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1.) Benji Silver, Jr., Central City
2.) Andy Kiger, Sr., Audubon
3.) Rocky Hamilton, Sr., Wapello
4.) Blu Wahle, So., Underwood
5.) Clint Jones, Jr., Bondurant-Farrar
6.) Nick Ackerman, Sr., Colfax-Mingo
- This podium pic is straight-up legendary. There are quite a few state titles racked up with Benji and Blu Wahle in there. I want to say Blu won 2 and Benji 2-3. Benji was widely known as “The Central City Strong Man.” What a name. Rocky Hamilton is in there…he is a well-known SEIA guy who is from Wapello and was the HC there for 8 years. Also, NICK ACKERMAN… Nick Ackerman is a legendary wrestler in Iowa’s history for as you can see, he was a state place-winner in high school and was a D3 national champ in college… He is the only D3 guy I know of who won the Hodge Trophy. So what separates him from any other D3 national champ? The fact that he accomplished these feats without the use of his legs. His legs were amputated as a young boy due to complications of a form of meningitis. The guy has inspired thousands of people across the nation.
