Busse becomes Humboldt's 29th state champion!


Humboldt's Joey Busse exults after winning his 145-pound championship match last Saturday night in the Class 2A state wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Busse capped a perfect, 47-0 senior season for the Wildcats. Independent photo by Phil Monson.

By Phil Monson

Joey Busse says he never breaks promises and he now has a gold medal to prove it.
The Humboldt High School senior capped a perfect season by winning the 145-pound class in the Class 2A State Wrestling Tournament inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines last Saturday night (Feb. 16).
Busse ended his final match in a Wildcat singlet by holding off West Liberty’s Will Esmoil, 4-3 in an exciting, well-executed championship match.
It was a year ago when Busse, standing in the basement of Wells Fargo Arena, told the Humboldt Independent he would be back 12 months later to claim the state championship after placing sixth in 2018.
“It feels amazing. I can’t even describe it right now,” Busse said, trying to catch his breath moments after his title bout. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. It’s awesome.”
“I remember a year ago when we talked after my sixth-place match. I told you I was going to be here – and I don’t break promises,” Busse said, breaking into a big smile.
“I’m in shock right now,” Busse said.

Busse, who is Humboldt’s all-time individual career victory leader with a 174-26 record, became the 20th Humboldt wrestler to win at least one state championship. Humboldt has a total of 29 state champions, going back to the early 1960s when the program began under Joe Fitch.
Keith Abens was Humboldt’s first state champion back in 1967 in the school’s fifth year of fielding a wrestling team. Tanner Kampen won the 145-pound crown in 2008.

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