WACO had four qualifiers from the 1A qualifier at Lisbon.

In Class 2A, Washington had an excellent day at the Williamsburg qualifier and will send five wrestlers to state. They will be joined in the 2A brackets by a pair of Fairfield wrestlers and a participant from Cardinal and Mt. Pleasant.

Caden Greiner and Blaine Rees finished first at 138 and 190 pounds, respectively for the Demons at the Williamsburg qualifier. Jace Kinzenbaw (157), Brayden Vermillion (215) and Rudy Wolfe (285) also reached state after finishing second in their brackets.

Washington's Blaine Rees wrestles West Marshall's Damian Ficken in a 190-pound semifinal match at the 2A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Williamsburg High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Ben Lamparek/Hometown Current)
Washington's Blaine Rees wrestles West Marshall's Damian Ficken in a 190-pound semifinal match at the 2A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Williamsburg High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Ben Lamparek/Hometown Current)

Blake Lamansky of Cardinal also qualified 215 pounds. Lamansky finished first at the Williamsburg qualifier.

Fairfield will send Dain Burkhart to state after he finished first in the 175-pound bracket at a qualifier at Centerville. Cael McCabe will join Burkhart after a second-place finish at 113.

Fairfield’s Cael McCabe reacts afer wrestling Vinton-Shellsburg’s Eli Ollinger during day 1 of the IHSSA Wrestling State Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
Fairfield’s Cael McCabe reacts afer wrestling Vinton-Shellsburg’s Eli Ollinger during day 1 of the IHSSA Wrestling State Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
Fairfield's Dain Burkhart works to pin Burlington's Adrian Perez-Hall during a match at the Southeast Iowa Classic on Jan. 31, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Fairfield's Dain Burkhart works to pin Burlington's Adrian Perez-Hall during a match at the Southeast Iowa Classic on Jan. 31, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)

Mt. Pleasant will have one representative at state. Levi Evans finished first in the 120-pound bracket at the Central DeWitt qualifier.

Mt. Pleasant's Levi Evans gets a pin in Fairfield on Jan. 22, 2026. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Mt. Pleasant's Levi Evans gets a pin in Fairfield on Jan. 22, 2026. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

In 1A, Columbus/W-MU’s Justin Knipfer finished first place at 106 pounds at the Sigourney qualifier. He’ll be joined by teammates Dakota Aney (113), Bowen Thomson (132) and Trevor Phillips (175) who all finished second in their respective brackets.

Columbus/W-MU's Justin Knipfer battles against Highland's Landon Sweeting in a semifinal match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026.
Columbus/W-MU's Justin Knipfer battles against Highland's Landon Sweeting in a semifinal match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026.
Columbus/W-MU's Bowen Thomson holds his opponent down during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU's Bowen Thomson holds his opponent down during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU's Trevor Phillips has his arm raised after winning a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU's Trevor Phillips has his arm raised after winning a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU's Dakota Aney flexes after a match 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU's Dakota Aney flexes after a match 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)

Owen Menke of Sigourney-Keota achieved a first-place finish at 285 pounds. Ryker Van Den Heuvel (138) and Dillion Menke (165) qualified with second-place finishes for the Savages.

Sigourney-Keota's Owen Menke looks up during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Sigourney-Keota's Owen Menke looks up during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Sigourney-Keota's Ryker Van Den Heuvel flexes at the crowd during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Sigourney-Keota's Ryker Van Den Heuvel flexes at the crowd during a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)

WACO’s Ian Maize will return to the state tournament after qualifying in first place at 113 pounds. Rydge Sterna (120) also qualified in first, while Teage Pepper (132) and Harley Larrimore (150) each qualified with second-place finishes.

The first rounds of the IHSAA 1A and 2A tournament begin Thursday. The tournament concludes with the finals Saturday.

WACO’s Ian Maize celebrates after defeating Logan-Magnolia’s Crosby Yoder during a quarterfinal match on day 2 of the IHSSA Wrestling State Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, February 20, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
WACO’s Ian Maize celebrates after defeating Logan-Magnolia’s Crosby Yoder during a quarterfinal match on day 2 of the IHSSA Wrestling State Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, February 20, 2025. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
Sigourney-Keota's Owen Menke prepares for a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Sigourney-Keota's Owen Menke prepares for a match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU fans hold up signs after wrestler Trevor Phillips won his 100th match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
Columbus/W-MU fans hold up signs after wrestler Trevor Phillips won his 100th match at the 1A 2026 IHSAA Boys’ Wrestling State Qualifier at Sigourney High School on Feb. 14, 2026. (Jack Knowlton/The Union)
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