Iowa’s Best High School Wrestlers: Meet The State’s Top Sophomores

Eddie Woody, Dylan Williamson, Hendrix Schwab all defending state champions

Don Bosco's Hendrix Schwab wins over Wilton's Austin Etzel at 113 lbs during the Class 1A state wresting final on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Winning a state wrestling championship in Iowa as a freshman is quite the feat.

For starters, it is the only way you can keep the drive alive to becoming a four-time Iowa high school state wrestling champion.

But battling through the state tournament field and coming out on top as a ninth-grader is no small feat. Three accomplished it last year in Southeast Polk’s Eddie Woody, Jr., Dylan Williamson from Van Meter and Hendrix Schwab of Don Bosco.

Woody, Williamson and Schwab will all be looking to make it 2-for-2 this winter.

Here is a look at some of the top sophomore wrestlers in Iowa high school athletics:

Iowa High School Wrestling: Top Sophomore Wrestlers

Eddie Woody, Jr., Southeast Polk

Woody entered right into the stacked Southeast Polk lineup and found nothing but success, going 41-1 overall and winning gold in Class 3A at 106 pounds.

Dylan Williamson, Van Meter

Van Meter's Dylan Williamson wrestles Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's Slater Thomas in the 2A 106 lbs final during Iowa high school wrestling state championships at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Des Moines. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Much like Woody in 3A, Williamson dominated at 106 pounds in his weight class, finishing his first season 39-3 overall and with a gold medal around his neck.

Hendrix Schwab, Don Bosco

The brother of fellow Don Bosco standout Hayden Schwab and son of University of Northern Iowa head coach Doug Schwab, Hendrix Schwab went 43-1 and won a state title in 1A at 113 pounds.

Cruz Gannon, Dowling Catholic

Dowling Catholic’s Cruz Gannon takes down Dubuque Hempstead’s Abe Heysinger during their 106-pound wrestling 3A boys state Semi-final at Wells Fargo Arena on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gannon was nearly unstoppable, reaching the 3A 106-pound final before falling to Woody. He had a record of 27-4 overall.

Slater Thomas, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

It was a silver-medal performance by Thomas, finishing with a 43-2 record and a state runner-up finish at 106 pounds.

Simon Bettis, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

Like this teammate Thomas, Bettis reached the finals, earning silver at 113 pounds while going 37-4.

Ian Maize, WACO

Maize put together a record of 37-4 and reached a state championship match, coming up just short by placing second.

Abe Heysinger, Dubuque Hempstead

Heysinger was on a roll as a freshman, finishing third at the state tournament at 106 pounds while going 35-4 overall.

Calvin Rathjen, Ankeny

In a loaded 3A bracket, Rathjen shined, placing fourth at 132 pounds while finishing the year 34-6 overall on the season.

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