Jackson Warnke wins final NEIC wrestling title to close final conference match

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — At an intimate level, it represented a “rubber match” to break a tie among common combatants.

At a historic level, it closed an epoch that stretched back more than a century all the way back to the Prohibition Era.

The final Northeast Iowa Conference Wrestling Meet took place Saturday in Comet Gym, ending with the heavyweight title bout where the last NEIC champion was crowned ahead of the 105-year-old conference disbanding at the end of the school.

Charles City junior Jackson Warnke realized what was on the line in his quest to be the first Comet NEIC champion since 2020, but he knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

“Yeah, I understood this was for the final NEIC title,” Warnke said of facing Crestwood sophomore Awnan Skoda in the championship. “Going in, we were 2-2 against each other so I was a little nervous. I knew it was going to be a tough match.”

Taking a 4-1 lead into the third period, Warnke went on to pin Skoda at the 4:27 mark for his 20th win of the season (20-12) for his second fall victory in as many matches at the tournament.

“Maybe it’s going to take some time to sink in,” Warnke said of his notable distinction of being the final entry to a list that includes a bevy of Wrestling Hall of Famers and future HOFers.

With the conference down to five schools, all of which yielded at least one open weight, the final NEIC adopted a “round-robin” format instead of the standard bracket format featured at most multi-school tournaments.

Against a four-man 190-pound field, Charles City freshman Micah Thompson went 2-1 with a fall and major-decision victories, but was pinned by Decorah junior Thomas Sexton midway through the second period during a second-round bout, which proved to be for the championship as Sexton successfully defended his 190-pound NEIC title from last season.

Comet senior 120-pounder Carter Haberkorn, a state-qualifier as a sophomore who returned to wrestling after a hiatus last school year, improved his season record to 18-12 when he pinned New Hampton/Turkey Valley junior Ty Moudry at the 3:41 mark of their third-place bout.

Crestwood senior Mitchell Schmauss, ranked No. 2 among Class 2A 120-pounders according to IAwrestle, improved to 34-2 with a first-period fall victory over Waukon freshman Kaden Mitchell in the championship.

New Hampton/Turkey Valley sophomore Carter Cajthaml, who wrestled for Charles City as a freshman, lost a 4-2 decision to Decorah junior Mason Avila for the 132-pound title, which Avila successfully defended from last season.

Other champions from the final NEIC Wrestling Meet include Crestwood freshman Mitchell Williams at 106; Crestwood freshman Noah Bergan at 113; Crestwood junior Carter Schmauss at 126; Decorah junior Will Larson at 138; Decorah freshman Kasen Tyler at 144; New Hampton/Turkey Valley sophomore Justin Fortman at 150; Waukon senior Holten Palmer at 157; Decorah sophomore William Fullhart at 165; Crestwood senior Brock Voyna at 175; and Decorah freshman Ethan Kuenne at 215.

Decorah edged runner-up Crestwood (148.5 to 140) for the final NEIC Wrestling Meet team championship.