May 17, 2025
Local NewsState & National

50 years — 99 different wrestlers to state

By LARRY PETERSON

Creston/O-M sophomore Jake Marlin claimed the 22nd individual state wrestling title for the Panther program when he defeated Tyler Patten of Webster City in the Class 2A 135-pound championship match in February. (CNA file)

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Creston/O-M's seven qualifiers in this year's State Wrestling Tournament, including five new first-timers, stretched the program's total number of state wrestlers to 99 over 50 years of wrestling.

Information compiled by Creston wrestling historian John Walters, a former state runner-up for the Panthers and head coach in the 1980s, shows a total of 169 state qualifications by those 99 wrestlers since the program began in 1961, including 85 state placings.

Walters, still active in the sport as an official and broadcaster at the state tournament for Creston Radio, said two-time winner Jake Marlin, only a sophomore, is the 14th champion wrestler wearing a Panther uniform. Among that group of 14 is Jake's father. Randy Marlin was Class 2A 132-pound champion in 1986, one year after finishing second. Jake won the 130-pound title last year and the 135 crown this year.

Collin Bevins this year became the 14th state runner-up in program history, taking second at 215 pounds.

Marlin and Bevins also claimed championships in the Hawkeye 10 Conference. There have been 90 Panther conference championships since 1972.

In 50 years of wrestling, Creston and it's combined program with Orient-Macksburg has produced 13 state trophies (six traditional state tournament, seven state dual trophies), including this year's dual runner-up award. That number is fourth all-time in southwest Iowa behind Council Bluffs Lewis Central's 19, 17 captured by Winterset and 14 by Logan-Magnolia.

Creston/O-M ranks second in southwest Iowa in individual championships (22), second only to Lewis Central's 34. Winterset is third with 16, and tied with 12 each are Glenwood and Oakland Riverside.

Panthers with multiple championships are Mike Howard (2), Dennis Smith (2), Dylan Long (2), Andrew Hayes (2), Andrew Long (3), Kalab Evans (2) and Jake Marlin (2).

In the category of most team points scored at the traditional state tournament, Creston/O-M has the fifth-best score of 139 as the 2A runner-up in 2008. Its score of 112 as the 2A champion in 2007 ranks 13th. Ballard has the best all-time score of 220 in 2009. Lewis Central has the second-best 3A score of 188 in 2001.

Following are examples of information compiled by Walters, which will be downloaded to the school's website under athletics records.

Creston/O-M wrestling

1961-2011

State qualifications — 169 (99 different wrestlers).

Placewinners — 85.

Championships (22) — 1973: MIke Howard (112). 1974: Mike Howard (119). 1975: Dennis Smith (112). 1976: Dennis Smith (119). 1981: Terry Cooper (112). 1983: Roger Baker (185). 1986: Randy Marlin (132). 1998: Dylan Long (119). 1999: Dylan Long (130); Andrew Hayes (152). 2000: Andrew Hayes (160). 2004: Daniel Scarberry (140). 2006: Andrew Long (103); Tyler Linderman (112). 2007: Andrew Long (112); Kalab Evans (160). 2008: Andrew Long (125); Quin Leith (130); Trent Tucker (140); Kalab Evans (160). 2010: Jake Marlin (130). 2011: Jake Marlin (135).

Runners-up (14) — 1972: Steve Harvey (138). 1975: John Walters (105). 1985: Randy Marlin (132). 1994: Ryan Kinsella (152); Jake Hayes (171). 1995: Ryan Kinsella (171). 1997: Dylan Long (103). 2000: Michael Mickey (125). 2003: Willie Harris (130); Chris Loudon (171). 2005: Quin Leith (119). 2007: Bret Kautz (130); Bret Kautz (135). 2011: Collin Bevins (215).

Third place (13) — 1972: Curtis Bolinger (145); Mike King (Hwt). 1973: Jeff Abel (98). 1974: Jeff Abel (112). 1978: Jerry Oswald (155). 1984: Jeff Weeks (SHwt). 1990: Jeff Kinsella (189). 1993: Jed Gammell (171). 1995: Jake Hayes (160). 2002: Chris Loudon (171). 2004: Boone Hayes (125); Chris Downing (189). 2007: Quin Leith (125).

Fourth place (13) — 1964: Bob Decklever (165). 1973: Dan Hayes (119). 1975: Jeff Abel (119). 1977: Doug Driskell (138). 1978: Devon Goetz (98). 1979: Devon Goetz (105). 1986: Todd Pettit (155). 2000: Willie Harris (112). 2001: Boone Hayes (103); Willie Harris (125); Cody Downing (152). 2003: Boone Hayes (119). 2008: Jesse Harris (171).

Four-time state qualifiers (6) — Jeff Abel (1972-75); Boone Hayes (2001-04); Tyler Linderman (2004-07); Quin Leith (2005-08); Andrew Long (2005-08); Kalab Evans (2005-08 - 2005-06 at Lenox).

Three-time state qualifiers (15) — Doug Abel (1966, 68-69); Jeff Christy (1977-79); Terry Cooper (1979-81); Randy Marlin (1984-86); Tim Foglesong (1991-93); Ryan Kinsella (1993-95); Dylan Long (1997-99); Michael Mickey (1997, 99-00); Andrew Hayes (1998-2000); Willie Harris (2000-03); Chris Loudon (2001-03); Stoney Stuart (2003-04, 2006); Caleb Brus (2005-07); Jesse Harris (2006-08); Bret Kautz (2005, 07-08).

Ind. state titles by school (SW Iowa) — Lewis Central (34), Creston (22), Winterset (16), Glenwood (12), Oakland Riverside (12), Greenfield/Nodaway Valley (11), Underwood (10), C.B. Thomas Jefferson (10), Coon Rapids-Bayard (9), Tri-Center (6), Central Deatur (6), Logan-Magnolia (5), Carroll (5), Clarinda (5), Adel (5), Lenox (5), Chariton (5), Audubon (5), Harlan (4), C.B. Abraham Lincoln (4), Stuart-Menlo (4), Osceola Clarke (4), Interstate 35 (4), Bedford (4), Corning (4), Shenandoah (3), Griswold (3), Dallas Center-Grimes (3), CAM (Anita) (3), Perry (3), Jefferson (3), Martensdale-St. Marys (3), Missouri Valley (2), Iowa School for the Deaf (2), Atlantic (2), Rockwell City (2), AvoHa (2), C.B. St. Albert (2), Guthrie Center (2), Carroll Kuemper (1), Lamoni (1), Mount Ayr (1), Orient-Macksburg (1).

Most points scored at state tournament — Class 3A: Waverly-Shell Rock, 2008 (225); Lewis Central, 2001 (188); Bettendorf, 1982 (167.5; Waverly-Shell Rock, 2010 (163); Iowa City West, 2011 (150). Class 2A: Ballard, 2009 (220); Balalrd, 2008 (181.5); Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted, 2001 (154); Denver-Tripoli, 2010 (148); Creston/O-M, 2008 (139, 2nd). Class 1A: Gilbertville-Don Bosco, 2009 (194); Don Bosco, 2008 (175.5); Lisbon, 1990 (158.5); Don Bosco, 2007 (144); Don Bosco, 1979 (141).

Team state trophies (traditional and dual) — Lewis Central (19), Winterset (17), Logan-Magnolia (14), Creston (13), Interstate 35 (11), Glenwood (9), Greenfield/Nodaway Valley (6), Underwood (5), Griswold (5), Dallas Center-Grimes (5), Clarinda (4), Adel (3), Harlan (3), Bedford (3), Oakland (2), Coon Rapids-Bayard (2), Atlantic (2), Guthrie Center (2), Tri-Center (1), CAM (1), Corning (1), Lenox (1), Clarke (1), Shenandoah (1), C.B. Thomas Jefferson (1), Jefferson-Scranton (1), Perry (1), Martensdale-St. Marys (1).