The Knoxville Wrestling Squad only got one wrestler into the state meet, but Matthew Landsperger would give Panther fans a memorable run in the class 2A 195 pound meet which is out number six on Knoxville, Twin Cedars and Melcher-Dallas sports moments. Landsperger was forced to sit out in 2016 due to health reasons, and still recovering entering the 2017 season he was not looked at as a grappler who could make to state. Landsperger raised all eyebrows as he punched his ticket to state in the district, then won his first match over Austin Winkel of Clear Lake 8-2. After falling to entual 195 pound state champion Bryse Emsoil of West Liberty in the second round, Landsperger won three straight matches to not only stay alive but to wrestle back all the way to the third place match. While he fell in that match to Jaxson Mikkel of Creston, many fans realized that Matthew Landsperger’s run through the state wrestling meet was no fluke with a fourth place finish.