Wrestlers and fans converge on Des Moines

Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines will seat roughly as many people each day this week as live in the city of Ottumwa. That’s because the state high school wrestling tournament is underway. Merton Barr is facilities administrator for “Vets,” which is echoing with referees’ whistles & cheers.Barr expects the tournament to draw 90 and 100-thousand people today through Saturday. Today alone, he predicts at least 35-thousand will attend the daytime & evening competitions.Saturday night’s finals are sold out. The tournament is drawing more than 600 wrestlers from more than 220 Iowa high schools.