Future Iowa Hawkeye wrestlers entered this weekend’s State Wrestling Match trying to cap off their highschool careers with one remaining state championship flourish — and a number of other of them did simply that on Saturday night time at Wells Fargo Enviornment in Des Moines, Iowa. Three members of Iowa’s 2023 recruiting class earned state championships: Waverly Shell-Rock’s Ryder Block, Iowa Metropolis Excessive’s Gabe Arnold, and Iowa Metropolis Excessive’s Ben Kueter.
The headline performer was Ben Kueter, who ended his prep profession in actually dominant style. Kueter blitzed the sector to advance to Saturday’s remaining at 220 lbs.
He seemed like a human bulldozer in his 12-second pin within the quarterfinals:
Kueter did not get a fourth pin within the state remaining; as a substitute he “settled for” a still-dominant 19-4 technical fall victory over Dubuque Hempstead’s Joe Lewis. That win accomplished a season wherein Kueter went 39-0 with 34 pins, three technical falls, and two forfeits. Two of the three technical fall victories got here towards Lewis.
Kueter’s victory put the bow on a stunning highschool wrestling profession that featured a file of 111-0 and 4 state championships. He grew to become the thirty second Iowa wrestler to win 4 state championships — and simply the seventh Iowan to complete his highschool profession unbeaten, becoming a member of some fairly elite firm within the course of: Dan Gable, Jeff Kerber, Dan Knight, Jeff McGinness, Eric Juergens, and John Meeks.
After all, Kueter is additionally a 4* linebacker recruit and plans to each play soccer and wrestle at Iowa. That is an immensely formidable plan, however Kueter definitely seems to have the talent set in addition to the drive to make it attainable.
Earlier within the night, Ryder Block completed off his personal glittering highschool profession. Block beat Linn-Mar’s Kane Naaktgeboren by a rating of 11-4 within the remaining at 138 lbs, successful his third state championship in his fourth journey to the state finals. Block completed his season 45-0, and 44 of these 45 wins have been determined by 7+ factors. For his profession, Block went 159-1. He even managed to flash a quick Heisman pose to have a good time:
Gabe Arnold additionally received a state championship, edging out Iowa State recruit and two-time Iowa state champion Tate Naaktgeboren in tiebreakers, 2-1, within the remaining at 182 lbs. Arnold and Naaktgeboren are each ranked within the High 5 nationally and confronted off in 4 matches this season — all received by Arnold. He received 8-3 of their first assembly in December, then edged him 3-1 and 3-2 (tiebreakers) final month. This newest match additionally went to tiebreakers, with Arnold getting an escape in additional time after which driving out Naaktgeboren to safe the win.
Moreover, Norwalk’s Maddux Borcherding-Johnson received a state championship over Waverly-Shell Rock’s Jake Walker with a 3-1 victory at heavyweight. Borcherding-Johnson is not an incoming Iowa wrestling recruit — however he’s a part of Iowa’s 2023 soccer recruiting class. Borcherding-Johnson, a 3* prospect, is slated to start his Iowa profession at defensive deal with.
