AUDIO: Lake Mills and West Hancock Wrestlers Capture State Titles

As the Winter Olympics were winding down in Italy, a couple of area wrestlers were also competing for gold at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines. Lake Mills senior Steve Brandenburg and West Hancock senior Teague Smith, in their final high school match, were trying to do something that had evaded both of them the past three seasons: win a state wrestling championship. On Saturday night, the dream of a state title became a reality.

Steve Brandenburg entered the state tournament with a stellar 51-2 record, earning the top seed in the 24-man bracket at 150 pounds. Being a top eight seed also allowed him a first round bye. In his first match of the tournament, Brandenburg faced off against the 17 seed in AGWSR’s Jariyah Bowles. Brandenburg wasted no time, pinning his opponent 1 minute and 18 seconds into the match.

In the quarterfinals, Brandenburg faced the 8 seed in Levi Else of Ridge View. This would turnout to be Brandenburg’s closest match of the tournament; a 5-2 decision in favor of the Bulldog. Brandenburg got his first points with a takedown 41 seconds into the match, riding out his opponent to finish the opening period. In the second period, a two point reversal about one minute in gave Brandenburg a 5-0 advantage. A late stalling call on Brandenburg, his second of the match, gave Else a point, but Brandenburg still had a four point lead heading into the final two minutes of the match. Another stall call and point to Else was all the scoring in the third period, as Brandenburg punched his ticket to the semifinals for the second consecutive season. 

Steve’s semifinal match pitted him against the 4 seed in Lincoln Linden of Woodbury Central. A quick 3 point takedown in the first period, a quick 1 point escape in the second period, and a last second takedown in the third period secured a 7-0 shutout decision for the senior. With the win, Brandenburg would be wrestling on Saturday night in the finals for the second time.

A year earlier, in the 2025 Iowa High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Tournament, Brandenburg was the 3 seed. He made his way to the championship match, facing off against a familiar opponent, and one of the best wrestlers in the state; Osage’s Blake Fox. It was the fourth meeting between the two wrestlers, with Fox recently beating Brandenburg at the Top of Iowa Conference tournament championship match by technical fall. Fox, who was also a junior last year, had already won two state titles. In the championship match at state, Fox matched his earlier result, defeating Brandenburg by tech fall again, and winning his third title in three years. This year, he became just the 33rd wrestler in the state’s history to win four state titles.  Fox and Brandenburg have been apart of the same weight class three of their four seasons as high school wrestlers. This year however, Osage was apart of class 2A, while Lake Mills was competing in class 1A, meaning despite both wrestling at 150 pounds, they would not face each other in Des Moines.

Brandenburg’s finals opponent was Chance Hoyt, the 6 seed from Iowa Valley (Marengo). Hoyt was having a stellar tournament, having upset the 3 seed, as well as pinning the 18 seed in the semifinals, a wrestler who himself upset the 15, 2 and 7 seeds, all by fall. In the first period of the championship match, Brandenburg got a quick takedown of Hoyt, 30 seconds into the match. After that, it was methodical wrestling for Brandenburg, as he kept working on top, eventually working to an arm bar and a turn of his opponent. After four near-fall swipes from the official, he repositioned himself and slapped the mat. Steve Brandenburg was atop of the podium as a state champion, winning by fall in 1 minute 51 seconds. Brandenburg on what the title means to him.

Brandenburg is the seventh wrestler in Lake Mills history to win a state wrestling title, joining greats Mike Stensrud (1974), John Nielsen (’84), Mike Isaacson (’89, ’90), Jason Gilbertson (’97), Tim Helgeson (’98), and Slade Sifuentes (2016, ’17). It’s the ninth state title in school history. Brandenburg’s pin in the state finals was his 45th of the season, extending the program record he set at the home district meet a week earlier. The pin also gave him career win 192, breaking the previous school record for career wins of 191, previously held by 2019 graduate Caiden Jones. He finished his senior year with a 55-2 record, and 192-18 career record. He was a four time state qualifier, placing three times (7th in 2024, 2nd in 2025, 1st in 2026).

Alex Brandenburg has been the head coach at Lake Mills for 18 years. For Steve, Coach Brandenburg isn’t just coach, he’s also dad. I asked Steve on what it’s like having his dad as his head coach.

Right after Steve had his arm raised by the official for the 192nd and final time as a Lake Mills Bulldog wrestler, he ran to his dad and leapt into his arms.

As for the future, Brandenburg has his sights set on his senior baseball season.

After high school, Steve plans to attend Luther College in Decorah to wrestle. He wants to be a biology major and an physician’s assistant.

For Teague Smith, wrestling is a family affair. His grandpa, Paul Smith, was an Iowa State Champion in 1960 with Britt. His dad Ted finished 5th in 1994. His older brother Kellen, now a wrestler at Army West Point, was a four-time medalist and a three-time state runner-up. Teague was looking to add to his family’s wrestling legacy, as well as add to the long and historic legacy of Britt, West Hancock wrestling.

Teague had come close to topping the podium his first three years of his high school career. As a freshman, Smith was the state runner-up as the three seed at 120 pounds. He moved up to 138 pounds for his sophomore year, again going into the tournament as the three seed. He made the finals again, falling by a 3-1 decision on a late takedown by his opponent. As a junior, Smith again jumped weight, competing as the two seed, this time at 150 pounds. He made the semifinals for the third time in as many seasons, but suffered an injury as he fell in the semifinals in sudden victory. Because of the extend of his injury, Teague was unable to wrestle any further in the tournament. He medically forfeited his last two matches, finishing 6th.

Smith entered this year’s tournament as the two seed for the second straight year, sporting a record of 32-1 at 157 pounds. Teague on his confidence level going into state.

With the two seed, like Brandenburg, Smith received a first round by. In the round of 16, Teague wrestled the 18 seed Ethan Bauer of Coon Rapids-Bayard. In that match, Smith got off to a quick start, earning a takedown in the first half-minute. Two separate four-count near falls rounded out the period, giving Teague a 11-0 advantage going into the second period. After Bauer chose neutral to begin the period, Smith earned another quick takedown, this time sticking Bauer to the mat for the fall in 2 minutes 12 seconds.

In the quarterfinals Smith faced the 7 seed, Sam Dominick of Woodbury Central. This match would last all three periods, with Smith coming out with a 4-1 decision thanks to a first period takedown and rideout, and a second period escape.

Smith’s semifinal opponent was GTRA’s Caleb Swedin, the 3 seed in the bracket. In the first period, Teague struck first with a takedown with a half minute remaining. Swedin’s quick escape made the score 3-1 after two minutes. Smith chose the down position to begin the second period. An escape then quick reattack and takedown by Swedin knotted up the match at 4 apiece. However, Smith was able to earn a one point escape in the waning seconds of the period to go up by one point into the final period. Beginning the third period on bottom, Swedin was able to nab a quick escape to retie the match. Determined, Smith’s takedown a short time later gave him a huge advantage, now up by three. With under a minute left in the match, Swedin was able to get an escape to pull within two, but defensive wrestling from Smith secured the 8-6 decision. Teague, for the third time in his high school career, would be wrestling in the finals on Saturday night.

In the finals, Smith was matched up against the top seed in the bracket, 41-0 Boston Peters of Westwood, Sloan. Just past the 1 minute mark in the first period, Smith countered an attack from Peters with a single leg attack of his own, eventually securing the three point takedown and the early advantage. A quick escape after a restart at center mat by Peters made it 3-1. In the final seconds of the period, Peters went for a late shot. Teague, again on the counter attack, snagged a nice double leg drive through for another takedown at the buzzer. Smith now led 6-1. Starting the second period on bottom, Smith got an early escape to push the lead to 7-1. With no further action in the period, Smith entered the final period two minutes away from a state title. Peters, starting the third period on bottom, earned a quick escape to keep himself in the match. But with defensive wrestling and three inconsequential stall calls that gave Peters two points, Smith was finally able to end a season having his arm raised and standing on top of the podium. He spoke on what the state title means to him.

With the four wins in the tournament, Smith finished his senior season with a record of 36-1. He defeated the runner-up, the third place finisher in Swedin, and the fourth place finisher in Dominick. He did all that and won a state championship while not completely healthy.

Teague Smith’s title is the 48th in Britt, West Hancock history and he’s the 29th different wrestler to win a state title at the school. He finishes his high school career as a 4-time medalist, 3-time state finalists, 4-time district champion and 2-time Top of Iowa Conference Champion. He finishes with a record of 171-8, which is third all time in wins, trailing only Matthew Francis and his brother Kellen Smith.

As for the future, Teague says he wants to wrestle at the collegiate level, but he is still undecided on what school he will attend.

The full interviews with Steve Brandenburg and Coach Alex Brandenburg can be heard on our Lake Mills Coaches Show this Saturday, February 28 at 9 AM. The full interview with Teague Smith and Coach Mark Sanger can be heard on our West Hancock Coaches Show the same morning following the Lake Mills Coaches Show. They can also be listened to anytime afterwards, HERE along with all the other coaches shows from the winter sports season.