MFL MarMac’s Howes, Thompson making return trips to state wrestling

By Audrey Posten | Times-Register

MFL MarMac wrestlers Will Howes and Tacoma “Taco” Thompson are headed back to the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines. 

Howes placed first at heavyweight and Thompson second at 126 pounds at the Feb. 14 Class 1A district meet in Monona, earning back-to-back state appearances.

After a quarterfinal bye, Howes pinned his way to the championship match, where he defeated long-time foe Anthony Solovi of Postville 4-0.

“It feels good,” Howes said. “I put a lot of work in to get here, lots of hard practices. It’s nice to see it all come to be.”

Howes credited his support system of coaches who helped him along the way—particularly this senior season. 

“There’s no doubt that I’ve got the best coaching staff a heavyweight can have in the whole state. All these guys are always in my ear, telling me good things. Obviously, I’ve been wrestling for a long time, but they’re the reason I’m at the next level. And I think they are what’s gonna elevate me to hopefully get to the finals, maybe win the thing,” he continued.

Thompson powered through the quarter- and semifinals with a technical fall and major decision, before meeting undefeated Hayden Schwab of Don Bosco in the first place match. Schwab pinned him in just over a minute, setting Thompson up for a wrestle back for second place. Feeding off the energy from Howes’s district championship victory the match before, Thompson picked up a fall over Rylan Fogt of Hudson to punch his ticket to state.

“It made me feel like I needed to do my job now,” Thompson shared. “The wrestle back, I felt good. I got it done and got what I’ve worked for.”

Thompson is a sophomore, and he said returning to state “feels great.”

“I’m happy. I got what I wanted,” he stated. “I set goals and I got them, but I want to go further in the state tournament than I did last year.”

For Thompson, that means medaling at 126 pounds. With a record of 19-5, he’s seeded 15th in the bracket and will wrestle 18 seed Cason Fitch of Colfax-Mingo in the Class 1A opening round Thursday morning, Feb. 19. 

Howes won some matches at state a year ago and hopes to exceed that in 2026. At 27-5, he’s the eighth seed and secured an opening round bye. 

“I want to go down there and do one thing: I want to win it,” he said. “Just leave it all on the mat and try my hardest. I think I can take myself all the way.”

After wrestling was over on Saturday, MFL MarMac coach Travis Johnson was still shaking from excitement.

“I should be calmer because we put in the work and effort, and I believe in my guys,” he said, “but I’m definitely riding a high. You also feel for the guys that put in the work they did and came up short.”

Johnson said this season was one of growth for the young Bulldog team. He’s proud of the heart and effort they all put in. 

Of Thompson, he commented, “He put in a ton of work and bought in, and it just clicked. The learning part of the sport is still prevalent, but the fire is brighter.”

Johnson said Howes is similar. 

“After state last year and winning matches down there, that lit the fire. He’s locked in and he’s bigger and stronger than ever.”

Johnson expects his wrestlers to battle in Des Moines.

“These two will never back down,” he shared. “As a coaching staff and as a team, we believe they can place high and even win it.”

In addition to Howes and Thompson, seven other Bulldogs wrestled at districts. Parker Muras at 113 pounds, Maddox Hanson at 132 and Gavin Kishman at 150 all placed fourth in their respective weight classes. Ben Kite (138), Anthony Bunting (157), Christian Escobar (165) and Tristan Hoopes (215) did not place. 

MFL MarMac accumulated 65.5 points, placing sixth as a team. Don Bosco, who is sending 11 wrestlers to state, was the district champion with 242 points.