The Lisbon Lions wrestling squad is used to qualifying for state.
What it is less accustomed to is not taking the top one or two places.
This was the situation the team found themselves in at this year’s IHSSA boys state wrestling tournament, which ran from Wednesday, Feb. 15-Saturday, Feb. 18.
The Lions came in sixth place overall, unfamiliar territory — at least recently. It had been eight years before the team had placed less than first or second.
Lisbon brought nine qualifying wrestlers to the tournament, and four stood at the podium, having come in first through eighth place.
Brandon Paez and Wyatt Smith, both seniors, were the team’s two champions at 120 and 285 pounds, respectively. It was the third state championship for Paez. He was runner-up his sophomore year. It was the first championship for Smith. Both wrestlers were undefeated all season.
Wesley Sadler, at 106, placed sixth, and is a sophomore.
Indy Harbaugh was the fourth and last Lion to stand on the podium this year, placing eighth at 145.
Jackson Knapp (113), Tiernan Boots (138), and Indy Ferguson (220) all went 2-2 at the event, while Matthias Kohl was 3-2. Junior Krob, wrestling at 152, was 0-2.
“We wrestled tough,” said Lions head coach Brad Smith, who also served as the event’s Grand Marshal.
“I was proud of how our team competed. Not a rebuilding year, per se. A lot of coaches would be elated to take sixth place, but we’re not used to that. But it is what it is. The kids wrestled hard, and that’s all I can ask for,” Smith said.
Final Class 1A Top 10 team scores
1. Don Bosco 165.0, 2. Wilton 139.0, 3. Nashua-Plainfield 112.0, 4. Alburnett 111.5, 5. Waterloo Columbus 100.5, 6. Lisbon 97.5, 7. Underwood 81.5, 8. West Hancock 76.5, 9. Emmetsburg 76.0, 10. Logan-Magnolia 74.5
Summary
1A-106 5th Place Match – Brock Shaha (Mount Ayr) over Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) (Dec 3-0); 1A-170 Cons. Round 4 – Jacob Thiry (Don Bosco) over Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) (Dec 6-2) ; 1A-220 Cons. Round 3 – Logan Wright (West Branch) over Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) (TB-1 4-2); 1A-120 1st Place Match – Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Teague Smith (West Hancock, Britt) (Fall 1:59); 1A-145 7th Place Match – Gunnar Keeney (Alburnett) over Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) (Dec 9-8); 1A-152 Cons. Round 2 – Blaise Beane (West Central Valley) over Junior Krob (Lisbon) (Fall 3:00); 1A-113 Cons. Round 3 – Caleb Swedin (Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire) over Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) (MD 10-2); 1A-138 Cons. Round 4 – Kolt Knaack (North Tama) over Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) (Fall 2:43); 1A-285 1st Place Match – Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Mack Ortner (Don Bosco) (Dec 1-0).
Lisbon Wrestling agate Final Class 1A Top 10 team scores 1. Don Bosco 165.0, 2. Wilton 139.0, 3. Nashua-Plainfield 112.0, 4. Alburnett 111.5, 5. Waterloo Columbus 100.5, 6. Lisbon 97.5, 7. Underwood 81.5, 8. West Hancock 76.5, 9. Emmetsburg 76.0, 10. Logan-Magnolia 74.5 Summary 1A-106 5th Place Match — Brock Shaha (Mount Ayr) over Wesley Sadler (Lisbon) (Dec 3-0); 1A-170 Cons. Round 4 — Jacob Thiry (Don Bosco) over Matthias Kohl (Lisbon) (Dec 6-2) ; 1A-220 Cons. Round 3 — Logan Wright (West Branch) over Indy Ferguson (Lisbon) (TB-1 4-2); 1A-120 1st Place Match — Brandon Paez (Lisbon) over Teague Smith (West Hancock, Britt) (Fall 1:59); 1A-145 7th Place Match — Gunnar Keeney (Alburnett) over Indy Harbaugh (Lisbon) (Dec 9-8); 1A-152 Cons. Round 2 — Blaise Beane (West Central Valley) over Junior Krob (Lisbon) (Fall 3:00); 1A-113 Cons. Round 3 — Caleb Swedin (Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire) over Jackson Knapp (Lisbon) (MD 10-2); 1A-138 Cons. Round 4 — Kolt Knaack (North Tama) over Tiernan Boots (Lisbon) (Fall 2:43); 1A-285 1st Place Match — Wyatt Smith (Lisbon) over Mack Ortner (Don Bosco) (Dec 1-0).
Lions wrestle at state, place sixth
February 23, 2023
–Courtesy photo Jennifer Tischer
Lisbon’s Wyatt Smith grapples in the 285 pound championship match Saturday, Feb. 18.
