Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Jace Nelson-Brown of Emmetsburg is all smiles after his semifinal win on Friday at the state wrestling tournament in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — When it came to wrestling in the state of Iowa in the early 2000s, not many programs could match the success of Emmetsburg.

Jace Nelson-Brown now has the opportunity to add his name to a list that includes the likes of Justin Kerber, Jacob Naig, Ryan Sturm and 28 others when he competes in the Class 1A 170-pound final here Saturday night inside Wells Fargo Arena.

The junior ran his season record to 39-6 with a 4-2 sudden-victory over Titus Evans of Nashua-Plainfield in the semifinals on Friday morning. Nelson-Brown will now meet top-seed Maximus Magayna of Waterloo Columbus, who earned a fall in under two minutes vs. Ryan Stiles of Earlham to advance.

Magayna, also a junior, is a two-time state champion in search of joining some exclusive company. He is 46-1 on the season and 138-4 overall in his prep career.

Nelson-Brown was sixth in his state debut last year and has battled through three tough opponents to reach this point. After posting a 6-2 decision vs. Manson Northwest Webster’s Ian Kohnen before besting GTRA’s Jordan Saul, 3-0.

He has won 80 matches over the past two seasons and would be the first state champion for Emmetsburg with win No. 81 since 2006 when Kerber and Janssen stood atop the podium.

Ryan Brennan, Ben Saxton, Cade Shirk and Gage Jorgenson will join Nelson-Brown on the medal stand after securing wins in the consolation rounds. Brennan and Saxton can place as high as third, with Shirk and Jorgenson in the seventh-place match.

Brennan improved to 30-4 on the year and 4-1 this week with decision wins over Boden White of Denver and Indy Harbaugh from Lisbon at 145 pounds, while Saxton pushed his season record to 42-5 and 4-1 at state with victories over Aiden Sullivan of Nashua-Plainfield and Eli Green of Interstate 35 at 195.

Shirk battles Chase Wickwire from Belle Plaine at 182 with Jorgenson facing Maquoketa Valley’s Aiden Salow at heavyweight. Shirk will earn his first medal in three state tries.

After reeling off back-to-back wins, Manson Northwest Webster’s Ian Kohnen saw his tourney run end with a 10-5 decision loss to Jack Clarahan of Sigourney-Keota at 170 pounds. Kohnen, a senior, finished 24-7 this year and 3-2 at state.

Pocahontas Area’s Deontez Williams and Joseph Sanders also bowed out in the consolations, as Williams ends the year 40-6 and Sanders 34-16.

East Sac County’s pair of Bradyn Burns and Charlie Veit also just missed earning a medal with losses in the consolation fourth round.

Burns finished the season 44-15 and Veit with a record of 48-7.