For Norwalk senior wrestler Tyler Harper, it was the perfect ending to a perfect season.

Competing in the Iowa State Wrestling Championships on Saturday, February 17, Harper capped his high school career with a 10-4 decision over top-ranked Alexander Pierce of Iowa City West to win the Class 3A 113-pound state title. One year earlier at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Pierce outlasted Harper 10-7 to claim the 106-pound championship.

Harper dominated the rematch, particularly in the final two periods, to cap a 40-0 season in which he allowed just two takedowns to his opponents. Harper tells KNIA/KRLS Sports that it was an awesome feeling to finish on top of the podium after placing second last year and not qualifying for state as a freshman and sophomore.

“(Second place) was cool, but this is way above it,” he said. “This is so awesome.”

Prior to the state finals, Harper recorded two first-period pins at the state meet and also scored a 13-6 victory in the quarterfinal round. Norwalk has now claimed a state wrestling champion in back-to-back years after Maddux Borcherding-Johnson won the 3A heavyweight title in 2023.

Harper will continue his wrestling and academic career at NCAA Division I Arkansas-Little Rock later this year.