Who Is The GOAT IA High School Wrestler: The Case For Everyone With Even a Far-Fetched Case
- Thread starter PinDoxRico
- Start date
Al Baxter was the real deal, and a very funny guy, even in (maybe especially in) the heat of battle.
Lol dude trust me, I have a ton of love for Jay Borschel... gonna keep these going for quite a while I hope... just haven’t gotten to him yet... what he did was amazing!
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...ling-goat-the-case-for-jay-borschel-linn-mar/
I conduct all kinds of hypothetical/“what-if” situations when thinking about wrestling and one of the most common “what-if” scenarios I brainstorm and have for years, is “what if I was a scout, GM or recruiter for a high level wrestling program…? Who would I recruit every year and what would be my basis for doing so?” I go through this every year and to be honest (and please understand, I generally critique myself pretty harshly and have a difficult time giving myself credit for anything), this is one of those few areas in life where I am 100% confident that I would succeed. I generally nail these.
Every scout, recruiter, coach, etc. has their personal checklist on what they personally look for in a recruit. Most are pretty similar and my own checklist is no different, but what differentiates most is how much stock they put in to which areas. I know that two areas that I place a much more heavy emphasis on than most recruiters are “athletic upside/measurables and adaptability.” Some of the others are; results/accolades, health, consistency, academic performance, character, are they battle-tested, dedication, mental toughness, etc. With that said, I don’t know if there has ever been a HS wrestler to come out of the state of Iowa who has checked all the boxes more smoothly than Jay Borschel coming out of HS. Let’s go through some of the things that made him just totally stick out as an absolute “can’t miss” recruit.
1.) Accolades/Results: Borschel was a 4X state champ, was an AA at various national tournaments, finished with a career record of 163-1 with 95 pins… his one loss being in his Freshman season. CHECK
2.) Consistency: Borschel was one of the best and most accomplished wrestlers in the nation at his age and weight as a youth wrestler and never fell too far from being arguably one of, if not the best wrestler at his age and weight every year following until he graduated. There seemed to be no blips with him. He was consistently good.
3.) Health: Sadly, injuries derail a lot of promising careers and while it seems kind of harsh to knock a recruit heavily based on something unfortunate that happened to them that was beyond their control, the reality is that health is undeniably a huge factor that determines future success. Borschel had no injury concerns that I can recall.
4.) Character: If you read or listen to any interview from Borschel dating back to HS, it didn’t take long to be convinced that Borschel was a high character guy and wouldn’t be likely to have any “off the mat” issues.
5.) Academics: Borschel was a 3X honor roll student and a Wrestling USA scholastic AA. There likely would not be anything to worry about with Borschel in terms of eligibility.
6.) Was he battle-tested? Check out the place-winners of the 4 weight classes that Borschel won in HS and try to count the state champions, future NCAA AA’s, multiple high placers, etc. that were in his brackets and also keep in mind that Linn-Mar has always wrestled a tough schedule during the regular season… Yes, Borschel was battle-tested and he was borderline flawless…
2002 3A 103
1. Jay Borschel, Jr., Linn-Mar (Marion)
2. Ryan Bixler, Sr., Oskaloosa
3. Ben Hektoen, Jr., Fairfield
4. Drew Waschkat, Jr., Waterloo West
5. Tony Sims, Sr., Davenport West
6. Matt Splittgerber, Jr., Marshalltown
7. Shane Wessels, Sr., Fort Dodge
8. Jarion Beets, So., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
171
1. Jay Borschel, Sr., Linn-Mar Marion
2. Austin Boehm, Jr., Urbandale
3. Robbie Kramer, Jr., Prairie Cedar Rapids
4. Tyler Reed, Sr., Ottumwa
5. Chris Dunkin, Sr., Knoxville
6. Brett Schultz, Sr., Decorah-North Winneshiek
7. Josh Keller, Sr., Iowa City City
8. Robert Junck, Sr., Marshalltown
7.) Adaptability: This is where Borschel just totally wins me over. Borschel won state titles at 103, 125, 152 and 171. He won it as a lightweight, middleweight and upper-middleweight. That is one of the most impressive accomplishments in the history of Iowa HS wrestling and it is a direct indicator of his unbelievable ability to adapt to win. When I was a Freshman in HS, I wrestled at 112. When I was a Junior in college, I wrestled at 197. I know firsthand (and from a significantly lower skill-level when compared to Borschel) that the wrestling game changes from the weight ranges you occupy. It’s a totally different game wrestling as a lightweight when compared to a heavier weight and not everyone can learn to make that transition smoothly. And Jay Borschel is the poster boy for being able to win at different weight ranges. No one did it better than him. Some other names that come to mind who performed at high levels in HS at lower and upper to upper-middle weights are; Drew Foster from Mepo (113 as a Freshman, 2nd at state as a Senior at 160, NCAA National Champ at 184), Willie Miklus from SEP (2nd at 119 as a Freshman, 1st at 220 as a Senior, 4X AA at the D1 level in college) and Evan Hansen from Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton (was 113 or 120 as a Freshman and won state at 182 as a Senior. He was a 4X NAIA National Champion for Grand View at 197). As you can see, when guys are able to prove that they can wrestle and do so successfully at different weight ranges, their bust-factor is low and it becomes very likely that they will succeed at the next level because of their cunning ability to adapt. When Borschel did this, it spoke volumes in terms of how good he was.
So with all that said, with my little hypothetical recruit grading scale for my imaginary job role that I will never occupy of being a scout/recruiter, Jay Borschel grades out perfectly. In fact, I don’t believe there has ever been a better recruit coming out of HS than Jay Borschel considering he checks so many of what I believe to be important boxes. With that said, if there were to be some sort of draft with every Iowa HS wrestler ever and none of the people drafting were to know the outcomes of how they ended up doing at the college level… If I were to have the first overall pick, I would confidently select Jay Borschel. You just can’t miss with a guy like that. He was a “sure thing” to accomplish something at the next level… and he did… he was a multiple AA and D1 National Champion for the Hawkeyes.
Does Jay Borschel have a case for being the Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?!? DUH! That is an absolute no-brainer.
I conduct all kinds of hypothetical/“what-if” situations when thinking about wrestling and one of the most common “what-if” scenarios I brainstorm and have for years, is “what if I was a scout, GM or recruiter for a high level wrestling program…? Who would I recruit every year and what would be my basis for doing so?” I go through this every year and to be honest (and please understand, I generally critique myself pretty harshly and have a difficult time giving myself credit for anything), this is one of those few areas in life where I am 100% confident that I would succeed. I generally nail these.
Every scout, recruiter, coach, etc. has their personal checklist on what they personally look for in a recruit. Most are pretty similar and my own checklist is no different, but what differentiates most is how much stock they put in to which areas. I know that two areas that I place a much more heavy emphasis on than most recruiters are “athletic upside/measurables and adaptability.” Some of the others are; results/accolades, health, consistency, academic performance, character, are they battle-tested, dedication, mental toughness, etc. With that said, I don’t know if there has ever been a HS wrestler to come out of the state of Iowa who has checked all the boxes more smoothly than Jay Borschel coming out of HS. Let’s go through some of the things that made him just totally stick out as an absolute “can’t miss” recruit.
1.) Accolades/Results: Borschel was a 4X state champ, was an AA at various national tournaments, finished with a career record of 163-1 with 95 pins… his one loss being in his Freshman season. CHECK
2.) Consistency: Borschel was one of the best and most accomplished wrestlers in the nation at his age and weight as a youth wrestler and never fell too far from being arguably one of, if not the best wrestler at his age and weight every year following until he graduated. There seemed to be no blips with him. He was consistently good.
3.) Health: Sadly, injuries derail a lot of promising careers and while it seems kind of harsh to knock a recruit heavily based on something unfortunate that happened to them that was beyond their control, the reality is that health is undeniably a huge factor that determines future success. Borschel had no injury concerns that I can recall.
4.) Character: If you read or listen to any interview from Borschel dating back to HS, it didn’t take long to be convinced that Borschel was a high character guy and wouldn’t be likely to have any “off the mat” issues.
5.) Academics: Borschel was a 3X honor roll student and a Wrestling USA scholastic AA. There likely would not be anything to worry about with Borschel in terms of eligibility.
6.) Was he battle-tested? Check out the place-winners of the 4 weight classes that Borschel won in HS and try to count the state champions, future NCAA AA’s, multiple high placers, etc. that were in his brackets and also keep in mind that Linn-Mar has always wrestled a tough schedule during the regular season… Yes, Borschel was battle-tested and he was borderline flawless…
2002 3A 103
- Jay Borschel, Fr., Linn-Mar
- Joey Slaton, Fr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
- Brandon McDonough, So., Des Moines Lincoln
- Brady Graham, So., Oskaloosa
- Chris Johnson, Jr., Waukee
- Jeff Miller, So., Sioux City East
- Jay Borschel, So., Linn-Mar
- Jake Halvorsen, Sr., Iowa City West
- Kyle Anson, So., Iowa City High
- Christian Abrams, So., Fort Dodge
- Steve Arceneaux, Sr., Waterloo East
- Aaron Daniels, Sr., Newton
- Gabe Rostermundt, Sr., Council Bluffs Lewis Central
- Kyle Blood, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
1. Jay Borschel, Jr., Linn-Mar (Marion)
2. Ryan Bixler, Sr., Oskaloosa
3. Ben Hektoen, Jr., Fairfield
4. Drew Waschkat, Jr., Waterloo West
5. Tony Sims, Sr., Davenport West
6. Matt Splittgerber, Jr., Marshalltown
7. Shane Wessels, Sr., Fort Dodge
8. Jarion Beets, So., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
171
1. Jay Borschel, Sr., Linn-Mar Marion
2. Austin Boehm, Jr., Urbandale
3. Robbie Kramer, Jr., Prairie Cedar Rapids
4. Tyler Reed, Sr., Ottumwa
5. Chris Dunkin, Sr., Knoxville
6. Brett Schultz, Sr., Decorah-North Winneshiek
7. Josh Keller, Sr., Iowa City City
8. Robert Junck, Sr., Marshalltown
7.) Adaptability: This is where Borschel just totally wins me over. Borschel won state titles at 103, 125, 152 and 171. He won it as a lightweight, middleweight and upper-middleweight. That is one of the most impressive accomplishments in the history of Iowa HS wrestling and it is a direct indicator of his unbelievable ability to adapt to win. When I was a Freshman in HS, I wrestled at 112. When I was a Junior in college, I wrestled at 197. I know firsthand (and from a significantly lower skill-level when compared to Borschel) that the wrestling game changes from the weight ranges you occupy. It’s a totally different game wrestling as a lightweight when compared to a heavier weight and not everyone can learn to make that transition smoothly. And Jay Borschel is the poster boy for being able to win at different weight ranges. No one did it better than him. Some other names that come to mind who performed at high levels in HS at lower and upper to upper-middle weights are; Drew Foster from Mepo (113 as a Freshman, 2nd at state as a Senior at 160, NCAA National Champ at 184), Willie Miklus from SEP (2nd at 119 as a Freshman, 1st at 220 as a Senior, 4X AA at the D1 level in college) and Evan Hansen from Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton (was 113 or 120 as a Freshman and won state at 182 as a Senior. He was a 4X NAIA National Champion for Grand View at 197). As you can see, when guys are able to prove that they can wrestle and do so successfully at different weight ranges, their bust-factor is low and it becomes very likely that they will succeed at the next level because of their cunning ability to adapt. When Borschel did this, it spoke volumes in terms of how good he was.
So with all that said, with my little hypothetical recruit grading scale for my imaginary job role that I will never occupy of being a scout/recruiter, Jay Borschel grades out perfectly. In fact, I don’t believe there has ever been a better recruit coming out of HS than Jay Borschel considering he checks so many of what I believe to be important boxes. With that said, if there were to be some sort of draft with every Iowa HS wrestler ever and none of the people drafting were to know the outcomes of how they ended up doing at the college level… If I were to have the first overall pick, I would confidently select Jay Borschel. You just can’t miss with a guy like that. He was a “sure thing” to accomplish something at the next level… and he did… he was a multiple AA and D1 National Champion for the Hawkeyes.
Does Jay Borschel have a case for being the Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?!? DUH! That is an absolute no-brainer.
I witnessed pretty much every title that Carter Happel ever won. Impressive, eh? Actually it is, considering I watched him from the time he won his first Super Pee-Wee state championship as a 1st grader and racked up about 6-7 of them BEFORE even entering high school. Carter was pretty much “the” guy of that solid 2016 class from the get-go. I know this for a fact, he was in my brother, Shea’s grade and I had that grade broken down to a science for years. There are only a couple-few guys that I recall ever giving Carter any sort of “fit” from the time he started until he finished his epic high school wrestling career. One was Hunter Washburn from Alburnett. It seemed like those two met 100 times from the time they were tykes all the way through high school. They had a highly publicized quarterfinal match at state when Carter was a Sophomore going for 2 and Hunter was a Junior going for his 3rd. That was a high-pressure match…whoever won still had a shot for 4 titles while the loser’s quest ended there. And it just so happened to take place between a couple guys who were already bitter rivals for a decade leading to that match. Carter won that one. Carter won the majority of his match-ups against Hunter Washburn, but I want to say that Hunter won at least one time maybe multiple against Carter early on when nobody else seemed capable of making even the faintest smudge on his armor. Another guy who gave him fits was a kid named Ryan McDaniel from Marshalltown… a kid who had a penchant for slowing matches down and being a mostly defensive wrestler/opportunistic scorer. He was frustrating to Carter. He was frustrating to every offensive wrestler. I tell you what, it grinds my gears a bit when talented wrestlers quit when they have obvious talent. McDaniel was a guy who did that. He didn’t go out in high school. He was one of the best in the grade who would have surely succeeded in HS and he wasn’t the only elite kid of that class to quit. A kid named Austin Stogdill from Alburnett was one of the best in that grade as well and he didn’t wrestle much in high school. He would have been great as well. I don’t know what led them to make those decisions, but I always wish the best for people and I hope that the path they chose, which didn’t include wrestling, led them to happy lives now. Anyways… that was pretty much it, from what I can remember. Maybe Matt Wempen? I know Wempen beat McDaniel in the finals at state when Carter and McDaniel were 7th graders… but nevertheless, no one really ever got in Carter’s way and if they did, the whole gym talked about it because it was rare.
When Carter hit high school, this trend continued. He finished with a career record of something like 209-1 and won 4 state championships. The only blemish he had was his Freshman season against a Wilton guy, I believe it was against Zeke Smith (and he would have wrestled up to face him). He defeated Smirh’ teammate, Brady Ruden in the state finals that year in an intense overtime match. Ruden would go on to win a state championship of his own the following year. But that was it. Other than that, Carter was flawless in Iowa High School sanctioned events. And he was battle-tested every year… check out the results of the brackets he won:
2013 1A 120
1st Place - Carter Happel of Lisbon 43-1, Fr.
2nd Place - Brady Ruden of Wilton 40-7, Jr.
3rd Place - Kyler Kiner of Ogden 40-1, Jr.
4th Place - Jeren Glosser of Eddyville-Blakes-Fre 44-5, So
5th Place - Jake Hunerdosse of Southeast Warren 40-8, So
6th Place - Jared Coyle of Maquoketa Valley, Delhi 44-9, Jr.
7th Place - JD Rader of South Hamilton, Jewell 36-7, So
8th Place - Brad Kerkhoff of Audubon 44-8, So
2014 1A 132
1st Place - Carter Happel of Lisbon 53-0, So.
2nd Place - Colby McIntire of Central Lyon-George Little Rock 36-3, Jr.
3rd Place - Logan Mays of Wilton 41-6, Jr.
4th Place - Blake Meyer of Sumner-Fredericksburg 48-3, Jr.
5th Place - JD Rader of South Hamilton, Jewell 40-2, Jr.
6th Place - Jake Mulford of Audubon 30-10, So
7th Place - Gabe Henderson of Southeast Warren, Liberty Center 33-7, Jr.
8th Place - Nick Mangrich of Don Bosco, Gilbertville 31-19, So.
- NOTE 2X State Champ, Hunter Washburn was also in this bracket, but defaulted out due to injury.
2015 1A 138
1st Place - Carter Happel of Lisbon 55-0, Jr.
2nd Place - Trey Brisker of Wilton 46-8, Fr.
3rd Place - Jeren Glosser of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 56-1, Sr.
4th Place - Tanner Abbas of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 39-12, Fr.
5th Place - Tanner Sloan of Alburnett 38-13, Fr.
6th Place - Karsen Seehase of Sumner-Fredericksburg 25-5, So.
7th Place - Drake Healey of Iowa Valley, Marengo 51-7, Sr.
8th Place - Jake Mulford of Audubon 41-7, Jr.
2016 1A 145
1 Carter Happel (Sr.) Lisbon
2 Trent Johnson (Jr.) Dike-New Hartford
3 Trey Brisker (So.) Wilton
4 Tanner Hoyer (Jr.) Alburnett
5 Dylan Schuck (Jr.) Sibley-Ocheyedan
6 Dylan Mueller (Sr.) Central Springs
7 Griffen McBride (Jr.) Pleasantville
8 Braiden Tank (Sr.) West Monona
Carter had two or more fellow state champs in his bracket every year, except his Sophomore year and that year he had 1. He was in a shark tank every year at state and every year, he was the Great White shark from Jaws. He was a national champion as a cadet at both FILA and Fargo nationals and placed 3rd and 5th at Fargo nationals as a Junior.
Does Carter Happel have a case for being considered Iowa high school wrestling’s GOAT?!? YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT HE DOES!!! And if you try to dispute that, you are wrong and need to clear your head to where you can give this guy the credit he deserves.
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...wrestler-the-case-for-dan-leclere-north-linn/
The Leclere family. That is one…tough…family. I am 4 years older than Daniel and was aware of him being really good back when he was in like 3rd or 4th grade. I actually got to know them a bit when I was a Junior/Senior in high school and Dan was a 7th/8th grader. We were in the same freestyle wrestling club, which was Mark Reiland’s “Future Hawkeye Wrestling Club.” Dan would come there with his dad. His dad was always willing to push himself and work harder on the mat than anyone else in the room. I would attend practice and a common thought I’d have would be, “why is this dad able to run more sprints than me without vomiting? Is this guy a warrior or is it because I am a dog?” The answer was both of those. Then after practice we would all hit the locker room and Dan and his dad were guys I seemed to chat with the most. After speaking with Dan every week, I’d think to myself, “I am a Senior in high school, why is it that this 8th grade kid is clearly more mature and level-headed than me? Is it because he is advanced or is it because I am a jackass?” The answer was both of those as well. So the LeClere father and son duo of Doug and Dan got me to both question my youth and question my maturity. With that said, I knew that Dan was going to be a stud. He could have competed at a high level in high school as a 7th grader. He was wise beyond his years off the mat and tenacious beyond his species on the mat. He was way ahead of everyone in his age group, it seemed.
Dan won 4 titles for North Linn and finished with a 167-2 record. He ran into all sorts of competition every year he wrestled at state. Check it out:
2002 1A 119
2003 1A 130
2004 1A 140
1. Dan LeClere, Jr., North Linn (Troy Mills)
2. Mitch Norton, Jr., Nashua-Plainfield
3. David Hildreth, Sr., Rockwell City-Lytton
4. Brian Bloes, Sr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
5. Forrest Young, Jr., Interstate 35 (Truro)
6. Kyle Eliason, Jr., Tipton
7. Andrew Knudtson, Jr., Lake Mills
8. Eric Lennie, Sr., Belle Plaine
2005 1A 140
1. Daniel LeClere, Sr., North Linn Troy Mills
2. Brett Rose, Jr., Woodbury Central Moville
3. Trevor Kittleson, Jr., St. Ansgar
4. Klint Kersten, Sr., Logan-Magnolia
5. Eric Schares, Sr., Don Bosco Gilbertville
6. Joel Allen, Sr., St. Edmond Fort Dodge
7. Jacob Hall, Jr., Ogden
8. David Hutton, Jr., Interstate 35 Truro
Does Daniel Leclere have a case for the Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?!? Well, it’s kind of unfair to assume that there are too many of any knocks against him. IMO, his case began his freshman season. What he did that year was nothing short of amazing. To start, he was a freshman who won at 119. There is a significant difference between 119 lb. Freshmen and 103 lb Freshmen in which the overwhelming majority of 4Xers start off at 103. 119 is tougher for a Freshman. And that bracket had 2X runner up and Tulsa National Champ, Corey Kalina. His Sophomore championship was even more impressive for he beat 2X state champ, Charlie Ettelson from Hudson in the finals. Mitch Norton from Clarksville was also in that bracket. He won state two years later. Most notably was Justin Bohlke from Kingsley-Pierson placing 4th. He was the returning 2002 1A 125 lb. state champion.. the bracket that also included Ryan Morningstar from Lisbon, Chad Beatty from Wilton and Mario Galanakis from Nodaway-Valley.
Dan Leclere was legit. Don’t cross him off.
The Leclere family. That is one…tough…family. I am 4 years older than Daniel and was aware of him being really good back when he was in like 3rd or 4th grade. I actually got to know them a bit when I was a Junior/Senior in high school and Dan was a 7th/8th grader. We were in the same freestyle wrestling club, which was Mark Reiland’s “Future Hawkeye Wrestling Club.” Dan would come there with his dad. His dad was always willing to push himself and work harder on the mat than anyone else in the room. I would attend practice and a common thought I’d have would be, “why is this dad able to run more sprints than me without vomiting? Is this guy a warrior or is it because I am a dog?” The answer was both of those. Then after practice we would all hit the locker room and Dan and his dad were guys I seemed to chat with the most. After speaking with Dan every week, I’d think to myself, “I am a Senior in high school, why is it that this 8th grade kid is clearly more mature and level-headed than me? Is it because he is advanced or is it because I am a jackass?” The answer was both of those as well. So the LeClere father and son duo of Doug and Dan got me to both question my youth and question my maturity. With that said, I knew that Dan was going to be a stud. He could have competed at a high level in high school as a 7th grader. He was wise beyond his years off the mat and tenacious beyond his species on the mat. He was way ahead of everyone in his age group, it seemed.
Dan won 4 titles for North Linn and finished with a 167-2 record. He ran into all sorts of competition every year he wrestled at state. Check it out:
2002 1A 119
- Daniel LeClere, Fr., North Linn
- Corey Kalina, Sr., Belle Plaine
- B.J. McMahon, Sr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
- Joey Verschoor, Fr., Kingsley-Pierson
- Andy Ohnemus, Jr., Southeast Warren
- Wade Sundell, Jr., Ogden
2003 1A 130
- Dan LeClere, So., North Linn
- Charlie Ettelson, So., Hudson
- Mitch Norton, So., Nashua-Plainfield
- Justin Bohlke, Sr., Kingsley-Pierson
- Trevor Hickman, Sr., West Marshall
- Nick Kenne, Sr., Pocahontas Area
- Keith Hebrink, Sr., Lake Mills
- Corey Edwards, Sr., Bedford
2004 1A 140
1. Dan LeClere, Jr., North Linn (Troy Mills)
2. Mitch Norton, Jr., Nashua-Plainfield
3. David Hildreth, Sr., Rockwell City-Lytton
4. Brian Bloes, Sr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
5. Forrest Young, Jr., Interstate 35 (Truro)
6. Kyle Eliason, Jr., Tipton
7. Andrew Knudtson, Jr., Lake Mills
8. Eric Lennie, Sr., Belle Plaine
2005 1A 140
1. Daniel LeClere, Sr., North Linn Troy Mills
2. Brett Rose, Jr., Woodbury Central Moville
3. Trevor Kittleson, Jr., St. Ansgar
4. Klint Kersten, Sr., Logan-Magnolia
5. Eric Schares, Sr., Don Bosco Gilbertville
6. Joel Allen, Sr., St. Edmond Fort Dodge
7. Jacob Hall, Jr., Ogden
8. David Hutton, Jr., Interstate 35 Truro
Does Daniel Leclere have a case for the Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?!? Well, it’s kind of unfair to assume that there are too many of any knocks against him. IMO, his case began his freshman season. What he did that year was nothing short of amazing. To start, he was a freshman who won at 119. There is a significant difference between 119 lb. Freshmen and 103 lb Freshmen in which the overwhelming majority of 4Xers start off at 103. 119 is tougher for a Freshman. And that bracket had 2X runner up and Tulsa National Champ, Corey Kalina. His Sophomore championship was even more impressive for he beat 2X state champ, Charlie Ettelson from Hudson in the finals. Mitch Norton from Clarksville was also in that bracket. He won state two years later. Most notably was Justin Bohlke from Kingsley-Pierson placing 4th. He was the returning 2002 1A 125 lb. state champion.. the bracket that also included Ryan Morningstar from Lisbon, Chad Beatty from Wilton and Mario Galanakis from Nodaway-Valley.
Dan Leclere was legit. Don’t cross him off.
I never saw a single person have the ability to fire up an entire arena with his heroics like Mack Reiter did several times in his HS career. Mack was a popular wrestler in our era. Everyone, even people who didn’t know him seemed to like Mack and they cheered for him and why wouldn’t they? He always had a smile on his face and acted respectful to people while off the mat and when he was on it, the ways he would win matches and who he would win them against was enough to fire up the common spectator. I mean, when he wasn’t pinning a guy in 10 seconds or teching them out in the 2nd period, he may have had matches where he was down and it seemed unlikely that he or anyone in the world would still be able to pull off the win and Mack found whatever fire he had left within himself and won these matches much more often than not. This is a guy who had guts and HATED to lose. And the closer someone came to sealing a win against him, the harder he fought back to ensure that it didn’t happen. Mack’s pin over Dan Davila from Underwood as a Sophomore after trailing 6-2 late in the match was the single loudest moment that I recall hearing at the Iowa HS State Tournament. One of the things that makes Mack’s career impressive is that he was able to defeat Dan Davila 3 times…and never lost to him. He tech falled him once, he beat him by a point or two once and of course, he had that pin. If you talk to guys who were at that weight range and from that era, the majority of them who faced Davila will usually tell you that the guy seemed unbeatable. Just unbelievably good. And too physically imposing and fast to even hang with him. Welp, Mack didn’t get that memo. Davila only won one state title because of Mack… And he was talented enough to win 3-4.
Mack Reiter won 4 state titles. He won most of these matches as if it were just a routine, easy thing to do, but he did have some pretty close ones. A lot of people may automatically cross Reiter off as a candidate for the GOAT the moment they see that he did have 3 losses, when guys like Jeff Kerber, Dan Knight, Jeff McGinness, Eric Juergens and John Meeks did not lose a single match in high school. I hear this all the time. “Swaff, you can’t write these about anyone, but the guys who never lost. The other ones are out of it.” Nah. Not true. Who knows what may have influenced outcomes in regular season competition. Things happen. The best do lose. And the best of the best use these rare losses as something to learn from, which they do. Anyone who doesn’t see the case for Mack after reading this may be just Gopher-hating. Not to mention, if they didn’t abolish the 98 lb. division, Mack may never have lost, who knows? Because Mack would have been 98 as a Freshman if they still had it. A couple of the undefeated guys listed above wrestled at 98 as Freshmen (Kerber and Knight) because it was available to them. Would they have won titles as Freshman as an undersized 103 lber like Mack did? Who knows?
Here are the placers from every season that Mack won state:
2000 1A 103
- Mack Reiter, Fr., Gilbertville (Don Bosco)
- Luke Reiland, So., Eagle Grove
- Dan Davila, So., Underwood
- Corey Kalina, So., Belle Plaine
- Keefer Jensen, Jr., Missouri Valley
- Adam Bender, Jr., Lenox
- Mack Reiter, So., Gilbertville (Don Bosco)
- Adam Bender, Sr., Lenox
- Dan Davila, Jr., Underwood
- Jake Kruckenberg, Jr., Mason City Newman
- Brett Ray, So., Orient-Macksburg
- Tony Hager, So., Ogden
- Mack Reiter, Jr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
- Gannon Hjerleid, So., Wapello
- Travis Stangel, Sr., Nora Springs-Rock Falls
- Jacob Kruckenberg, Sr., Mason City Newman
- Ryan Radloff, So., West Sioux (Hawarden)
- Chris Utesch, Fr., Akron-Westfield
- Mack Reiter, Sr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
- Dan Helgeson, Sr., Lake Mills
- Niles Mercer, Jr., Van Buren
- Keith Hefley, Sr., Prairie Valley (Gowrie)
- Tyler Burkle, Fr., North Linn
- Jacob Pedersen, Jr., Hudson
- Logan Queck, So., Nodaway Valley
- Justin Hamilton, Sr., West Branch
FR: fall, dec, maj, dec.
SO: fall, fall, fall, maj.
JR: fall, fall, fall, fall.
SR: fall, fall, fall, tech.
- So 2 decisions, 2 majors, 1 tech and 11 falls…against great competition.
Mack was one of the most successful Iowans ever in terms of national success in HS. Check this out. Mack won Tulsa in 8th grade. He won FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals between Freshman/Sophomore year. He won Cadet Freestyle in Fargo between Freshman/Sophomore. He won Junior Freestyle between Sophomore/Junior. He got 5th in Junior Freestyle between Junior/Senior and 4th in Junior Freestyle after senior year.
Mack Reiter most certainly has a case for the GOAT. It doesn’t matter who you would choose instead of him.. if you took that person and put them against Mack, they would be in jeopardy of losing. I don’t care who they were. Mack made things happen.
By Kevin Swafford
One of the greatest things about wrestling that I found was its impact on families and how the sport of wrestling is passed on with its fervent love and passion for excellence and hard-nosed quality competition from to generation to generation, from parent to child, sibling to sibling, and beyond. As a matter of fact, I could probably make a career out of writing Iowa wrestling stories that are exclusively about wrestling families. There are levels of intensities that are hard to measure when it comes to family wrestling, like a wolf-pack and for the most part, there is a strength and confidence that is extremely formidable to anyone outside those walls.
When doing research on this article’s GOAT subject, I was immediately struck by how much talent that Nick Moore had… but also how much talent he had at home (brother Nate and cousin Cliff Moore) and a father that helped him pursue his wrestling dreams, and in the wrestling room with his teammates, and with his coach – former Iowa NCAA national champion Mark Reiland. I think it’s an aspect that gets overlooked sometimes when evaluating a profile of an individual whose body of work is unquestionably great. It’s the little things that matter in the daily pursuit of those high goals which become incrementally huge difference makers in that individual’s growth like the extra work that one puts in when no one is watching – the efforts invested in success that happen outside of the 2 hours spent in the practice room. Obviously, Nick had all of the tangibles that make star wrestlers… along with his intangibles, like coachability, drive and motivation to be the best he was able to build the impeccable high school resume that gives him GOAT credibility.
Let’s take a look at Nick Moore of Iowa City West and his “Case for IA HS Wrestling GOAT”!?
Nick Moore was the state’s 19th four-time state champion, winning titles at 130, 140, 152 and 160 from 2007-10. Those were weight classes well above the normal (98 or 103) starting weight classes seen in the resumes of most our beloved 4x state wrestling champions. He finished with a phenomenal 183-1 career mark, winning his last 151 consecutive matches that spanned three undefeated seasons (52-0, 49-0, 50-0) and was a junior national freestyle champion.
Nick’s only loss came during his freshman year at the hands of 2x state champion Mark Ballweg of Waverly-Shell Rock (career 158-6), in the 2007 state duals by a score of 5-3 after defeating Ballweg in overtime in their previous meeting a week earlier in the state semifinals. Nick of course went on to win the 3A 130 lbs weight class capturing the first of his 4 state titles. Ballweg placed 4th at 130 that year, and is the only HS wrestler to defeat both Moore brothers (beating Nate Moore in the 2005 3A finals at 103 lbs) and also went on to wrestle for the Iowa Hawkeyes (along with his brothers).
Nick was part of ICW’s talented “Fab 5” in the mid to late 2000’s, a tight-knit group of stud wrestlers for then head coach Mark Reiland… which included Nick’s brother Nate (2x state champ and 4x finalist), Derek St. John (2x state champ), Grant Gambrall (2x state champ) and Dylan Carew (2x state champ and 4x placer), and played a role in helping Iowa City West to a 2nd consecutive state duals and traditional team title sweep back in 2007… (IC West took home those same titles the previous year in 2006).
What makes Nick Moore’s climb to the list of “Mount Rushmore” 4x state title winners so impressive, is he ran the table winning two of those individual state titles with an injured right shoulder that required a pair of off-season surgeries (sophomore and junior seasons), which points to Nick’s physical and mental toughness, while also winning those titles in middle weight classes that spanned from 130 to 160.
What makes his “4-Peat” run of state titles that much sweeter from my perspective is that two of those state title years, Nick was able to share them with his brother Nate who was 2 years older. The Moore’s were teammates again later on in their wrestling careers at Iowa. Nick Moore went on to become a Big Ten finalist and three-time NCAA qualifier for the Hawkeyes.
Nick Moore was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Wrestling Hall Of Fame in 2020 (sharing the honor that night with his brother Nate – now head coach of their alma mater – the Iowa City West Trojans).
Personally, I love that… maybe it’s the sentimental side of me that enjoys seeing success of brothers (myself being a twin and also having a younger brother that I played an important role in helping him reach his wrestling goals) and in this GOAT case, the impact that brothers play in shaping each other’s future as well as later in life.
Nick Moore stands in nobody’s shadow while carrying an ample resume and deserves our consideration for Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT – what say you?
Here’s Nick Moore’s state tournament results…
2007 3A Results
130
- Nick Moore, Fr., Iowa City West
- Isaiah Smith, So., Newton
- Micah Sheffield, Sr., Sioux City North
- Mark Ballweg, Jr., Waverly-Shell Rock
- Travis Stratton, Jr., Burlington
- Bradley Westendorf, Sr., Oelwein
- Adam Richards, Sr., Johnston
- Colby Tofanelli, So., Des Moines Lincoln
2008 3A Results
140
- Nick Moore, So., Iowa City West
- Alec Hoffman, Sr., Davenport North
- Tyler Hardin, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie
- Travis Stratton, Sr., Burlington
- James Tudor, Jr., Newton
- Mike White, Sr., Bettendorf
- Tyler Middleton, Sr., Ankeny
- Keaton Lunn, Jr., Fort Dodge
2009 3A Results
152
- Nick Moore, Jr., Iowa City West
- Josiah South, Sr., Urbandale
- Joey Trizino, Jr., Bettendorf
- Quinten Haynes, Sr., Waterloo East
- Cody Clark, Sr., Southeast Polk
- Cody Marsh, Sr., Fort Dodge
- Spencer BeLieu, Jr., Indianola
- Travis Mallo, So., Mason City
2010 3A Results
160
1st: Nick Moore, Iowa City West SR 48- 0
2nd: Spencer BeLieu, Indianola SR 38- 3
3rd: Anthony Walther, Waverly-Shell Rock SR 39- 4
4th: Nik Pappas, Valley West Des Moines SR 32- 8
5th: Cory Devries, Dowling Catholic W Des Moines SR 31- 15
6th: Beau Gill, Sioux City North SR 34- 8
7th: Bryan Levsen, Bettendorf SO 25- 6
8th: Thomas Mayberry, Maquoketa SR 36- 7
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...estling-goat-the-case-for-dan-knight-clinton/
Here is a CJ Ettelson quote from the late Dan McCool’s book, “Reach For The Stars:” “A funny, funny story, but when I was about 4 or 5, Danny Knight went on some Saturday tournament that my dad took him to and he left his pillow. I slept on his pillow for many years. That was the thing I was always conscious about it because my dad was always like, ‘you know who’s pillow that is, right? That’s Danny Knight’s pillow.” With that said, it’s crazy to think that Dan Knight was so good, that his greatness seemed to be contagious, for CJ ended up becoming a 4X State champion in 2003 just like Knight did in 1987. I am assuming that CJ acquired “Mad GOAT Disease” from using Knight’s pillow. Not a bad disease to acquire!
I remember going to a big Clinton youth tourney when I was 10 years old and Knight did a clinic before the tournament began and it was there that I learned that he had never lost a match in high school. He was 128-0 in high school along with being a 4X State champion for Clinton. I had no idea that a person had ever gone undefeated before, let alone 3 at that time if you include Kerber and Gable. I decided then and there that I was going to become a 4X undefeated state champ myself someday. I fell short of that… to say the least. I would have done it if I were lucky enough to get one of his magic pillows! I picked up a “shoulder to ear” tip when running a chicken-wing on top from Knight’s clinic that day. I pinned 3 guys in the first period and got first that day… used that chicken-wing tactic every time. Knight has been cool in my book since.
So Dan Knight sported a red singlet in his matches because he was from Clinton and that is their primary school color. He was essentially “The Red Knight” in the coliseum and when he won his first two state finals matches, his opponents stepped on the mat looking like this:
5 seconds after the whistle blew, they looked like this:
Naturally, since he was winning so frequently and so ferociously, he developed some haters. One of these haters was so bad, that I would classify it as adversity that most other 4 Timers didn’t have to deal with… This heckler was loud, obnoxious and crazy and if he was granted one wish by a genie, he’d wish for The Red Knight to be demolished.
This is the insanity he had to put up with this crazy hater he had when he won state as a Junior:
How did Knight respond?! He responded by taking his opponent down. Dan Knight took him down….down, down, down!
That was a pretty big statement he made there. You’d think that it would have silenced the hater a little bit…but it didn’t… In Knight’s Senior season state finals match when he was going for his 4th title, he still had to deal with shade being thrown his way from the crazy hater in the stands:
Dan Knight wanted to silence this guy and he wanted to do it as soon as possible. So he did:
So Knight was able to dominate in the state finals in multiple ways. He could run a takedown clinic on you and tech ya, or he could pin you in 20 seconds as if you were a guy who showed up at open wrestling tourneys wearing a t shirt and shorts instead of a singlet. Dan Knight destroyed you in multiple ways and if you were his opponent, the manner in which you were destroyed all depended on his mood.
Does Dan Knight have a case for being the Iowa HS wrestling GOAT?!!? Well, why don’t you ask the Black Knight!
“YES, DAN KNIGHT HAS A STRONG CASE FOR THE IOWA HS GOAT!” -Says The Black Knight
Who is Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?! The Case For Joe Gibbons, Waterloo Columbus; Ames (1978-1981)
by KEVIN SWAFFORDon JULY 31, 2020 EDIT
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...joe-gibbons-waterloo-columbus-ames-1978-1981/
Joe Gibbons won his fourth state title in 1981, becoming the 4th member of the elite 4-Time Iowa wrestling state champions. At the time, this crowning achievement was the third year in a row that a wrestler won his fourth state title. You could refer to Joe Gibbons as the “Cleanup Hitter” of the 4-Peat lineup.
He was preceded in joining that illustrious lineup by Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg in 1979, and then Scott Morningstar of Lisbon in 1980. The leadoff hitter Bob Steenlage of Britt who had been left stranded as the lone 4-timer for 17 years prior.
Are the baseball references too much? Sorry… summer has always been my baseball season, my outlet to escape, mentally regroup, refocus, reflect and set new goals… and because of the crazy times we’re living in I’m having some minor withdrawals! Still, it’s opened up new opportunities for me to grow in other areas. Thinking about summers spent and how productive or unproductive my time was managed has given me a deeper appreciation for how kids bought into the “whatever it takes” pursuit of achieving their dreams.
The opportunities that are available now compared to what was available in the era of Joe Gibbons and this GOAT discussion is apples and oranges because you really had to be driven and motivated to achieve at the highest levels to do what they did – and at that time (in the 1970’s) the youth programs were really just beginning to take hold and make their presence felt at the high school level.
So what am I trying to say? Well, as I’ve been researching these great wrestlers for the GOAT series (mainly the early 4x-champs)… I’m seeing a pattern that all of them had in common that was generally uncommon back then. That’s the year round dedication and commitment to their own athletic development by getting the best instruction and learning to apply it. Sounds simplistic right? But small things matter in this sport, and every choice or non-choice is a decision made and plays an incremental role in what dividends those decisions pay in an athlete’s success and development.
And while I’m not saying that mult-sport athletes are at a disadvantage here, because obviously athleticism is an advantage in sports… but maybe a more narrowed approach, let’s define it as a more focused approach to training was really starting to take root in the wrestling communities at that time.
I guess that’s one of the things that separated me from these elite individuals like Joe Gibbons, because he spent his summers in wrestling camps and travelling and competing nationally in tournaments. There are levels of commitment and sacrifice that are rarely appreciated unless one dares to go down that path. That’s where wrestlers like Joe Gibbons excelled. It’s what all of the GOAT caliber wrestlers have in common.
I liked what 4x’er, Dan Knight of Clinton said after he won his fourth state title finishing his high school career as 7th member of the four timers and only the 2nd undefeated four time state champion in Iowa HS wrestling history… When asked what advice he would give for young men just starting out in their wrestling careers? – “you have to pretty much wrestle all year round to catch up on anybody… it can’t be just 3 months out of the year, you’ve got to dedicate a little more time to it…”
Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg, the 1st undefeated four time state champion in Iowa HS wrestling history said pretty much the same thing – “Youth wrestling and wrestling all year around gives you the experience to have a leg up on the competition when you hit high school and makes a big difference in your success once you get there!!!”
It only makes sense to me that after an extensive youth wrestling background and tournament experience, Joe Gibbons would come onto the high school state wrestling stage in 1978 and made a big splash as he won the 98 pound title as a freshman and in doing so, avenged his only two losses on the season with a 3-1 finals win over Tim Schultz of Charles City.
Gibbons, wrestled for Waterloo Columbus his freshman and sophomore years, and won the 105 pound title as a sophomore with a hard fought 1-0 victory in the finals over Phil Callahan of Clinton to preserve his perfect 26-0 season.
After moving to Ames for his junior and senior years, Joe made huge waves by winning the 126 pound title with a 9-3 decision over Kevin Brown of Cedar Rapids Prairie and finishing with a 23-3 record. Then followed that up with a perfect 28-0 record his senior year on his way to capturing the 132 pound title by beating Russ Graves of Webster City, 13-0 in that state finals match. Joe did not allow a single takedown during his senior season and was not scored upon in the state tournament.
Back in 1981, Joe Gibbons was among only a hand-full of wrestlers to ever win four Iowa titles – he was the fourth… His high school record was an impressive 105-5… and he left a major wake in the path behind him and set higher goals for the wrestlers that would follow. Gibbons was the first and still the only four time state champion to split his titles at two schools.
What makes the Joe Gibbons career story so incredible to me is he actually won 12 state titles during his high school career, as he also won four state freestyle titles and four Greco-Roman state titles. He was named the number one recruit in the country his senior year; was captain of the Dream team and named outstanding wrestler of the 1981 USWF tournament.
Post high school notes:
Joe Gibbons went on to compete at the college level for Iowa State and was an NCAA champion (1985) and a four-time All-American (1982, 1984-86) for the Cyclones. Joe Gibbons wasted little time proving his mettle at that level, going 25-5-2 in his freshman season (1982) at 126 pounds. He won his first Big Eight Conference title and earned All-America honors by placing fourth at the NCAA Championships, where the Cyclones placed second as a team. He was honored as the nation’s best freshman by the Amateur Wrestling News.
Gibbons redshirted in 1982-83, and then moved up to the 142-pound weight class for his sophomore season in 1983-84 in which he posted a 27-8 overall record and finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
Gibbons’ junior season (1984-85) was his best year of his college career (53-3). He racked up an ISU single-season record in wins en route to his second Big Eight title and his first NCAA crown at 142 pounds. Gibbons defeated Princeton’s John Orr, 4-3, in that 1985 NCAA title match to give the retiring head coach Dr. Harold Nichols his 38th NCAA champion.
After Dr. Nichols stepped down after the 1985 wrestling season, Gibbons’ older brother, Jim, took over as ISU’s fourth head coach for his younger brother’s senior season. The younger Gibbons earned All-America honors for the fourth time, finishing third at the 1986 NCAA Championships. At that time, only 10 Cyclones had earned All-America status four times. In all, Joe Gibbons won 11 tournament titles, including a Midlands crown in 1982, and was victorious in 124 career college matches (124-20-3).
I’ve mentioned this before, I love how family plays a special role in the sport of wrestling, and the Gibbons family are no different as their parents Bill and Bea Gibbons established an Iowa wrestling legacy, and with their children – 4 sons Jim, Joe, Jeff, and Tim… and all the brothers wrestled, with 10 HS state championships between them. It was also Bill Gibbons and John Kerber (Jeff’s dad) who rented a gym and held a state AAU tournament so that wrestlers from Iowa could qualify for the national tournament and helped bring Iowa youth wrestling to national prominence…
by KEVIN SWAFFORDon JULY 31, 2020 EDIT
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...joe-gibbons-waterloo-columbus-ames-1978-1981/
Joe Gibbons won his fourth state title in 1981, becoming the 4th member of the elite 4-Time Iowa wrestling state champions. At the time, this crowning achievement was the third year in a row that a wrestler won his fourth state title. You could refer to Joe Gibbons as the “Cleanup Hitter” of the 4-Peat lineup.
He was preceded in joining that illustrious lineup by Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg in 1979, and then Scott Morningstar of Lisbon in 1980. The leadoff hitter Bob Steenlage of Britt who had been left stranded as the lone 4-timer for 17 years prior.
Are the baseball references too much? Sorry… summer has always been my baseball season, my outlet to escape, mentally regroup, refocus, reflect and set new goals… and because of the crazy times we’re living in I’m having some minor withdrawals! Still, it’s opened up new opportunities for me to grow in other areas. Thinking about summers spent and how productive or unproductive my time was managed has given me a deeper appreciation for how kids bought into the “whatever it takes” pursuit of achieving their dreams.
The opportunities that are available now compared to what was available in the era of Joe Gibbons and this GOAT discussion is apples and oranges because you really had to be driven and motivated to achieve at the highest levels to do what they did – and at that time (in the 1970’s) the youth programs were really just beginning to take hold and make their presence felt at the high school level.
So what am I trying to say? Well, as I’ve been researching these great wrestlers for the GOAT series (mainly the early 4x-champs)… I’m seeing a pattern that all of them had in common that was generally uncommon back then. That’s the year round dedication and commitment to their own athletic development by getting the best instruction and learning to apply it. Sounds simplistic right? But small things matter in this sport, and every choice or non-choice is a decision made and plays an incremental role in what dividends those decisions pay in an athlete’s success and development.
And while I’m not saying that mult-sport athletes are at a disadvantage here, because obviously athleticism is an advantage in sports… but maybe a more narrowed approach, let’s define it as a more focused approach to training was really starting to take root in the wrestling communities at that time.
I guess that’s one of the things that separated me from these elite individuals like Joe Gibbons, because he spent his summers in wrestling camps and travelling and competing nationally in tournaments. There are levels of commitment and sacrifice that are rarely appreciated unless one dares to go down that path. That’s where wrestlers like Joe Gibbons excelled. It’s what all of the GOAT caliber wrestlers have in common.
I liked what 4x’er, Dan Knight of Clinton said after he won his fourth state title finishing his high school career as 7th member of the four timers and only the 2nd undefeated four time state champion in Iowa HS wrestling history… When asked what advice he would give for young men just starting out in their wrestling careers? – “you have to pretty much wrestle all year round to catch up on anybody… it can’t be just 3 months out of the year, you’ve got to dedicate a little more time to it…”
Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg, the 1st undefeated four time state champion in Iowa HS wrestling history said pretty much the same thing – “Youth wrestling and wrestling all year around gives you the experience to have a leg up on the competition when you hit high school and makes a big difference in your success once you get there!!!”
It only makes sense to me that after an extensive youth wrestling background and tournament experience, Joe Gibbons would come onto the high school state wrestling stage in 1978 and made a big splash as he won the 98 pound title as a freshman and in doing so, avenged his only two losses on the season with a 3-1 finals win over Tim Schultz of Charles City.
Gibbons, wrestled for Waterloo Columbus his freshman and sophomore years, and won the 105 pound title as a sophomore with a hard fought 1-0 victory in the finals over Phil Callahan of Clinton to preserve his perfect 26-0 season.
After moving to Ames for his junior and senior years, Joe made huge waves by winning the 126 pound title with a 9-3 decision over Kevin Brown of Cedar Rapids Prairie and finishing with a 23-3 record. Then followed that up with a perfect 28-0 record his senior year on his way to capturing the 132 pound title by beating Russ Graves of Webster City, 13-0 in that state finals match. Joe did not allow a single takedown during his senior season and was not scored upon in the state tournament.
Back in 1981, Joe Gibbons was among only a hand-full of wrestlers to ever win four Iowa titles – he was the fourth… His high school record was an impressive 105-5… and he left a major wake in the path behind him and set higher goals for the wrestlers that would follow. Gibbons was the first and still the only four time state champion to split his titles at two schools.
What makes the Joe Gibbons career story so incredible to me is he actually won 12 state titles during his high school career, as he also won four state freestyle titles and four Greco-Roman state titles. He was named the number one recruit in the country his senior year; was captain of the Dream team and named outstanding wrestler of the 1981 USWF tournament.
Post high school notes:
Joe Gibbons went on to compete at the college level for Iowa State and was an NCAA champion (1985) and a four-time All-American (1982, 1984-86) for the Cyclones. Joe Gibbons wasted little time proving his mettle at that level, going 25-5-2 in his freshman season (1982) at 126 pounds. He won his first Big Eight Conference title and earned All-America honors by placing fourth at the NCAA Championships, where the Cyclones placed second as a team. He was honored as the nation’s best freshman by the Amateur Wrestling News.
Gibbons redshirted in 1982-83, and then moved up to the 142-pound weight class for his sophomore season in 1983-84 in which he posted a 27-8 overall record and finished fourth at the NCAA Championships.
Gibbons’ junior season (1984-85) was his best year of his college career (53-3). He racked up an ISU single-season record in wins en route to his second Big Eight title and his first NCAA crown at 142 pounds. Gibbons defeated Princeton’s John Orr, 4-3, in that 1985 NCAA title match to give the retiring head coach Dr. Harold Nichols his 38th NCAA champion.
After Dr. Nichols stepped down after the 1985 wrestling season, Gibbons’ older brother, Jim, took over as ISU’s fourth head coach for his younger brother’s senior season. The younger Gibbons earned All-America honors for the fourth time, finishing third at the 1986 NCAA Championships. At that time, only 10 Cyclones had earned All-America status four times. In all, Joe Gibbons won 11 tournament titles, including a Midlands crown in 1982, and was victorious in 124 career college matches (124-20-3).
I’ve mentioned this before, I love how family plays a special role in the sport of wrestling, and the Gibbons family are no different as their parents Bill and Bea Gibbons established an Iowa wrestling legacy, and with their children – 4 sons Jim, Joe, Jeff, and Tim… and all the brothers wrestled, with 10 HS state championships between them. It was also Bill Gibbons and John Kerber (Jeff’s dad) who rented a gym and held a state AAU tournament so that wrestlers from Iowa could qualify for the national tournament and helped bring Iowa youth wrestling to national prominence…
- Jim, was a 3x state wrestling champion for Ames High School (1975-77), and was a 3x All-American (1980-82) for Iowa State, which included an individual NCAA championship in 1981. Jim was the head wrestling coach at Iowa State from 1986 through 1992. He coached the Cyclones to an NCAA team title in 1987.
- Jeff was a state champion for Ames High School in 1983 and 1984, and a second place finisher in 1982. He was a two-time All-American for Iowa State, placing third at the 1987 NCAA tournament and sixth at the 1988 NCAA tournament.
- Tim was a state champion for Ames in 1976. He wrestled at Iowa State for one season before becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Gibbons continued...
Joe Gibbons was outstanding in his high school wrestling career – one of the best, which is why he was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, and is one of Iowa’s GOAT’s…
Here is Joe Gibbons Iowa State Wrestling Tournament results…
1978 – 3A 98:
1979 – 3A 105:
1980 – 3A 126:
1981 – 3A 132:
Joe Gibbons was outstanding in his high school wrestling career – one of the best, which is why he was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, and is one of Iowa’s GOAT’s…
Here is Joe Gibbons Iowa State Wrestling Tournament results…
1978 – 3A 98:
- Joe Gibbons, Waterloo Columbus
- Tim Schultz, Charles City
- Matt Egeland, WDM Dowling
- Art Hartin, Cedar Rapids Prairie
- Scott Jenkins, Burlington
- Gary Cooper, Linn Mar, Marion
1979 – 3A 105:
- Joe Gibbons, So., Waterloo Columbus
- Phil Callahan, So., Clinton
- Joe Pratt, Sr., Waterloo West
- Rick DeBartolo, So., WDM Dowling
- Steve Thomas, Sr., Charles City
- Jim Cornick, Jr., Mason City
1980 – 3A 126:
- Joe Gibbons, Jr., Ames
- Kevin Brown, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie
- Mike Fox, Sr., Marshalltown
- Kurt Ranshaw, Jr., Iowa City West
- Dan Majewski, Jr., Waterloo Columbus
- Brent Norgaard, Sr., Harlan
1981 – 3A 132:
- Joe Gibbons, Sr., Ames *** 4 Time State Champion ***
- Russ Graves, Sr., Webster City
- Tim Draper, Sr., CB Abe Lincoln
- Jerry Kellogg, Sr., Sioux City North
- Mike Stover, Sr., Charles City
- Kris Wallace, Jr., West Delaware
http://thepindoctors.com/index.php/...case-for-greg-randall-mount-vernon-1979-1982/
Who is Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?! The Case For Greg Randall, Mount Vernon (1979-1982)
by KEVIN SWAFFORDon AUGUST 7, 2020 EDIT
When looking at the history of 4-time state champions, it’s interesting to see the impact on the next group of wrestlers. For instance, when Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg won his 4th title on February 24, 1979… it was the same night that Greg Randall won his 1st state title and he witnessed the sell-out crowd pay reverence and homage to that achievement with 2 rousing standing ovations.
“I thought it was the coolest thing when I witnessed that… I thought to myself, I’m going to get one of those,” Randall said to himself that night.
That was like the passing of the torch, a defining moment in one’s own mind visualizing that experience, much like a baton exchange from one athlete to another in a race. History says it was not a unique experience. As a matter of fact, it’s happened numerous times in the past to future 4-timer’s.
When Randall experienced his triumph and the ovation that followed for winning his 4th straight state championship in 1982, it was Mark Schwab of Osage watching the standing ‘O’ moment for Randall after having won his own first title. When Dan Knight of Clinton won his 4th title in 1987, it was Shane Light of Lisbon that was watching the standing ovations paid to Knight after Light had won his own first title.
In 1990 when Light finished his achievement of winning his 4th individual gold medal, it was a young and talented Jeff McGinnes of Iowa City High that watched history unfold after claiming his very 1ststate title as Light was closing out his 4x HS career. When McGinnes won his 4th straight title 1993, it was Eric Juergens of Maquoketa that was watching on after winning his own first title that night and would later go on to receive his wrestling fan appreciation with those long standing ovations at both the raising of his arm at center mat and at the podium in 1996.
T.J. Sebolt of Centerville got a double bonus dose of that imagery and majesty in 2003 when he won his first title and then watched Mack Reiter of Don Bosco of Gilbertville and C. J. Ettelson of Hudson win their 4th straight state championships. It was the first time there were multiple 4-timer’s winning on the same night. The night Sebolt captured his 4thstraight title in 2006, it was Mack’s brother Bart Reiter that was watching on after having his own first state title.
* Interestingly enough, Randall’s sister had a son who graduated in that 2003 grade. His name was Nick Beuter and he wrestled for Cedar Falls. He was CJ and Charlie Ettelson’s longtime club practice partner and was closer than people realize to winning 4 himself as CJ dI’d, placing 2-2-4-1 in high school. Randall was surely influential to Nick and likely to the Ettelson brothers as well!
Going back to that original “coolest moment”, Greg Randall followed through on his treasured thoughts and won his fourth state title in 1982, becoming the 5th member of the “Quad-Squad,” the elite group of 4-Time Iowa wrestling state champions. At the time, it was the fourth year in a row that a wrestler won his fourth state title. Randall was a trend-setter in high school, becoming famous for the now-popular takedown, release, takedown, release, wrestling style.
It was actually his Coach Tim Johnson who came up with that game plan in Randall’s 1979 semi-finals match at 2A 98 lbs against Waukon’s Keith Colsch as a way to avoid his dangerous cradle. Johnson suggested that Randall stay on his feet and use takedowns, cutting Colsch loose and getting more takedowns. It turned out to be a pretty good strategy as Randall won 25-5 and became a finalist for that Saturday night’s IA State Wrestling Tournament finals on IPTV (where Randall’s coach Tim Johnson would host a few years later as an analyst and wrestling commentator).
It was a match that stunned Colsch from Waukon who was top rated at that weight class and everyone else that watched. Colsch had finished 5th place the prior year, would go on to a 3rd place finish in 1979, and then continue his wrestling career at NAIA Loras College (Iowa) with a college career record of 121-31, and was a four-time NAIA qualifier and two-time NAIA All-American, winning the 126-lb. national championship in 1983 and placing 5th in 1984. So yeah, it was a shocker… to everyone but Randall and Johnson!
Mount Vernon’s coach Tim Johnson, who was a Morning Sun alum and protégé as a wrestler under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Bob Darrah, noted that there wasn’t video back then to watch but they had some scouting info and knew what opponents various strengths and weaknesses were. Because of Randall’s coach-ability and talent, he was able to follow through on every facet of that “game plan.”
In the finals match, the team of Johnson and Randall stuck with the same plan against a tough opponent, John Thorn of Algona, who was also known for his cradle and talent on top, and Randall pulled out a wild 13-11 victory to capture his first state title and finishing his freshman season with a 29-2-2 record.
Randall didn’t exactly come into that state tournament on a roll though… He just came off a rough district finals match where he got pinned by Solon’s Jay Votroubek, a senior who ended up placing 5th in 1979’s state tournament. Tim Johnson recalled that “Greg got caught a couple of times as a freshman because he was small, and because Votrobek was a senior. When you’re a senior 98-pounder you’re a different animal.”
“My coach, Tim Johnson, was good at scouting and when I met someone who was good on the mat he would tell me to do that,” recalls Randall. “My strength was wrestling from my feet so we took advantage of it.”
Randall followed up his freshman 1979 state title by winning his first Junior Nationals freestyle title at 105.5 pounds… Not too shabby!
In 1980 it was a repeat of the 98 lbs. finals combatants from the year before with another matchup against Algona’s John Thorn. This time bumped up two weight classes to the 112 lbs. class… the senior from Algona proved to be a ‘thorn’ (pun intended) in Randall’s side earlier in the year by giving Randall his only loss of the season, a 4-2 decision at the Hudson Invitational finals. It would be the last time Randall would lose in high school as Randall got his revenge in the Class 2A 112 lbs. state finals match with a convincing 5-3 victory to seize his second straight state championship, closing out his sophomore season with a 33-1 record.
Randall’s junior season saw him impose his will on the competition by capping off the 1981 wrestling season by winning a state title at the 2A 126 lbs weight class, notching a 4-3 decision over junior Erik Strawn of CR Jefferson and finishing things out with his first undefeated season at 33-0. The runner up Strawn, would go on to capture a state title of his own at this weight class the next year finishing (31-0) and his career with a 109-13-1 record.
Randall also had a tough semi-finals match that year with senior Mike Schimp of Belmond, a state champion himself in 1978. Randall won that match 10-4 to advance to the finals.
The late sports writer Dan McCool tracked Schimp down after their matchup and wrote about it in his classic book ‘Reach For The Stars’, where Schimp remembers Randall as being ‘slick’… “He was slick. If I had to say one word about Greg Randall, he was slick. He was great on his feet. I’m not saying he was the most overpowering wrestler, he was just slick, his technique was awesome. Probably one of the best technicians I ever wrestled. He had an outside kelly, I felt it coming but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t plant, I couldn’t post, I couldn’t sprawl. I think he took me down with it two or three times. It amazed me.”
For Greg Randall’s senior year wrestling campaign, he remained undefeated at 28-0 and was crowned the 1982 state champion at 2A 132 lbs. after a 21-5 beating of junior Doug Stumberg of Grundy Center (a 4th place finisher at 119 in 1981), and then took center stage to be recognized with that double bonus ovation he had dreamed about and watched in awe and amazement 4 years earlier… all of it poured out from an excited and appreciative crowd of wrestling fans throughout the entire state of Iowa that was in attendance. Strumberg would go on to become a state champion at 2A 145 lbs the next year, capping off his career as 3x place winner and 2x finalist.
So what advice does a coach give his wrestler just prior to taking the mat to make an assault on the record books? Coach Tim Johnson was quoted by the Des Moines Register, as telling Randall – “I just told him to go out and make history!” and with his technical talent and coach-ability level measuring off the scale, Randall stayed in character and brought home that 4th gold medal and made his own history!
Following his 1982 state championship and capturing that 4th consecutive title, Randall went on to win his second Junior Nationals freestyle title at 132 pounds.
Who is Iowa HS Wrestling GOAT?! The Case For Greg Randall, Mount Vernon (1979-1982)
by KEVIN SWAFFORDon AUGUST 7, 2020 EDIT
When looking at the history of 4-time state champions, it’s interesting to see the impact on the next group of wrestlers. For instance, when Jeff Kerber of Emmetsburg won his 4th title on February 24, 1979… it was the same night that Greg Randall won his 1st state title and he witnessed the sell-out crowd pay reverence and homage to that achievement with 2 rousing standing ovations.
“I thought it was the coolest thing when I witnessed that… I thought to myself, I’m going to get one of those,” Randall said to himself that night.
That was like the passing of the torch, a defining moment in one’s own mind visualizing that experience, much like a baton exchange from one athlete to another in a race. History says it was not a unique experience. As a matter of fact, it’s happened numerous times in the past to future 4-timer’s.
When Randall experienced his triumph and the ovation that followed for winning his 4th straight state championship in 1982, it was Mark Schwab of Osage watching the standing ‘O’ moment for Randall after having won his own first title. When Dan Knight of Clinton won his 4th title in 1987, it was Shane Light of Lisbon that was watching the standing ovations paid to Knight after Light had won his own first title.
In 1990 when Light finished his achievement of winning his 4th individual gold medal, it was a young and talented Jeff McGinnes of Iowa City High that watched history unfold after claiming his very 1ststate title as Light was closing out his 4x HS career. When McGinnes won his 4th straight title 1993, it was Eric Juergens of Maquoketa that was watching on after winning his own first title that night and would later go on to receive his wrestling fan appreciation with those long standing ovations at both the raising of his arm at center mat and at the podium in 1996.
T.J. Sebolt of Centerville got a double bonus dose of that imagery and majesty in 2003 when he won his first title and then watched Mack Reiter of Don Bosco of Gilbertville and C. J. Ettelson of Hudson win their 4th straight state championships. It was the first time there were multiple 4-timer’s winning on the same night. The night Sebolt captured his 4thstraight title in 2006, it was Mack’s brother Bart Reiter that was watching on after having his own first state title.
* Interestingly enough, Randall’s sister had a son who graduated in that 2003 grade. His name was Nick Beuter and he wrestled for Cedar Falls. He was CJ and Charlie Ettelson’s longtime club practice partner and was closer than people realize to winning 4 himself as CJ dI’d, placing 2-2-4-1 in high school. Randall was surely influential to Nick and likely to the Ettelson brothers as well!
Going back to that original “coolest moment”, Greg Randall followed through on his treasured thoughts and won his fourth state title in 1982, becoming the 5th member of the “Quad-Squad,” the elite group of 4-Time Iowa wrestling state champions. At the time, it was the fourth year in a row that a wrestler won his fourth state title. Randall was a trend-setter in high school, becoming famous for the now-popular takedown, release, takedown, release, wrestling style.
It was actually his Coach Tim Johnson who came up with that game plan in Randall’s 1979 semi-finals match at 2A 98 lbs against Waukon’s Keith Colsch as a way to avoid his dangerous cradle. Johnson suggested that Randall stay on his feet and use takedowns, cutting Colsch loose and getting more takedowns. It turned out to be a pretty good strategy as Randall won 25-5 and became a finalist for that Saturday night’s IA State Wrestling Tournament finals on IPTV (where Randall’s coach Tim Johnson would host a few years later as an analyst and wrestling commentator).
It was a match that stunned Colsch from Waukon who was top rated at that weight class and everyone else that watched. Colsch had finished 5th place the prior year, would go on to a 3rd place finish in 1979, and then continue his wrestling career at NAIA Loras College (Iowa) with a college career record of 121-31, and was a four-time NAIA qualifier and two-time NAIA All-American, winning the 126-lb. national championship in 1983 and placing 5th in 1984. So yeah, it was a shocker… to everyone but Randall and Johnson!
Mount Vernon’s coach Tim Johnson, who was a Morning Sun alum and protégé as a wrestler under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Bob Darrah, noted that there wasn’t video back then to watch but they had some scouting info and knew what opponents various strengths and weaknesses were. Because of Randall’s coach-ability and talent, he was able to follow through on every facet of that “game plan.”
In the finals match, the team of Johnson and Randall stuck with the same plan against a tough opponent, John Thorn of Algona, who was also known for his cradle and talent on top, and Randall pulled out a wild 13-11 victory to capture his first state title and finishing his freshman season with a 29-2-2 record.
Randall didn’t exactly come into that state tournament on a roll though… He just came off a rough district finals match where he got pinned by Solon’s Jay Votroubek, a senior who ended up placing 5th in 1979’s state tournament. Tim Johnson recalled that “Greg got caught a couple of times as a freshman because he was small, and because Votrobek was a senior. When you’re a senior 98-pounder you’re a different animal.”
“My coach, Tim Johnson, was good at scouting and when I met someone who was good on the mat he would tell me to do that,” recalls Randall. “My strength was wrestling from my feet so we took advantage of it.”
Randall followed up his freshman 1979 state title by winning his first Junior Nationals freestyle title at 105.5 pounds… Not too shabby!
In 1980 it was a repeat of the 98 lbs. finals combatants from the year before with another matchup against Algona’s John Thorn. This time bumped up two weight classes to the 112 lbs. class… the senior from Algona proved to be a ‘thorn’ (pun intended) in Randall’s side earlier in the year by giving Randall his only loss of the season, a 4-2 decision at the Hudson Invitational finals. It would be the last time Randall would lose in high school as Randall got his revenge in the Class 2A 112 lbs. state finals match with a convincing 5-3 victory to seize his second straight state championship, closing out his sophomore season with a 33-1 record.
Randall’s junior season saw him impose his will on the competition by capping off the 1981 wrestling season by winning a state title at the 2A 126 lbs weight class, notching a 4-3 decision over junior Erik Strawn of CR Jefferson and finishing things out with his first undefeated season at 33-0. The runner up Strawn, would go on to capture a state title of his own at this weight class the next year finishing (31-0) and his career with a 109-13-1 record.
Randall also had a tough semi-finals match that year with senior Mike Schimp of Belmond, a state champion himself in 1978. Randall won that match 10-4 to advance to the finals.
The late sports writer Dan McCool tracked Schimp down after their matchup and wrote about it in his classic book ‘Reach For The Stars’, where Schimp remembers Randall as being ‘slick’… “He was slick. If I had to say one word about Greg Randall, he was slick. He was great on his feet. I’m not saying he was the most overpowering wrestler, he was just slick, his technique was awesome. Probably one of the best technicians I ever wrestled. He had an outside kelly, I felt it coming but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t plant, I couldn’t post, I couldn’t sprawl. I think he took me down with it two or three times. It amazed me.”
For Greg Randall’s senior year wrestling campaign, he remained undefeated at 28-0 and was crowned the 1982 state champion at 2A 132 lbs. after a 21-5 beating of junior Doug Stumberg of Grundy Center (a 4th place finisher at 119 in 1981), and then took center stage to be recognized with that double bonus ovation he had dreamed about and watched in awe and amazement 4 years earlier… all of it poured out from an excited and appreciative crowd of wrestling fans throughout the entire state of Iowa that was in attendance. Strumberg would go on to become a state champion at 2A 145 lbs the next year, capping off his career as 3x place winner and 2x finalist.
So what advice does a coach give his wrestler just prior to taking the mat to make an assault on the record books? Coach Tim Johnson was quoted by the Des Moines Register, as telling Randall – “I just told him to go out and make history!” and with his technical talent and coach-ability level measuring off the scale, Randall stayed in character and brought home that 4th gold medal and made his own history!
Following his 1982 state championship and capturing that 4th consecutive title, Randall went on to win his second Junior Nationals freestyle title at 132 pounds.
Greg Randall continued...
Obviously, with the notoriety that comes with the mat success that Greg Randall achieved in high school you would expect a ton of college recruitment, and Randall did get his fair share of colleges knocking at his door. One of the interesting stories about Greg Randall was his recruitment to Iowa and the challenges that lay ahead of him. There was a loaded weight class where Randall was going come in at, and at that level it was more about staying healthy, being mentally strong and maintaining confidence throughout all of those practice room beat downs that were to come while learning to improve.
Randall remembers Iowa Hawkeye’s Coach Dan Gable telling him “that the program didn’t really need me”… to which Randall responded internally to that challenge by not only making the team, but going on to becoming a three time all-American and two time NCAA finalist for the Iowa Hawkeye’s, placing 2nd as the NCAA runner-up at 134 pounds in 1984 and 1986, while also placing fifth as a junior. He compiled a 109-26-3 career record while at Iowa.
Randall also competed at the international level in 1989, capturing the gold medal at the Pan American games. He was also a runner-up at the U.S. Open Nationals, and placed second at the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival.
Greg Randall was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling HOF in 2008 along with Mark Schwab, Scott Morningstar, and Kevin Evans.
So what does Greg Randall attribute his success to?
Randall credits his parents for the success he enjoyed as he recalled starting wrestling in second grade at a Mt. Vernon club tournament. “My dad taught me to give it 110% all the time. That was the way I was brought up. He would take me to tournaments no matter where and he told me to have fun and give 110%… and Mom was the one who did the driving.”
One of those earlier little kid matches also helped shape the character of Randall. “I was eight years old and had to wrestle a kid from Cedar Rapids who was a year older. I was nervous but I pinned him. He jumped up after the fall and gave me a hug and said ‘great job.’ He showed me sportsmanship is number one and to handle losing just like winning.”
Randall recalls feeling the pressure of being the fifth wrestler in the state’s history to win four state titles. “I used the pressure to my advantage. I thrived on pressure… the more pressure the harder I worked,” he said.
There is a lot to take note of in the high school wrestling career of Greg Randall, not just the on mat success.
The things that stick out to me are the love that he had for the sport of wrestling, even at a young age and his maturity in his view of sportsmanship. He looked at obstacles in his path as merely objects that needed overcome instead of personal attacks. He was a very technical wrestler, an absolute beast on his feet, and was very mat smart… and as his coach Tim Johnson noted, his coach-ability was off the charts.
So what is the legacy of Greg Randall of Mount Vernon as it pertains to Iowa’s High School Wrestling GOAT?
There is so much to like and appreciate and so little to criticize but for the valid but slightly petty arguments regarding what weight classes he started his high school career… On the road to winning those 4 state titles, he had to beat 3 former or future state champions so his path to that pinnacle was no picnic!
Randall deserves consideration and demonstrated at the top level – the best of Iowa wrestling competitiveness and sportsmanship, along with showcasing a stellar resume that began as a 98 pound freshman to an international competitor to 24 years as a D1 college coach. His career reflects all the necessary attributes one would expect of the GOAT at one of the most exciting periods in Iowa wrestling history. He checks a lot of those “boxes” that matter in this GOAT conversation. He had a phenomenal HS career and was one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch in person, and literally changed how many wrestlers and coaches approached attacking great mat wrestlers if you were great or had a kid that was great on their feet. It became a very potent weapon and strategy.
The thing is… I don’t have to choose, I just present the facts and let you experts decide!
Greg Randall interview from “Wrestling with Iowa”
Here is Greg Randall of Mount Vernon’s Iowa State Wrestling Tournament results…
1979:
98 lbs
112 lbs
126 lbs
132 lbs
Obviously, with the notoriety that comes with the mat success that Greg Randall achieved in high school you would expect a ton of college recruitment, and Randall did get his fair share of colleges knocking at his door. One of the interesting stories about Greg Randall was his recruitment to Iowa and the challenges that lay ahead of him. There was a loaded weight class where Randall was going come in at, and at that level it was more about staying healthy, being mentally strong and maintaining confidence throughout all of those practice room beat downs that were to come while learning to improve.
Randall remembers Iowa Hawkeye’s Coach Dan Gable telling him “that the program didn’t really need me”… to which Randall responded internally to that challenge by not only making the team, but going on to becoming a three time all-American and two time NCAA finalist for the Iowa Hawkeye’s, placing 2nd as the NCAA runner-up at 134 pounds in 1984 and 1986, while also placing fifth as a junior. He compiled a 109-26-3 career record while at Iowa.
Randall also competed at the international level in 1989, capturing the gold medal at the Pan American games. He was also a runner-up at the U.S. Open Nationals, and placed second at the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival.
Greg Randall was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling HOF in 2008 along with Mark Schwab, Scott Morningstar, and Kevin Evans.
So what does Greg Randall attribute his success to?
Randall credits his parents for the success he enjoyed as he recalled starting wrestling in second grade at a Mt. Vernon club tournament. “My dad taught me to give it 110% all the time. That was the way I was brought up. He would take me to tournaments no matter where and he told me to have fun and give 110%… and Mom was the one who did the driving.”
One of those earlier little kid matches also helped shape the character of Randall. “I was eight years old and had to wrestle a kid from Cedar Rapids who was a year older. I was nervous but I pinned him. He jumped up after the fall and gave me a hug and said ‘great job.’ He showed me sportsmanship is number one and to handle losing just like winning.”
Randall recalls feeling the pressure of being the fifth wrestler in the state’s history to win four state titles. “I used the pressure to my advantage. I thrived on pressure… the more pressure the harder I worked,” he said.
There is a lot to take note of in the high school wrestling career of Greg Randall, not just the on mat success.
The things that stick out to me are the love that he had for the sport of wrestling, even at a young age and his maturity in his view of sportsmanship. He looked at obstacles in his path as merely objects that needed overcome instead of personal attacks. He was a very technical wrestler, an absolute beast on his feet, and was very mat smart… and as his coach Tim Johnson noted, his coach-ability was off the charts.
So what is the legacy of Greg Randall of Mount Vernon as it pertains to Iowa’s High School Wrestling GOAT?
There is so much to like and appreciate and so little to criticize but for the valid but slightly petty arguments regarding what weight classes he started his high school career… On the road to winning those 4 state titles, he had to beat 3 former or future state champions so his path to that pinnacle was no picnic!
Randall deserves consideration and demonstrated at the top level – the best of Iowa wrestling competitiveness and sportsmanship, along with showcasing a stellar resume that began as a 98 pound freshman to an international competitor to 24 years as a D1 college coach. His career reflects all the necessary attributes one would expect of the GOAT at one of the most exciting periods in Iowa wrestling history. He checks a lot of those “boxes” that matter in this GOAT conversation. He had a phenomenal HS career and was one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch in person, and literally changed how many wrestlers and coaches approached attacking great mat wrestlers if you were great or had a kid that was great on their feet. It became a very potent weapon and strategy.
The thing is… I don’t have to choose, I just present the facts and let you experts decide!
Greg Randall interview from “Wrestling with Iowa”
Here is Greg Randall of Mount Vernon’s Iowa State Wrestling Tournament results…
1979:
98 lbs
- Greg Randall, Fr., Mount Vernon
- John Thorn, Jr., Algona
- Keith Colsch, Jr., Waukon
- Bob Deskin, So., Carlisle
- Jay Votroubek, Sr., Solon
- Terry Cooper, So., Creston
112 lbs
- Greg Randall, So., Mount Vernon
- John Thorn, Sr., Algona
- John Thompson, Jr., Decorah
- Lee Weston, Sr., Griswold
- Todd Staats, Sr., Wapello
- Curt Stumberg, Jr., Grundy Center
126 lbs
- Greg Randall, Jr., Mount Vernon
- Erik Strawn, Jr., Jefferson
- Mike Schimp, Sr., Belmond
- Larry Vorwald, Sr., Monona-MFL
- Rusty Horn, Jr., Independence
- Jeff Brown, Jr., Centerville
132 lbs
- Greg Randall, Sr., Mount Vernon
- Doug Stumberg, Jr., Grundy Center
- Curt Mills, Denver
- Paul Van Oosbree, Sr., Emmetsburg
- Kurt Shedenheim, Jr., Belle Plaine
- 6. John Lockard, Sr., Johnston
Lol I wrote and contributed there for like a decade until 9 months ago when I started this.
No Chief; no one should see the covid thread
Do you have a video of Reiter’s come from behind pin over Davila?
I never saw a single person have the ability to fire up an entire arena with his heroics like Mack Reiter did several times in his HS career. Mack was a popular wrestler in our era. Everyone, even people who didn’t know him seemed to like Mack and they cheered for him and why wouldn’t they? He always had a smile on his face and acted respectful to people while off the mat and when he was on it, the ways he would win matches and who he would win them against was enough to fire up the common spectator. I mean, when he wasn’t pinning a guy in 10 seconds or teching them out in the 2nd period, he may have had matches where he was down and it seemed unlikely that he or anyone in the world would still be able to pull off the win and Mack found whatever fire he had left within himself and won these matches much more often than not. This is a guy who had guts and HATED to lose. And the closer someone came to sealing a win against him, the harder he fought back to ensure that it didn’t happen. Mack’s pin over Dan Davila from Underwood as a Sophomore after trailing 6-2 late in the match was the single loudest moment that I recall hearing at the Iowa HS State Tournament. One of the things that makes Mack’s career impressive is that he was able to defeat Dan Davila 3 times…and never lost to him. He tech falled him once, he beat him by a point or two once and of course, he had that pin. If you talk to guys who were at that weight range and from that era, the majority of them who faced Davila will usually tell you that the guy seemed unbeatable. Just unbelievably good. And too physically imposing and fast to even hang with him. Welp, Mack didn’t get that memo. Davila only won one state title because of Mack… And he was talented enough to win 3-4.
Mack Reiter won 4 state titles. He won most of these matches as if it were just a routine, easy thing to do, but he did have some pretty close ones. A lot of people may automatically cross Reiter off as a candidate for the GOAT the moment they see that he did have 3 losses, when guys like Jeff Kerber, Dan Knight, Jeff McGinness, Eric Juergens and John Meeks did not lose a single match in high school. I hear this all the time. “Swaff, you can’t write these about anyone, but the guys who never lost. The other ones are out of it.” Nah. Not true. Who knows what may have influenced outcomes in regular season competition. Things happen. The best do lose. And the best of the best use these rare losses as something to learn from, which they do. Anyone who doesn’t see the case for Mack after reading this may be just Gopher-hating. Not to mention, if they didn’t abolish the 98 lb. division, Mack may never have lost, who knows? Because Mack would have been 98 as a Freshman if they still had it. A couple of the undefeated guys listed above wrestled at 98 as Freshmen (Kerber and Knight) because it was available to them. Would they have won titles as Freshman as an undersized 103 lber like Mack did? Who knows?
Here are the placers from every season that Mack won state:
2000 1A 103
2001 1A 103
- Mack Reiter, Fr., Gilbertville (Don Bosco)
- Luke Reiland, So., Eagle Grove
- Dan Davila, So., Underwood
- Corey Kalina, So., Belle Plaine
- Keefer Jensen, Jr., Missouri Valley
- Adam Bender, Jr., Lenox
2002 1A 112
- Mack Reiter, So., Gilbertville (Don Bosco)
- Adam Bender, Sr., Lenox
- Dan Davila, Jr., Underwood
- Jake Kruckenberg, Jr., Mason City Newman
- Brett Ray, So., Orient-Macksburg
- Tony Hager, So., Ogden
2003 1A 125
- Mack Reiter, Jr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
- Gannon Hjerleid, So., Wapello
- Travis Stangel, Sr., Nora Springs-Rock Falls
- Jacob Kruckenberg, Sr., Mason City Newman
- Ryan Radloff, So., West Sioux (Hawarden)
- Chris Utesch, Fr., Akron-Westfield
Here is a list of how all 16 matches that he wrestled at state went downL
- Mack Reiter, Sr., Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
- Dan Helgeson, Sr., Lake Mills
- Niles Mercer, Jr., Van Buren
- Keith Hefley, Sr., Prairie Valley (Gowrie)
- Tyler Burkle, Fr., North Linn
- Jacob Pedersen, Jr., Hudson
- Logan Queck, So., Nodaway Valley
- Justin Hamilton, Sr., West Branch
FR: fall, dec, maj, dec.
SO: fall, fall, fall, maj.
JR: fall, fall, fall, fall.
SR: fall, fall, fall, tech.
Yes, he was battle-tested. He did this against stellar competition.
- So 2 decisions, 2 majors, 1 tech and 11 falls…against great competition.
Mack was one of the most successful Iowans ever in terms of national success in HS. Check this out. Mack won Tulsa in 8th grade. He won FILA Cadet Freestyle Nationals between Freshman/Sophomore year. He won Cadet Freestyle in Fargo between Freshman/Sophomore. He won Junior Freestyle between Sophomore/Junior. He got 5th in Junior Freestyle between Junior/Senior and 4th in Junior Freestyle after senior year.
Mack Reiter most certainly has a case for the GOAT. It doesn’t matter who you would choose instead of him.. if you took that person and put them against Mack, they would be in jeopardy of losing. I don’t care who they were. Mack made things happen.
I have a lot of respect for Scott Morningstar. We both went to UNI and met casually through wrestlers who lived on our dorm floor. He was a nice guy back then. Years later our paths crossed at a Hawkeye dual in Carver and he approached me and talked about his son Ryan’s upcoming match.
I can’t wait until I’m an old crip and can get on the World Wide Web and mouth off to other old people about these (kids) young adults and coaches.
Right? I’ve been telling myself the same thing since my last boithday!bro you’re old AF.
Similar threads
