The 2026 Idaho Class 4A State Wrestling Championships, held at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, delivered an exciting showcase of talent and depth across the state’s mid-sized schools.

Snake River emerged as the clear team champion with 290.5 points, propelled by their tournament-high 14 state placers and one individual title. This victory highlighted the program’s exceptional depth, particularly from District V (Southeast Idaho), as they outdistanced strong contenders like Homedale (255.5 points, District III) and American Falls (227 points, District V).

Homedale and Buhl each produced three individual champions, but Snake River’s volume of podium finishes—spanning multiple weights—secured their commanding lead in a highly competitive field.

Standout individual performances defined the tournament. At 98 pounds, #2 seed Morris Heib of Snake River captured gold with a decisive 7-0 victory over top-seeded Michah Higley of Homedale, while teammate Jaxon Phillips added a third-place finish for the Panthers. Homedale’s Jakobe Valle repeated as 106-pound champion, edging Chance Povey of American Falls 3-1 in a low-scoring final. Trevor Paynter (Homedale) took 113 pounds with a narrow 5-4 decision over Wyatt Carey of Timberlake. Greysen Packer of South Fremont dominated at 120 pounds via technical fall, underscoring emerging talent from District VI. In the upper weights, Raidyn Pugsley (Buhl) won at 150, Ty Cobb (Weiser) at 157, Kace Fullmer (Teton) at 165, Fabi Pierce (Buhl) at 175, Blaise Turner (American Falls) at 190, Porter Higley (Buhl) at 215, and Taylor Dodd (Bonners Ferry) at heavyweight 285.

The tournament showcased a seamless blend of established legacies and emerging talent. Most notably, American Falls’ Nathan Gugelman II cemented his place in history as a four-time state champion at 144 pounds. He closed out a remarkable prep career sharing the mat with fellow All-Americans Greyson Packer, Onyx Kunsaitis, Blaise Turner, Wade Williams, and Kace Fullmer.

Several wrestlers achieved multi-title status, including 2x champions Jakobe Valle (106), Trevor Paynter (113), Greysen Packer (120), Raidyn Pugsley (150), and Blaise Turner (190). On top of that, Marsh Valley’s Kole Younger earned his third state title and is now in position to possibly join the 4x Club next season. The tournament reflected strong regional dominance, with Districts III (Southwest) and V (Southeast) combining for a significant share of placers and top teams, while underclassmen (especially juniors and sophomores) claimed the majority of titles, signaling bright futures for programs like Homedale, Snake River, and American Falls.

Overall, the event emphasized seeding reliability—top seeds largely performed as expected, with 60% of #1 seeds winning titles and 82% of placers coming from the top 6 seeds—yet allowed for memorable moments through depth, pins, and major decisions. Snake River’s balanced attack, Homedale’s individual excellence, and American Falls’ multi-year standouts exemplified the high level of preparation among Idaho’s 4A wrestlers as they look ahead.

I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to Scott Hill for providing his comprehensive statistical data from this year’s state championships. His spreadsheet allowed for a much deeper analysis of each division.


A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CLASS 4A IDAHO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The provided statistics offer a comprehensive breakdown of state wrestling tournament results. The data highlights a tournament dominated by upperclassmen, high-performing top seeds, and a few powerhouse programs and districts. 


PERFORMANCE BY GRADE LEVEL

The championships were heavily concentrated among Juniors and Sophomores, with no freshmen winning a state title in this specific set of data. 

State Champions: Juniors were the most successful, accounting for 47% (7) of titles, followed by Sophomores at 33% (5). Seniors held only 20% (3) of championships.
State Placers: While Seniors did not lead in championships, they tied with Juniors for the most overall podium spots, each representing 33% (30 placers) of the total. Sophomores followed at 24% (22 placers), while Freshmen made up only 9% (8 placers). 

DISTRICT AND TEAM DOMINANCE 

The tournament saw significant regional disparity, with two districts producing 66% of all state placers. 

Top Districts: District III (Southwest) and District V (Southeast) were the dominant regions, each producing 30 state placers (33% each).
Other Districts: Districts I/II, IV, and VI each contributed 10 placers (11% each).
Standout School: Snake River led all schools with 14 state placers. In the 2025 tournament, they finished 3rd as a team with 169 points. 


SEEDING ACCURACY AND “UPSETS” 

The data shows that higher-seeded wrestlers generally met expectations, though there was a noticeable drop-off in reliability for lower seeds. 

Top Seeds: 60% of No. 1 seeds successfully claimed 1st place.
Overall Reliability: 82% of all state placers were ranked in the top 6 seeds.
Underdogs: Only 9% of placers came from seeds ranked 9th or lower.
DNP (Did Not Place): Conversely, 18% of wrestlers seeded in the top 6 failed to place at all. 


MISCELLANEOUS TOURNAMENT FACTS 

No. 2 Wrestlers: Seven state placers were "No. 2 wrestlers" (the second-best wrestler from their own team in the same weight class).
Returning Talent: Two returning state placers from the previous year failed to place in this tournament.
Regional Strength: Districts III, IV, and V each placed three teams in the overall Top 10. 


STATE CHAMPIONS BY GRADE

Freshmen: 0 (0%)
Sophomore: 5 (33%)
Junior: 7 (47%)
Senior: 3 (20%)
 

STATE PLACERS BY GRADE

Freshmen: 8 (9%)
Sophomore: 22 (24%)
Junior: 30 (33%)
Senior: 30 (33%)
 

STATE PLACERS BY DISTRICT 

District I/II (North/North Central): 10 (11%)
District III (Southwest): 30 (33%)
District IV (South Central): 10 (11%)
District V (Southeast): 30 (33%)
District VI (East): 10 (11%)


SEEDING STATISTICS 

No. 1 seeds placing 1st: 9 (60%)
No. 2 seeds placing 2nd: 7 (47%)
No. 3 seeds placing 3rd: 8 (53%)
No. 4 seeds placing 4th: 5 (33%)
No. 5 seeds placing 5th: 3 (20%)
No. 6 seeds placing 6th: 3 (20%)

State Placers – Top 6 seeds: 74 (82%)
State Placers – 7th/8th seeds: 8 (9%)
State Placers – >9th seed: 8 (9%)
Top 6 Seeds (DNP): 16 (18%)


MISC. TOURNAMENT STATISTICS

State Placers – No. 2 wrestler: 7
Returning Placers – Did not place (DNP): 2
School w/Most State Placers: Snake River (14) 
District w/Most Top 10 Teams –Districts III, IV, V (3 each)
District w/Most State Placers – Districts III / V (30 each)
 

KEY PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS 

District Dominance: District V claimed the #1 and #3 spots (Snake River, American Falls), while District III showed the most overall strength with three teams in the top five.

Consistency: Fruitland (4th) and Timberlake (7th) managed top-10 finishes without a single individual champion, relying entirely on high-volume podium placements


THE STANDOUTS

The Undefeated Peak: Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls) is the clear gold standard, finishing his career as a 4x State Champion.
Elite Consistency: Marcus Aleman (Fruitland) also achieved 4x placer status, never finishing lower than 3rd in four years.
Rising Stars: Sophomore Jakobe Valle (Homedale) and Greysen Packer (South Fremont) are both perfect 2-for-2 with two State Titles in two years. 


TOP THREE TEAMS ANALYSIS 

Snake River: Strength in Numbers

Snake River took the top spot not through individual dominance, but through incredible depth. Despite having the fewest champions among the top three (only 1), they secured the title by having 14 placers. This suggests a highly consistent roster where almost every member contributed points by advancing deep into the consolation brackets.


Homedale: The "Heavy Hitters"

Homedale showed the most "star power" with 3 individual champions. While they fell 35 points short of first place, their scoring efficiency was high. They had two fewer placers than Snake River but made up significant ground by winning those high-value 1st-place matches. 


American Falls: District V Dominance

American Falls rounded out the top three, confirming that District V was the powerhouse region for this event (taking 1st and 3rd). With 2 champions and 11 placers, they maintained a balanced performance, though they lacked the sheer volume of scorers needed to catch Snake River.


TOP 10 TEAM SCORES 

1 – Snake River (District V): 290.5 (1 Champion / 14 Placers)
2 – Homedale (District III): 255.5 (3 Champions / 12 Placers)
3 – American Falls (District V): 227.0 (2 Champions / 11 Placers)
4 – Fruitland (District III): 171.0 (7 Placers)
5 – Weiser (District III): 166.5 (1 Champion / 8 Placers)
6 – Buhl (District IV): 153.5 (3 Champions / 5 Placers)
7 – Timberlake (District I/II): 144.0 (9 Placers)
8 – Marsh Valley (District V): 92.0 (1 Champion / 3 Placers)
9 – Kimberly (District IV): 82.5 (3 Placers)
10 – Teton (District VI): 79.0 (2 Champions / 3 Placers)


2026 INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS 

98 – Morris Heib (Snake River, 10, District V)
106 – Jakobe Valle (Homedale, 10, District III)
113 – Trevor Paynter (Homedale, 11, District III)
120 – Greyson Packer (South Fremont, 10, District VI)
126 – Kole Younger (Marsh Valley, 11, District V)
132 – Braelyn Arredondo (Homedale, 10, District III)
138 – Jett Atchley (Teton, 10, District VI)
144 – Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls, 12, District V)
150 –  Raidyn Pugsley (Buhl, 11, District IV)
157 – Ty Cobb (Weiser, 11, District III)
165 – Kace Fullmer (Teton, 11, District VI)
175 – Fabi Pierce (Buhl, 12, District IV)
190 – Blaise Turner (American Falls, 11, District V)
215 – Porter Higley (Buhl, 12, District IV)
285 – Taylor Dodd (Bonners Ferry, 11, District I/II)


4X STATE CHAMPION 

144 – Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls, 12)*


3X STATE CHAMPION 

126 – Kole Younger (Marsh Valley, 11)


2X STATE CHAMPIONS

106 – Jakobe Valle (Homedale, 10)
113 – Trevor Paynter (Homedale, 11)
120 – Greysen Packer (South Fremont, 10)*
150 – Raidyn Pugsley (Buhl, 11)
190 – Blaise Turner (American Falls, 11)*


1X STATE CHAMPIONS 

98 – Morris Heib (Snake River, 10)
126 – Marcus Aleman (Fruitland, 12) ’25 
132 – Braelyn Arredondo (Homedale, 10)
132 – Kelton Reynolds (Snake River, 12) ’24 
138 – Jett Atchley (Teton, 10)
150 – Onyx Kunsaitis (American Falls, 11)*
157 – Tyson Cobb (Weiser, 11) 
165 – Kace Fullmer (Teton, 11)
175 – Fabi Pierce (Buhl, 12) 
285 – Taylor Dodd (Bonners Ferry, 11)


4X STATE PLACERS

126 – Marcus Aleman (Fruitland, 12): 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 2nd 
144 – Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls, 12): 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st*


3X STATE PLACERS 

106 – Chance Povey (American Falls, 12): 2nd, 5th, 2nd 
113 – Trevor Paynter (Homedale, 11): 1st, 2nd, 1st 
113 – Wyatt Carey (Timberlake, 12): 3rd, 2nd, 2nd
120 – Hunter Solomon (Marsh Valley, 11): 4th, 3rd, 2nd 
126 – Kole Younger (Marsh Valley, 11): 1st, 1st, 1st 
126 – Gage Reynolds (Snake River, 11): 3rd, 5th, 4th 
132 – Kelton Reynolds (Snake River, 12): 1st, 3rd, 2nd
138 – Evan Simms (American Falls, 12): 4th, 4th, 3rd 
150 – Raidyn Pugsley (Buhl, 11): 2nd, 1st, 1st 
150 – Onyx Kunsaitis (American Falls, 11): 4th, 1st, 2nd*
157 – Wade Williams (American Falls, 12): 3rd, 2nd, 2nd*
165 – Kace Fullmer (Teton, 11): 5th, 2nd, 1st*
165 – Clancy Howell (Snake River, 12): 5th, 3rd, 3rd
165 – Kysen MacKenzie (Fruitland, 11): 2nd, 4th, 4th 
175 – Fabi Pierce (Buhl, 12): 2nd, 2nd, 1st 
190 – Blaise Turner (American Falls, 11): 3rd, 1st, 1st*
285 – Taylor Dodd (Bonners Ferry, 11): 4th, 2nd, 1st 


2X STATE PLACERS 

106 – Jakobe Valle (Homedale, 10): 1st, 1st 
106 – Ryker Layne (Homedale, 12): 3rd, 3rd 
106 – Zane Fabrizius (American Falls, 10): 5th, 4th 
106 – Colton D`Avanzo (Timberlake, 11): 4th, 6th 
98 – Tason Banta (Sugar-Salem, 11): 6th, 6th
113 – Ross McPherson (Bear Lake, 10): 6th, 4th 
113 – Gus Packer (Snake River, 10): 2nd, 3rd 
120 – Greysen Packer (South Fremont, 10): 1st, 1st*
126 – Porter Swan (Homedale, 10): 3rd, 3rd 
132 – Braelyn Arredondo (Homedale, 10): 2nd, 1st 
132 – Jed Townsend (Marsh Valley, 12): 5th, 6th, 3rd 
132 – Kai Christiansen (American Falls, 11): 5th, 5th 
138 – Jett Atchley (Teton, 10): 5th, 1st 
138 – Cole Ingle (Weiser, 12): 3rd, 2nd 
144 – Klete Cook (Weiser, 11): 6th, 2nd 
144 – Colt Thompson (Snake River, 10): 6th, 4th 
150 – Ezra Gillette (Gooding, 10): 5th, 4th 
157 – Tyson Cobb (Weiser, 11): 2nd, 1st 
157 – Koen Barendregt (Kimberly, 12): 3rd, 4th 
157 – Chris Schmidt (Timberlake, 11): 5th, 5th 
165 – Titus Dillow (American Falls, 12): 5th, 2nd 
157 – Logan Marshall (Snake River, 11): 4th, 3rd 
175 – Kelton Ricks (South Fremont, 12): 6th, 2nd 
190 – John Spilotros (McCall-Donnelly, 12): 5th, 2nd 
215 – Talon Heinley (Payette, 11): 5th, 2nd 
285 – Caleb Carpenter (Buhl, 11): 3rd, 2nd 
285 – Lynden Stone (Snake River, 12): 4th, 4th 
285 – Kaiden Peck (Weiser, 12): 5th, 5th 


1X STATE PLACERS

126 – Ridge Adams (Teton, 10): 6th ’25 
165 – Joseph Torr (Timberlake, 10): 6th ’25 


ALL-AMERICANS*

Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls)
Greysen Packer (South Fremont)
Onyx Kunsaitis (American Falls)
Blaise Turner (American Falls)
Wade Williams (American Falls)
Kace Fullmer (Teton)


COLLEGE COMMITS

Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls), Utah Valley University (DI)


4A DIVISION FINAL RESULTS 

DIVISION WEIGHT

Place – Name (School, Grade, District) #Seed (All-American)
 
4A 98

1 – Morris Heib (Snake River, 10, District V) #2
2 – Michah Higley (Homedale, 10, District III) #1
3 – Jaxon Phillips (Snake River, 9, District V) #3
4 – Rozin Mason (Weiser, 9, District III) #6
5 – Titus Parsons (Weiser, 9, District III) #5
6 – Tason Banta (Sugar-Salem, 11, District VI) #4
  
4A 106

1 – Jakobe Valle (Homedale, 10, District III) #1
2 – Chance Povey (American Falls, 12, District V) #2
3 – Ryker Lane (Homedale, 12, District III) #3
4 – Zane Fabrizius (American Falls, 10, District V) #6
5 – Damian Palacios (Sugar-Salem, 11, District VI) #5
6 – Colton D’Avanzo (Timberlake, 11, District I/II) #4
 
4A 113

1 – Trevor Paynter (Homedale, 11, District III) #2
2 – Wyatt Carey (Timberlake, 12, District I/II) #1
3 – Gus Packer (Snake River, 10, District V) #3
4 – Ross McPherson (Bear Lake, 10, District V) #4
5 – Mason Butler (Fruitland, 12, District III) #8
6 – Bryson Robles (South Fremont, 12, District VI) #6
 
4A 120

1 – Greyson Packer (South Fremont, 10, District VI) #1 (All-American)
2 – Hunter Solomon (Marsh Valley, 11, District V) #2
3 – Pierce Hales (Snake River, 10, District V) #7
4 – Jacob Rade (Timberlake, 11, District I/II) #3
5 – Will Wright (Teton, 12, District VI) #12
6 – Sawyer Huston (Timberlake, 12, District I/II) #13
 
4A 126

1 – Kole Younger (Marsh Valley, 11, District V) #2
2 – Marcus Aleman (Fruitland, 12, District III) #1
3 – Porter Swan (Homedale, 10, District III) #3
4 – Gage Reynolds (Snake River, 11, District V) #5
5 – Joseph West (Snake River, 12, District V) #7
6 – Wade Ingram (Homedale, 10, District III) #9
 
4A 132

1 – Braelyn Arredondo (Homedale, 10, District III) #1
2 – Kelton Reynolds (Snake River, 12, District V) #2
3 – Jed Townsend (Marsh Valley, 12, District V) #4
4 – Gage Haines (Timberlake, 11, District I/II) #5
5 – Kai Christiansen (American Falls, 11, District V) #3
6 – Wyatt Griffith (Fruitland, 11, District III) #6
  
4A 138

1 – Jett Atchley (Teton, 10, District VI) #2
2 – Cole Ingle (Weiser, 12, District III) #1
3 – Evan Simms (American Falls, 12, District V) #3
4 – Asa Black (Homedale, 10, District III) #6
5 – Colton Coy (Kimberly, 9, District IV) #10
6 – Wylee Bidiman (Homedale, 12, District III) #5
  
4A 144

1 – Nathan Gugelman II (American Falls, 12, District V) #1 (All-American)
2 – Klete Cook (Weiser, 11, District III) #2
3 – Kobie Baxter (Fruitland, 11, District III) #4
4 – Colt Thompson (Snake River, 10, District V) #3
5 – Parker Cathey (Timberlake, 10, District I/II) #5
6 – Brian Lopez (American Falls, 12, District V) #7
 
4A 150

1 – Raidyn Pugsley (Buhl, 11, District IV) #1
2 – Onyx Kunsaitis (American Falls, 11, District V) #2 (All-American)
3 – Logan Vaughn (Fruitland, 10, District III) #3
4 – Ezra Gillette (Gooding, 10, District IV) #4
5 – Spencer Messick (Weiser, 9, District III) #8
6 – Isaak Zollinger (Sugar-Salem, 11, District VI) #6
 
4A 157

1 – Ty Cobb (Weiser, 11, District III) #1
2 – Wade Williams (American Falls, 12, District V) #2 (All-American)
3 – Logan Marshall (Snake River, 11, District V) #5
4 – Koen Barendregt (Kimberly, 12, District IV) #3
5 – Chris Schmidt (Timberlake, 11, District I/II) #4
6 – Cael Myers (Fruitland, 10, District III) #9
  
4A 165

1 – Kace Fullmer (Teton, 11, District VI) #1 (All-American)
2 – Titus Dillow (American Falls, 12, District V) #3
3 – Clancey Howell (Snake River, 12, District V) #5
4 – Kysen MacKenzie (Fruitland, 11, District III) #2
5 – Rick Erickson (Weiser, 10, District III) #8
6 – Teejin Morley (Kimberly, 11, District IV) #7
  
4A 175

1 – Fabi Pierce (Buhl, 12, District IV) #1
2 – Kelton Ricks (South Fremont, 12, District VI) #3
3 – Nathan Marston (Homedale, 12, District III) #6
4 – Carter Loutzenhiser (Timberlake, 12, District I/II) #4
5 – Ryker Thomas (Snake River, 11, District V) #2
6 – Mason Bloxom (Bear Lake, 9, District V) #5
 
4A 190

1 – Blaise Turner (American Falls, 11, District V) #1 (All-American)
2 – John Spilostros (McCall-Donnelly, 12, District III) #2
3 – Hunter Bell (Homedale, 9, District III) #3
4 – Titus Finley (Buhl, 11, District IV) #4
5 – Colt Barron (Snake River, 9, District V) #6
6 – Carson Richins (Sugar-Salem, 12, District VI) #9


4A 215

1 – Porter Higley (Buhl, 12, District IV) #2
2 – Talon Heinley (Payette, 11, District III) #1
3 – Grady Walgamott (Homedale, 12, District III) #6
4 – Jarrett Fuller (Snake River, 10, District V) #4
5 – Jackson Rippee (Gooding, 10, District IV) #10
6 – Hugh Andrews (American Falls, 11, District V) #14
 
4A 285

1 – Taylor Dodd (Bonners Ferry, 11, District I/II) #2
2 – Caleb Carpenter (Buhl, 11, District IV) #1
3 – Isaias Torress (Fruitland, 10, District III) #3
4 – Lynden Stone (Snake River, 12, District V) #5
5 – Kaiden Peck (Weiser, 12, District III) #4
6 – Archer Higgins (Timberlake, 11, District I/II) #7