Tristan Hansmeier earns first-ever State Tournament berth with runner-up Sectional finish, Miles Hansmeier finishes season with win for third place
ON TO STATE! Like father, like son, and like cousin ... Waukon wrestling 170-pound senior Tristan Hansmeier gets congratulated at the Class 2A District 5 Tournament at Independence Saturday, February 10 by the Waukon coaching staff after securing his first-ever State Tournament berth, joining his own father, Dave Hansmeier (pictured in front at left grabbing his son’s hand), as a State Tournament qualifier for the wrestling Indians. Dave Hansmeier was a sixth-place finisher at 140 pounds during his senior season in 1990 and has served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Waukon wrestling program. Waukon head wrestling coach Mason Berns (at right congratulating Hansmeier) is a cousin of Hansmeier’s and was a two-time State Tournament placewinner for the Indians, finishing seventh at 130 pounds in 2004 and placing eighth at 160 pounds in 2006. Hansmeier opened Saturday’s District 5 Tournament with a 1-0 win over East Marshall junior Noah Bandstra but had his championship hopes dashed once again by West Delaware sophomore Jack Neuhaus by a 3-1 decision in overtime in the sectional championship match. Hansmeier’s second-place Sectional finish earned him his first-ever qualification for the State Wrestling Tournament later this week in Des Moines. Photo courtesy of Nate Troy, Cresco Times-Plain Dealer.
For brothers that likely grew up doing a lot of the same things together, being just a year apart, qualification for the State Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines together just wasn’t in the cards for Waukon wrestling siblings Tristan and Miles Hansmeier. Having each qualified for the Class 2A District 5 Tournament held at Independence High School Saturday, February 10, the two each experienced opposite results in their two matches at the tournament, senior Tristan ultimately finishing second at 170 pounds and earning his first-ever State Tournament berth and junior Miles ending up third at 138 pounds to have his season brought to a close.
Tristan Hansmeier to open State Tournament this Thursday against familiar foe from NEIC
Although this will be the first State Tournament competition for Waukon 170-pound senior wrestler Tristan Hansmeier (40-4 and ranked fifth), he will have some familiar company in his first-round match, as he has been pitted against fellow Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC) senior Noah Glaser (48-3 and ranked fourth) of New Hampton in their first-round match this Thursday, February 15 during the 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Class 2A first-round session at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Glaser and Hansmeier have only squared off once this season, a 6-3 win for Glaser in the championship match of the NEIC Tournament less than a month ago. Glaser was a sixth-place finisher at 170 pounds at last season’s State Tournament and has signed to continue his wrestling career at the University of Northern Iowa.
The winner of Thursday’s first-round match will advance to the Friday, February 16 Class 2A quarterfinals, beginning at 9 a.m. The loser of Thursday’s match will have to wrestle again during that same Thursday morning session, with a second loss eliminating him from the tournament but a win earning advancement to Friday morning’s consolation round. Hansmeier’s status at the State Tournament will continue to be updated on The Standard’s website.
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