North Tama’s Kolt Knaack, right, removes his headgear after defeating Alburnett’s Reece Klostermann by an 11-7 decision Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena to advance to the Class 1A 150-pound semifinals. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

DES MOINES — No matter what position Kolt Knaack was in on Thursday, the North Tama senior was determined to keep his championship dreams alive.

Alburnett’s Reece Klostermann landed a rare takedown on Knaack, but it was a footnote in Knaack’s 11-7 decision to reach the semifinals for the first time in his high school career during Thursday’s Class 1A session of the boys state wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

Knaack will take on top-seeded Corbin Reisz of Logan-Magnolia in the Class 1A 150-pound semifinals on Friday, with the session beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Klostermann shot out of the gate with a takedown less than 15 seconds into the match, but a couple takedowns in the second period and one more after escaping from bottom position in the third period was enough to ride out a feisty challenge from Klostermann.

“It definitely felt weird being down, but I knew I just couldn’t let it get to my head,” Knaack said. “I was focused on what I needed to do to win. … I just needed to make sure I kept my hands down, because I was jumping on a lot of those fakes early in the match. I had to stay calm and let him come to me.”

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

The win ensured that Knaack would win his third state medal in four tries, though what place the medal has on it is still up in the air. Reisz, a senior, is 54-0, was the 144-pound champion last season, and hasn’t lost a high school match since the 2023 state tournament quarterfinals, a string of 105 wins in a row.

“We’ll watch a bit of film, but he’s just got to go out there and have fun, let it fly,” North Tama head coach Andrew Knaack said. “He’s not expected to win, he’s got that monkey off the back after losing in the quarterfinals the last two years. That’s draining on a wrestler to have to bounce back and win to get a medal after losing in the quarterfinals. He’ll sleep a little better tonight knowing that he’s on the podium and just see how tomorrow goes.”

Maxon Monat is familiar with the consolation grind, winning two matches on Thursday to set himself up for a blood-round match and a chance at a state medal with a win.

Monat pinned Carter Gittins of Tri-Center in 45 seconds and claimed a 13-4 major decision over Denver’s Kayden Landers in the third-round consolations.

Facing Nic Brase of Nashua-Plainfield in the blood round may be a surprise for Monat after the top-seeded Brase was upset in the quarterfinals, but Andrew Knaack thinks Monat is ready for the test.

“You make it to the third day of the state tournament, you’re doing pretty good for yourself,” Andrew Knaack said. “We’re riding high — Max has three wins already in this tournament, so he feels good, he’s relaxed and he’s ready to go out and compete. Just like Kolt, go out there and let it fly.”

Friday’s schedule

Class 1A session, 1:30 p.m.

Fourth-round consolations

113 pounds — Maxon Monat, jr., North Tama, 41-8 vs. Nic Brase, sr., Nashua-Plainfield, 50-6

Semifinals

150 pounds — Kolt Knaack, sr., North Tama, 46-0 vs. Corbin Reisz, sr., Logan-Magnolia, 54-0