The Iowa state tournament has been filled with sensational performances, stunning upsets and scintillating storylines through the first three days in Des Moines. The stage is set now for Saturday night’s finals, which have drawn a sold-out crowd for more than three decades. 

There’s history at stake with Ben Kueter aiming to become the state’s seventh wrestler to go through high school without a loss, two set to tangle in the 195-pound title bout in Class 3A and a pair of clashes between nationally-ranked contestants. 

Here’s a look at the 10 championship matches you don’t want to miss:

Class 3A 

113 — Dru Ayala (Fort Dodge) vs. Jake Knight (Bettendorf) — A state title and the upper hand in the season series is what’s at stake when these two fast-paced, nationally-ranked competitors meet Saturday night. Ayala won the first meeting, 6-4, on the season’s opening weekend. To this point, that’s the only loss in 46 high school matches for the Bettendorf freshman. Knight evened the score with the returning state finalist earlier this month when he won a 3-1 decision at the state duals. 

182 — Gabe Arnold (Iowa City High) vs. Tate Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar) — Round 4 has arrived for two of the nation’s top 182-pounders. Fourth-ranked Arnold has won the first three meetings, but the margins have grown closer each time, going from 8-3 in December to 3-1 in January to 3-2 in a tiebreaker on Jan. 28. The future Hawkeye is trying to add a Iowa high school state title to a resume that includes a pair of National Preps championships. Iowa State-bound Naaktgeboren, who’s ranked sixth nationally, is bidding for his third straight state championship after losing to Ben Kueter in the finals as a freshman. 

195 — Dreshaun Ross (Fort Dodge) vs. Danarii Mickel (Ames) — Dig through the Iowa high school record books and you likely won’t find a freshman champion in Class 3A at a weight heavier than 160. There will be one Saturday night after Ross collides with Mickel. Ross is rangy and explosive, a combination that gives him quick-strike ability. Mickel’s defense is hard to crack through. This will be their fourth meeting. Ross has won each of the first three, but he needed overtime to win last month in the Ed Winger semifinals. 

220 — Ben Kueter (Iowa City High) vs. Joe Lewis (Dubuque Hempstead) — Kueter is on the brink of Iowa high school history. The U20 World champion enters the final match of his prep career with 110-0 record. Here’s the entire list of Iowans who have gone through high school without a loss: Dan Gable, Jeff Kerber, Dan Knight, Jeff McGinness, Eric Juergens and John Meeks. Kueter has been on a destruction course throughout his senior season. He’s 38-0 with 34 pins, two technical falls and a pair of forfeits. He’s beaten Lewis three times, teching him twice and pinning him the other time.  

Class 2A 

126 — Jase Jaspers (Mount Vernon) vs. Derrick Bass (Davenport Assumption) — Jaspers lost his first high school match back on Dec. 1 and dropped a pair of decisions to Bass this season, but the freshman has been lights out in Des Moines. Meanwhile, Bass has been hard to corral. He’s only scored eight points on his path through the bracket, but he’s surrendered just one. 

132 — Kale Petersen (Greene County) vs. Anders Kittelson (Osage) — Petersen is in pursuit of his third title and he’s buzzed through the bracket with three major decisions. Kittelson’s path has been more challenging. The three-time medalist and 2021 runner-up opened the tournament with a technical fall before registering 5-1 and 3-1 decisions, the latter of which came against returning finalist Matthew Beem of Glenwood. 

170 — Nick Fox (Osage) vs. Ethan DeLeon (Bishop Heelan Catholic) — Fox is back in the finals for the fourth time and chasing his second title after winning the championship last year at 160. The Northern Iowa recruit is 49-2 this season. DeLeon, a Nebraska recruit, is 44-0 as a senior after a runner-up finish last season. 

Class 1A 

120 — Brandon Paez (Lisbon) vs. Teague Smith (West Hancock) — Paez is making his fourth finals appearance after winning titles as a freshman and junior. The Northern Iowa recruit is 37-1 this season. Smith’s freshman season has been tremendous. He ran his record to 48-1 with a major decision win in the semis. 

152 — Kellen Smith (West Hancock) vs. Kyler Knaack (Don Bosco) — Smith brushed off an apparent leg injury early in Friday’s semifinal match and then went on to post a 12-6 win against Underwood’s Maddox Nelson to improve to 47-0. Smith placed sixth as a freshman and second last year. Knaack’s career has taken a similar trajectory to this point. He was sixth last year as a freshman and he’s in the finals after running his record to 39-2 this season. 

160 — Wyatt Reisz (Logan-Magolia) vs. Dominic Lopez (New London) — Reisz is trying to cap his career with his third title after placing fifth as a freshman. He’s been dominant this week in Des Moines, notching a pair of shutout techs and a first-period pin. But the degree of difficulty ramps up Saturday night. Lopez became Iowa’s all-time career wins leader on Thursday and posted his 221st victory in Friday’s semis. He’s still chasing his first title, though. He placed fourth as a freshman and third each of the past two seasons. He takes a 57-0 record into the finals.