South Tama County senior Marcus Bear was sent off in unforgettable fashion this morning as he prepares to compete at the 2026 IHSAA State Wrestling Championships at 175 pounds.
The send-off began in the South Tama County High School Commons, where students, staff, family, and supporters gathered to celebrate his accomplishment. The entire South Tama school participated in the event, with the pep band playing the school song as Marcus was recognized before beginning his route through the community.
From the high school, the procession traveled to Highway 30, turned in front of the Meskwaki Health Clinic, continued through the Meskwaki Settlement School, then went down 305th Street and exited in front of the Meskwaki Casino.
Along the route, the support was loud and proud. Community members from the Meskwaki Settlement lined the road to cheer Marcus on as he drove by. Students and staff at the Meskwaki Settlement School stood outside in front of the building, waving and celebrating his achievement. Fire trucks, ambulances, and law enforcement vehicles from Tama, Toledo, and Meskwaki joined the procession with lights flashing and sirens sounding in a powerful show of unity and pride.
Click here to view photos from this event.
The event was livestreamed by Meskwaki Media and can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/live/Gql1HRDvM0E?si=HYGwhadNdX2ohT1z
Marcus Bear’s qualification for state represents not only individual dedication and hard work, but the strength and support of an entire community standing behind him.
Marcus Bear takes on the Class 2A 175lbs Field at the 2026 IHSAA State Wrestling Championships today at Casey’s Center in Des Moines! Class 2A Wrestling begins at 2:30PM. Tickets can be purchased online at https://hyveetix.evenue.net/events/WR
HOW TO WATCH STATE WRESTLING:
There are multiple ways for fans to catch the action at the 2026 IHSAA State Wrestling Championships!
1. Tickets: Spectator tickets to the 2026 IHSAA State Traditional Tournament are available through Casey’s Center.
2. FloWrestling: Every match from the dual team tournament and traditional tournament can be streamed live and on-demand from matside through FloWrestling. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED.
3. IHSAA Broadcast: The SEMIFINALS of the traditional tournament will appear on the IHSAA’s free livestream and will be televised by the IHSAA’s Tournament Partners.
4. Iowa PBS Broadcast: The FINALS of the traditional tournament will be back on Iowa PBS for the first time since 2002. Find your local Iowa PBS station, or stream on iowapbs.org or through the IHSAA’s Watch page.