Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Broedy Hendricks works toward a semifinal win for Humboldt on Friday in Des Moines. For more photos, visit CU at messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Broedy Hendricks has competed in some of the biggest tournaments out there for youth wrestlers.

But even he was a little awestruck this week during his first state championship experience here Wells Fargo Arena.

Hendricks pushed all those emotions aside on Friday with a spot in the Class 3A, 165-pound final on the line, beating Osage’s Max Gast, 6-0. He will now face unbeaten Colin Young of Dubuque Wahlert for state gold.

“It feels great,” Hendricks said. “This is everything I have dreamed of, and everything I have worked for. But the job’s not finished.”

A U.S. Open Freestyle champion, Hendricks is now 46-2 overall as a Humboldt rookie, claiming titles at the North Central Conference, Don Miller Invitational, Dan Christensen Invitational and Joe Fitch Invite this past year. He was also the 16U 170-pound Iowa/USA State Freestyle and Greco winner before joining the high school ranks.

“I struck with my offense, which I struggled with in the first few matches (earlier this week),” Hendricks said. “I didn’t let the environment get in my head.”

Young, the No. 7 entering the tournament, finished eighth competing at the Illinois state championships last year. A senior, he was the Mississippi Valley Conference champion. He is coached by St. Edmond High School graduate and former Gael standout wrestler Joel Allen.

Humboldt teammates Owen Mayall and Tyce Clarken will each wrestle for seventh during the early session on Saturday.

Algona

Tate Slagle was unable to reach the finals, as the Bulldog junior fell to Union LaPorte City’s Caleb Olson at 150 pounds, 3-0.

Slagle, a third place finisher in 2023, can match that placing when he squares off with Mikey Ryan from Mount Vernon for a spot in the bronze-medal match. The University of Iowa baseball commit is 42-3 on the season.

Sophomores Barrett Morgan and Taevyn Zinnel each won blood-round matches to guarantee themselves state hardware. Morgan (37-13) will face Kaden Kremer of Independence at 138 pounds as he looks to add to his eighth-place effort a season ago.

Zinnel (38-7) gets Grinnell’s Maxwell Mintle at 157 pounds. He survived a fourth-round consolation match, clipping Carroll’s Owen Klocke, 5-4.

Isaac Wilson, a three-time qualifier, had his junior season come to an end with a record of 40-7 following a consolation-round defeat.

Clarion-Goldfield/Dows

Caleb Seaba assured himself of a medal after taking out Ayden Antonelli of Anamosa at 165 pounds by a 4-3 final. He will meet Brock Mulder of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley for seventh on Saturday.

Seaba, a two-time qualifier, is now 33-11 on the season.