Jesup’s Cooper Hinz breaks through to first Class 1A state wrestling tournament final

DES MOINES – This moment was a year in the making for Jesup’s Cooper Hinz.

From the time he had his spirit ripped away from him in this round last season, Hinz was focused on returning and finishing the mission.

“I’ve thought about it for a long time,” Hinz said. “At least, 365 days.”

The J-Hawks’ four-time medalist will turn his thoughts to completing a title run. Top-seeded Hinz beat West Lyon’s Ryan Bahnson, 12-7, in the 132-pound semifinals of the Class 1A state wrestling tournament Friday night at Casey’s Center.

“It feels good,” Hinz said. “I couldn’t do it the first three years. Last year, heartbreaking. Winning by one with 10 seconds left and got reversed.

“It sucked a lot. I’ve been waiting for this.”

Hinz placed fourth as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and had to settled for bronze last year. He has already assured himself of his best finish and a way from Jesup’s seventh state championship and the first since Brian Sadler won the heavyweight title in 2018.

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Hinz survived a close match in the quarterfinals but broke out with three first-period takedowns and added another in the third. Hinz, a University of Michigan signee, has earned the opportunity that has eluded him in the past.

“Finally breaking through,” Hinz said. “I knew I was better than him, but it was more about just getting to the finals, not beating the kid.”

Starmont’s Keaton Moeller waited even longer to get another shot at a title. Moeller was the 150-pound champion as a sophomore but missed last year due to injury. He pinned top-seeded Ryan Wirtz, of Emmetsburg, in 53 seconds and moved to the 190 title bout.

Moeller can become the program’s third wrestler to win multiple titles, joining Doug (1986-87) and Kent Streicher (1986-87, 1989).

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Iowa Valley jumped to a 6-0 start this tournament, advancing all three qualifiers - twin brothers, Chance and Mason Hoyt, and multisport standout Nolan Kriegel to the semifinals.

Chance, the No. 6 seed, beat Dyersville Beckman’s No. 3 Preston Hunter, 4-1, for his second straight medal. He took it another step forward. He pinned Council Bluffs St. Albert’s Sam Raymond in 3:29 to reach the 150-pound final.

Mason and Kriegel are assured of a top-six finish and first medal.

South Winneshiek’s Kyle Kuboushek entered the tournament as the top seed and still has an opportunity to finish that way. He topped Woodbury Central’s No. 4 Holden Koele, 8-6, in the 165 semifinals. Kuboushek is the Warriors’ first four-time qualifier since Jason Winkler, who was a state runner-up, and the first to reach the finals since Colin Holm in 2024.

Lisbon’s Cade Happel dropped his semifinal to Earlham’s No. 3 Max Millage, but secured a top-six finish at 126.

Starmont’s Jax Tommasin (138), Cascade’s Bryce Carroll (144) and Montezuma 215-pounder Braxton Plants lost semifinals but are assured of placing sixth or better.

Don Bosco led the team race after the semifinals with 188 points. Jesup had 90.5 with six medalists, including semifinalist Kaden Lange, who lost a two-point decision in tiebreakers to Pleasantville’s No. 6 Blake Rowson.

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