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Maize, Burkhart lead All-Union boys wrestling team
Meet the top area boys wrestling standouts
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
The 2025-26 boys wrestling season wrapped up at the end of last month, and the Union area had no shortage of state qualifiers and standout performers. The best of the best earned spots on the 2026 All-Union boys wrestling team.
Fairfield, WACO and Washington led the way with three selections each. The Trojans had the area’s outstanding coach, while WACO sophomore Ian Maize was named team captain.
Sigourney-Keota and Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union each earned two selections. Cardinal, Highland and Mt. Pleasant were also represented on this year’s team.
Maize ended his season with a second straight trip to the Iowa High School Athletic Association state finals. After qualifying at 106 pounds as a freshman, Maize reached the title bout at 113 this season, falling short to Don Bosco’s Kaiden Belinsky.
Despite a defeat in the finals, Maize still finished 38-4 and took down a pair of top-10 seeded wrestlers to reach the finals. Maize figures to be a mainstay in the 1A rankings over the next two seasons.
Coach: Steve Miller, Fairfield
The Trojans are not only represented on the All-Union team, but also became co-champions of the Southeast Conference after a thrilling win over Washington helped them match Ft. Madison with a 4-1 record in conference play.
Miller’s squad had two state qualifiers in seniors Cael McCabe and Dain Burkhart. The latter earned a spot on the podium in Class 2A with a fourth place finish at 175 pounds. Fairfield also had three underclassmen wrestlers finish with over 20 wins this season.
Captain: Ian Maize, WACO
Maize ended his season with a second straight trip to the Iowa High School Athletic Association state finals. After qualifying at 106 pounds as a freshman, Maize reached the title bout at 113 this season, falling short to Don Bosco’s Kaiden Belinsky.
Despite a defeat in the finals, Maize still finished 38-4 and took down a pair of top-10 seeded wrestlers to reach the finals. Maize figures to be a mainstay in the 1A rankings over the next two seasons.
106: Justin Knipfer, Columbus/W-MU
One of four Columbus/W-MU wrestlers who qualified for state, Knipfer won a match in Des Moines as the No. 8 seed in 1A at 106. Knipfer also came runner up in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference tournament and ended the campaign with a 30-5 record.
113: Cael McCabe, Fairfield
McCabe was forced to miss the state tournament due to injury, but still earned a spot the All-Union team for the second straight season after finishing 19-3. His season highlights include a win at the Bill Van Horn Invitational and second place finishes at the Ottumwa Invitational and 2A Centerville qualifier.
120: Levi Evans, Mt. Pleasant
Evans was the Cinderella story at state among area wrestlers. Seeded No. 14 in the 120-pound bracket, Evans beat the No. 5, 6 and 7 seeds in the consolation rounds and achieved a fourth place finish. Evans became Mt. Pleasant’s first state representative in six years and went 29-5 on the season.
126: Teage Pepper, WACO
Pepper reached state at 132 pounds after finishing second at the 1A Lisbon qualifier. He went 28-19 wrestling at both 132 and 126 and picked up two third place finishes at the WACO Warrior and Kurt Hinschberger invitationals.
132: Bowen Thomson, Columbus/W-MU
Thomson joined Pepper in the 1A 132-pound bracket at state. Thomson finished with a 33-5 record with three regular season tournament wins a second place finish at the SEISC Tournament.
138: Caden Greiner, Washington
After going winless at state two seasons ago and missing last season with a torn ACL, Greiner came back strong to take fourth place in Des Moines in 2026. His run to the podium included an upset over the No. 4 seed in the bracket, and he reached state with a first-place finish at the 2A Williamsburg qualifier. Greiner capped off his senior season with a 42-5 record.
144: Brock Thomann, Highland
Thomann went 25-10 in his senior season and took third place at the SEISC Tournament and the WACO Warrior Invitational. Thomann also finished third at the 1A Sigourney state qualifier, just missing out on an appearance in Des Moines.
150: Harley Larrimore, WACO
Larrimore joined Pepper and Maize at state with a second place finish in qualifying. Larrimore won the Warriors home tournament at 150 pounds, placed second at the SEISC Tournament and ended his final season in a WACO uniform with a 24-14 record.
157: Jace Kinzenbaw, Washington
Kinzenbaw joined a cast of five Washington wrestlers to reach state. The freshman flashed his high potential for the Demons with a 15-7 record in his first season.
165: Dillion Menke, Sigourney-Keota
Menke reached state and picked up a win in the second consolation round. The sophomore had a breakthrough season with a 26-9 record, including a win at the North Tama Redhawk Invite and a second place finish in state qualifying.
175: Dain Burkhart, Fairfield
Burkhart was second only to Maize for the best area finisher at state. The senior made it all the way to the semifinals as the No. 6 seed at 175, and beat the No. 5 and No. 4 seeds in the consolation rounds to finish on the podium in third. Burkhart kept his eye on the prize all season, going 37-6 with wins at the Southern Iowa Classic and the 2A qualifier at Centerville.
190: Blaine Rees, Washington
Rees continues to ascend for Washington and makes his second straight appearance on the All-Union team, going from 165 last season to the 190-pound class this season. Rees went 39-8, took first in the Williamsburg qualifier and won two matches at state. Rees also won titles at the WACO Warrior Invitational and the L-M Tournament.
215: Blake Lamansky, Cardinal
Lamansky ended his sophomore season with a 27-5 record and was Cardinal’s lone state qualifier. He finished second in the South Central Conference Tournament, first in the 215-pound qualifier at Williamsburg and won a pair of matches in the state tournament.
285: Owen Menke, Sigourney-Keota
Menke ended an outstanding S-K career with a second straight appearance on the All-Union team. He also built on his 2025 state tournament appearance, going from one win to a fifth place finish this season. The senior also won three regular season tournaments, including a title in the South Iowa Cedar League tournament and finished with a 35-3 record.
