Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Brent Dennhardt of Greene County reacts to his semifinal victory on Friday at the state tournament in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — It took Brent Dennhardt three trips to get where he wanted to be.

The Greene County senior ran the gamut as the eighth seed all the way to the 157-pound finals in Class 2A.

Dennhardt (28-2) beat the nine, one and four seeds to reach Saturday night’s main event.

“It’s a awesome experience that should have been sooner, but I just needed that time to get my head on straight,” Dennhardt said. “I learned how to deal with things when it gets hard.

“I’m excited for Saturday night, and ready to make some noise.”

In Friday’s semifinal, Dennhardt won a back-and-forth contest versus Algona senior Tate Slagle (32-3).

Early on in the match with Dennhardt trailing 3-2, he recorded a takedown and two near-fall points. Slagle would get a reversal to pull back within 7-5.

The referees conversed and took all seven points away, though, returning the score to its original tally.

Slagle led 3-2 heading into the third period and would go up 4-2 with an escape. Dennhardt then took the lead for good on a takedown with 42 seconds remaining.

Now on tap for Dennhardt — who placed eighth as a sophomore — is sixth-seed Tucker Wheeler (41-6) of PCM Monroe. Wheeler beat No. 10 seed Kaden Wiele (45-9) of West Liberty in the other semifinal, 19-3 in 3:31.

“The work took and the years of time I’ve put into the sport and the hours my coaches have put into me is something I really appreciate,” Dennhardt said. “TJ Sebolt was a massive impact on not just the sport of wrestling, but life.

“Kirk Davis and all of my Greene County coaches have made a huge impact on the way I’ve looked at things and approached (preparing for this season), too.”

It’s been a banner stretch for the Rams the past five seasons. From 2020 to 2025, Greene County has advanced seven wrestlers to the finals, with four state championships.

Kale Petersen and McKinley Robbins won titles in 2023. In 2022, Petersen was a gold medalist and Robbins was a runner-up.

Robbins won a title in 2021, and was second as a freshman (2020).

Slagle will now go for his third medal as a four-time qualifier for the Bulldogs. Slagle, who has reached in three straight semifinals, was fifth last season and third two years ago.

Slagle, who is now 163-20 in his Algona career, will square off with No. 11 Owen Klocke (34-11) of Carroll. With a victory, Slagle would go for third. A loss puts him in the fifth place match.

Sixth-seeded Greene County sophomore Degan Miller (35-9) dropped his 165-pound semifinal match to No. 2 seed Tucker Vitzthum (40-4) of Ballard, 18-3 in 4:15.

Miller now wrestles No. 5 Blake Wilson (43-6) of Burlington Notre Dame in a 2A consolation semifinal.

Gavyn Winters (32-9) lost a tight 1-0 decision to Judah Gurwell (32-8) of Winterset at 120 pounds and was ousted from the tournament.

State dual champion Algona had two other wrestlers reach the quarterfinals out of its 11 qualifiers.

Bulldog junior Barrett Morgan (144), who medaled in his first two seasons at eighth place, fell to Benton’s Elijah Kupka (38-7) in the blood round, 5-4. Morgan, a junior (35-12) was competing in his third state tournament.

Four-time state qualifier Ashton Moreno (39-10) was edged 4-3 by Clear Lake’s Aiden Hippen at 150 pounds.

Sophomore Gavin Goche (28-8) suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to Oskaloosa’s Parker Jordan (37-12) at 215 pounds.