You can feel the air change the moment you walk into the Southeast Polk gym. It’s not just the smell of laundry detergent and old mats. It’s the weight of expectations. For years, the wrestling scene in Central Iowa has been a pressure cooker, but the recent friction between Southeast Polk and Ankeny has turned into something else entirely.
It's getting weird.
Last year, a dual between these two ended in a way that literally nobody saw coming. We aren’t talking about a last-second pin or a massive upset. We’re talking about a referee ejecting every single fan from the gym. Parents, students, cheerleaders—everyone. Imagine wrestling the most intense match of your life in an eerie, echoing silence because the adults in the room couldn't keep it together. That is the current state of Southeast Polk Ankeny wrestling. It is high-stakes, it’s deeply personal, and right now, it’s the most talked-about rivalry in the state.
The Night the Lights (Almost) Went Out in Ankeny
Let’s look at what actually happened during that infamous January 2025 dual. Southeast Polk, coached by Jake Agnitsch, came into "The Nest" at Ankeny ranked No. 1 in the state. Ankeny, led by Jack Wignall, was ranked No. 4. It should have been a classic.
Instead, it was a mess.
The Rams were dominant from the jump, but the tension in the stands was bubbling over. After eight matches, the officials had seen enough. Unruly fan behavior and "flagrant misconduct" on the mat led to a total clearing of the bleachers. Both teams were actually docked a team point. When the dust settled, the scoreboard read Southeast Polk 60, Ankeny -1.
Yes, a negative score.
That -1 is going to live in Iowa wrestling lore forever. It wasn't just a loss for Ankeny; it was a statement of absolute supremacy by the Rams. They swept all 14 matches. Even the close ones, like Carter Pearson’s 1-0 win over Calvin Rathjen, felt like Southeast Polk just had a psychological edge that Ankeny couldn't crack.
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Why the Gap Between These Programs is Growing
If you ask Jack Wignall, he’ll tell you straight up: the advantage Southeast Polk has is mostly mental. But let’s be real, it’s also technical and deep.
The Rams are a machine. They aren't just winning; they are hunting for bonus points in every single period. In their most recent January 2026 meeting, the score was even more lopsided: 70-6. Southeast Polk recorded eight pins. Seven of those happened in the first period. Think about that for a second. You spend months cutting weight and training, only to have a guy in a black and gold singlet put your shoulders to the mat in under 60 seconds.
The Southeast Polk Powerhouse
The Rams’ roster is a "who's who" of Iowa wrestling. You’ve got:
- Carter Pearson: The Iowa State recruit who doesn't just win; he controls the pace of every match like a seasoned pro.
- Eddie Woody: A pinning machine. At the 2025 state tournament, he had four pins in a total time of 6:40. That's efficiency.
- Nico DeSalvo: A technician at the lower weights who transitions from takedown to turn faster than most kids can react.
- Justis Jesuroga: Part of the Jesuroga legacy, bringing that hard-nosed SEP style that wears opponents down until they break.
The Ankeny Struggle
Ankeny isn't a bad program—far from it. They are consistently ranked in the top 15 of Class 3A. But when they run into the Southeast Polk buzzsaw, the wheels tend to come off. In the 70-6 blowout, Eddie Salgado provided the lone bright spot with a pin over Jaxsen Vestal.
Ankeny was missing Ben Walsh and Calvin Rathjen in that dual, which obviously hurt, but a 64-point margin isn't just about two missing starters. It's about a difference in room culture. Southeast Polk is operating at a national level. They are currently the only Iowa team ranked in several national high school polls.
The Girls' Side: A Different Kind of Heat
It’s not just the boys. The Southeast Polk Ankeny wrestling rivalry is just as fierce on the girls' side. In early 2025, the Ankeny girls came into a quadrangular meet at Southeast Polk with a 13-0 record. They were flying high.
Then they hit the Rams.
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The lead changed hands seven times. It was a dogfight. Ankeny’s Haylee McGrew and Trudy Haag were racking up pins, and at one point, Ankeny led 30-26. But Southeast Polk’s depth in the upper weights is a nightmare. Sophie Ree and Natalie Nichols came through with late pins to seal a 52-30 win for the Rams, snapping Ankeny’s undefeated streak.
What’s interesting here is that while the boys' duals have felt one-sided lately, the girls' duals are where the real drama is happening. The talent is more evenly spread, and the matches are frantic.
Understanding the "Iron Ram" Culture
To understand why Southeast Polk is so dominant, you have to look at the lineage. It started with "Red" Owens, the founding father of the program. Then Jason Christenson took it to a national level, winning nine state titles before handing the reins to Agnitsch.
They don't just "practice." They live in the room. The Iron Rams Wrestling Club runs all summer. They travel to Fargo. They wrestle Freestyle and Greco-Roman when other kids are at the lake.
When an Ankeny wrestler steps on the mat against a Southeast Polk wrestler, they aren't just wrestling one kid. They are wrestling 60 years of tradition and a coaching staff that includes former state champs like Jessman Smith. It's intimidating. Honestly, it’s meant to be.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Rivalry
Some fans think the animosity is just about "bad blood" or "disrespect."
That’s a bit of a surface-level take.
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The real friction comes from the fact that Ankeny is a massive, growing district that should be the one challenging Southeast Polk’s throne. They have the numbers. They have the facilities. They have great coaches like Wignall and Dustin Roland.
But Southeast Polk has created a "Fortress" mentality. They don't just want to beat Ankeny; they want to demoralize them. The "Crazies" (the SEP student section) make their gym one of the most hostile environments in the Midwest. When the officials kicked everyone out in 2025, it was because that environment finally boiled over.
Key Insights for Fans and Athletes
If you're following Southeast Polk Ankeny wrestling or you're a young wrestler in the CIML, here are the real takeaways from the last two seasons:
- Mental toughness is the separator. In the Pearson vs. Rathjen match, Rathjen had the skill to win, but Pearson had the composure to win 1-0. Winning the close ones is what makes SEP a championship program.
- Bonus points are the currency of duals. Southeast Polk wins big because they don't settle for decisions. They look for the fall. If you're wrestling them, staying off your back is more important than scoring a takedown.
- The rivalry isn't going anywhere. Despite the blowouts, these two districts are the heart of Iowa's Class 3A. The tension from the "empty gym" dual has only heightened the anticipation for every future matchup.
- Watch the girls' rosters. The growth in the Ankeny girls' program suggests they might be the first ones to truly topple the Rams in a dual setting.
How to Watch the Next Matchup
Keep an eye on the IHSAA Dual Team rankings. As of January 2026, Southeast Polk is firmly at No. 1, while Ankeny is hovering around No. 11-15. They likely won't meet again in the regular season, but the State Duals in Coralville are always a possibility for a rematch.
If you go, just remember to keep your cool. The refs are on high alert after last year, and nobody wants to watch a championship-level dual from the parking lot.
To stay ahead of the curve, you should track the individual rankings on IAwrestle or FloWrestling. Specifically, watch the 113 and 126-pound slots where Eddie Salgado and Max Riggins are likely to have high-impact matches in the postseason. You can also follow the official Bound accounts for both schools to see live scoring and box scores for JV and Varsity meets as they happen.