Highlight Zone: Week 7, State Wrestling and Basketball

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Several wrestlers from the KWQC viewing area advanced to the State Finals in Des Moines and Champaign. Jake Knight, Cody Trevino, Lincoln Jipp and Brayden Koester all advanced to the championship matches in Iowa Class 3A for Bettendorf.

“Obviously want to win it and I know I’ll have a tough kid tomorrow so just got to wrestle hard, get to my stuff and hopefully get the win” said Trevino. '

In Iowa class 2A Wilton’s Mason Shirk, Assumption’s Maximus Purdy and Mediapolis’ Kyler Crow all advanced to the championship.

“It’s been a very fun journey for me this year so far. Last year I fell short. Some things came in the way” said Shirk.

“Very good competition and I knew if I wanted to make it back this year I have to train non-stop, keep training, trying to improve, getting better at all this competition. That’s what I did.”

In Iowa class 1A Louisa-Muscatine’s Hayden Higgens came back from a 5-0 hole to advances to the championship match and WACO sophomore Ian Maize cruised into the championship round with a 15-2 major decision.

“This year, I’d say my confidence is a lot higher. Last year, I didn’t know how I felt going into the state tournament” said Maize who won a State Championship last year as a freshman. “This year, it just feels like I can beat anybody right now” he said.

In Illinois Newman sophomore Landon Near advanced to the championship with a 7-4 decision.

“It’s very exciting” said Near. “When I was like a kid like 10 or 11, I guess we just come down here watch. I thought was the greatest thing ever. Now I get to be a part of it” he said.

Dixon’s Charlie Connors also advanced to the championship matches along with Princeton’s Casey Etheridge and Geneseo’s Kye Weinzierl.

Also advancing to the championship matches were Eli Larson and Jeremiah Luke for Lena-Winslow/Stockton.

All of these wrestlers will compete for State Championships Saturday night. Watch for all the highlights on the KWQC News at 10:00 p.m.

Regional Basketball Titles were also won by the Galena girls and the Newman girls and the Mercer County boys ended the regular season with a win over United. Watch all of the highlights in the video player.