Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Eagle Grove's Mack Morgan wrestles at the state tournament on Wednesday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Eagle Grove’s Mack Morgan earned a state medal a year ago, but that only motivated him to want more.

For the second straight season, the Eagle Grove junior was competing at Wells Fargo Arena.

Morgan (113) is joined by senior teammates Kaden Pritchard (120) and Jack Mendoza (195), who are making their first state appearances.

After last year’s fifth-place showing, it only pushed Morgan for more.

“Qualifying was awesome, but placing was a huge accomplishment last year,” Morgan said. “That showed me that I am better than I give myself credit for.

“That motivated me to work the hardest I have in the offseason and in season to try and get to the top this year.”

On Wednesday afternoon inside Wells Fargo Arena, after a first-round bye, the sixth-seeded Morgan (39-3) edged the No. 11 seed Gabino Vargas (33-12) of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, 3-2.

In the quarterfinals, Morgan will square off against third-seed Aiden Smith (35-11) of Atlantic.

“I didn’t go to state my freshman year, because I was at 90 pounds,” Morgan said. “So after placing (in 2022), getting a win in my first match (on Wednesday) feels great.

“All of the work I’ve been putting in is paying off on the mat.”

Pritchard (27-4) the 19th seed, won his first match, pinning Southwest Iowa’s Seth Ettleman (44-7) in 3:53. Pritchard lost to Sergeant Bluff-Luton’s Ethan Skoglund (45-6) in a tight 3-1 contest.

Up next for the Eagle senior is Independence’s Kale Wieland (25-15).

Mendoza (27-6) fell 6-0 to Keegan Snyder (39-10) of Perry. Up next for the 15th seed is No. 16 Braydon Hoffman (37-19) of Solon.

Greene County

The Rams will send their dynamic duo wrestlers to the quarterfinals.

Top seeds Kale Petersen (132) and McKinley Robbins (45-0) both made quick work of their first-round opponents.

Petersen (39-0), who is looking for his third state championship, earned a major decision over Sioux Center’s Kade Bauer (33-10) by a 15-5 count.

Up next for Petersen in the quarterfinals will be eighth-seed Max Currier (33-3) of Clear Lake.

Robbins (45-0), who is looking for his second title and fourth trip to the finals, pinned Clarion-Goldfield-Dows’ Kaden Hanson (27-13) in 46 seconds. Awaiting Robbins in the quarterfinals is No. 8 Austin Evans (28-5) of Creston.

Gavin Scheuermann (160) and Brent Dennhardt (145) both won their first-round matches before losing in the next round. Scheuermann (20-4) pinned Cole Storm of Columbus/WMU in 2:57, before losing to Independence’s Carter Straw (39-8) by an 11-9 final in SV-1.

In the quarters, the 11th seed will compete against No. 21 Cael Moore (29-21) of Williamsburg.

Dennhardt (145) pinned West Marshall’s Caden Vellinga (20-8) in 5:27 of his first match, then lost to Micahel Macias (25-1) of Davenport Assumption by a 7-2 final.

In the next round, the 12th seed will have Clarion-Goldfield-Dows’ Caleb Seaba (30-12).

Southeast Valley

A third state tournament appearance did start as planned for Caelan Oakes-Sudhish (120), but the eighth-seeded senior — who was seventh last year — will still fight for a podium spot.

Oakes-Sudhish (37-6) fell to West Marshall’s No. 9 Shane Hanford (22-1) by a 13-4 final. Up next for the Jaguar will be No. 23 Carter Liston (20-16) of AP-GC.

Nathan Graves (220 pounds) lost his opening round match to Glenwood’s Mason Koehler (45-7) by fall in 44 seconds. Graves (24-19) will now face No. 10 Sam Pas (36-8) in the next round.