Saturday begins what prep wrestling aficionados across Iowa consider the best three weeks of the sporting season.
Wrestlers across the state will compete Saturday in their Sectional Tournaments, in which the winner, and runner-up, at each of the 14 weight classes earn the right to advance. Doing so takes them to Showdown Saturday, the District Tournaments to be held Feb. 11.
The top two placers as districts earn the coveted honor of being one of 16 grapplers in their weight division and class to compete in the State Wrestling Tournament. Only 224 matmen in each of three classes will experience the ultimate — to take the mat in front of thousands at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
For Class 2A Perry, the trek to “the Well” begins with a visit to Sectional 5 at ADM. The Bluejays and Tigers will be joined by Atlantic/CAM, Harlan, Kuemper Catholic and Van Meter/Earlham. Those advancing will tangle with district qualifiers from the Shenandoah Sectional, as which Bedford/Lenox, Clarinda, Creston/Orient-Macksburg, Red Oak and Southwest Iowa will compete. The District 3 tournament will be hosted by Harlan.
Class 2A Woodward-Granger will be in action at Sectional 15 at Humboldt. Also competing will be Greene County, Roland-Story, Southeast Valley and Webster City. They are paired with Sectional 16 in Algona, where Clarion-Goldfield, Clear Lake, Forest City, Garner-Hayfield and Pocahontas Area are also in action. The District 8 meet will be held at Webster City.
Panorama competes in Class 1A and will make the short trip to AC/GC. ASHTW, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, Griswold, Nodaway Valley, Southwest Valley and West Central Valley will also be in Guthrie Center. Those teams are paired against the Sectional 14 tourney in Riverside, where Clarinda Academy, East Mills, CB St. Albert, Treynor, Tri-Center and Underwood will also vie for honors. The District 7 tourney will be at Underwood.
All sectional and district meets begin at 12 p.m.
