Fritz earns slot on All-GTNS wrestling

It was a big year for wrestling in the GTNS coverage area, highlighted by multiple state appearances.

When the dust settled at the individual state wrestling tournament, five area wrestlers were competing for championships, with one pulling off the title victory. All five of those athletes were easy picks to the All-GTNS wrestling squad, while other weight classes were loaded with talent, which made decisions tough.

One area wrestler from each weight class and one head coach were selected to represent the All-GTNS wrestling team.

Head coach: Brent Van Weelden, Washington

When it came to the discussion of All-GTNS wrestling head coach, it was a no-brainer. Washington head coach Brent Van Weelden and his coaching staff helped lead the Demons to their first state dual tournament appearance.

Washington posted a strong lineup at every weight, helping them earn a 31-3 dual record this year.

Washington had 10 wrestlers honored in the all-conference lists, which awards first- and second-team selections for 14 weight classes, and they are primed to continue building on this success.

Van Weelden and the Demons will only lose three seniors from their varsity lineup, and return four 2016 individual state tournament qualifiers to their team.

106: Sam Loyd,

sophomore, New London

Sam Loyd was a dominant force for the New London wrestling team wherever they competed this season. The fifth-ranked sophomore went 47-3 this year, and earned a spot at the state tournament in Des Moines.

At state, Loyd advanced to the championship match after a quick pin in the first round and decisions in the quarterfinals and semifinals. He was barely defeated, 5-3, in the 106-pound. 1A state championship match. Loyd will likely be a state favorite for the next two seasons.

113: Josh Keller,

senior, Columbus

Columbus senior Josh Keller ended his career with another medal, adding a seventh place medal to his mantle after a strong final year, despite having to move up a weight class for the first time in his career.

Keller, who took second place at the state tournament a year ago at 106 pounds, advanced back to the state tournament this year at 113, entering the tournament with one loss, which came in the district tournament.

Keller suffered two losses at the state tournament, coming to the fifth- and third-place finishers, en route to posting a 42-3 record.

He finishes his career as a Wildcat wrestler with three medals, having a fifth-place medal at 106 two years ago.

120: Bryce West,

junior, Highland

For the second straight year, Bryce West finished off a perfect season with a 120-pound state title.

West?s dominance on the mat showed through with a 55-0 record this season, winning two of his state tournament matches by pin, one by major decision and another by technical fall.

Bryce has only one high school loss in his three-year career, coming in his freshman state tournament. He will look to cap off his career with a third-straight state title next season.

126: Drew West,

junior, Highland

Drew West came close to matching his twin brother this season, but his one loss came at an inopportune time, in the state championship match.

West entered the state tournament with a 49-0 record, and used a pair of pin falls to earn his way to the finals.

He ended up falling by major decision in the final match, but came away with a second-place finish, improving upon his third-place finish a season ago.

West, who won a state title in his freshman season, will look to go out on top next season.

132: Kyle Anderson, junior, Washington

Washington junior Kyle Anderson was unable to repeat the success of his first two seasons, and missed out on the state tournament this year, but a strong season helped him to an All-GTNS selection at 132 pounds.

Anderson, a second-team All-SEC selection, posted 44 wins this season, but ran into a tough district bracket, which featured a pair of top-ranked wrestlers.

Half of his victories came by fall, while only being pinned himself four times in 2015-16.

He will look to return to the individual state tournament next season.

138: Reno Chiri,

junior, New London

Reno Chiri went 39-9 this year for New London. The 138 lbs., junior was one to watch in every dual or tournament he competed in. Chiri worked his way up to a No. 9 ranking at the end of the season.

Chiri battled his way to the state tournament, giving New London three representatives, despite being a small team. Chiri fell by decision in the first round and lost on injury in his consolation match. He will look to be back in Des Moines next season in his senior year.

145: Colten Mertens, senior Mt. Pleasant

For fans who went to see the Mt. Pleasant wrestling team this season, 145 lbs., senior Colten Mertens was the main event. Ranked No. 4 in the biggest class in the state, Mertens won his first 40 matches.

At the state tournament in Des Moines, Mertens cruised through the first two rounds with six-point decision wins, and advanced to the finals with a 5-3 decision. Mertens fell in the title match but ended the year, 40-1, the best year of any wrestler coached by Panther head coach Anthony Blint.

152: Trey Van Weelden, junior, Washington

At 152 pounds, Trey Van Weelden earned the nod, after leading the team with 50 wins on the year.

He qualified for his second state tournament this season, and finished in seventh place to take home the first medal of his career.

Of his six losses this year, only one came by pin fall, with three coming by decision.

His state tournament saw him claim a decision victory in the first round, before falling in the state quarterfinals. In the consolation side of the bracket, Van Weelden earned another decision victory to advance to the medal rounds, but he fell by major decision in the consolation quarterfinals.

In the seventh-place match, he claimed a 2-1 decision win to earn his seventh-place medal.

160: Tristan Westphal-Edwards,

freshman, Washington

Entering as a freshman at 160, Washington?s Tristan Westphal-Edwards made a big impact for the Demons.

He earned 43 wins this year for Washington, earning second-team all-conference honors, a state tournament berth and the nod at 160 for the All-GTNS wrestling team.

Of his 43 wins, 25 came by pin fall, while the freshman lost eight combined matches by decision or by sudden victory.

Westphal-Edwards was unable to crack the medal stand in Des Moines, but should be a fixture in the Demons? lineup for a few more years.

170: Tucker Morrison, junior, Columbus

The Columbus junior put together a season that only saw him lose one match before the state tournament, going 47-3 on the year.

Morrison was strong all throughout the season, and it showed as he picked up his second medal, placing seventh at 170 pounds, earning the nod for an All-GTNS selection.

Morrison had many hard-fought matches this season, as could be seen by his results in the state tournament.

All of his state tournament matches were decided by four points or less, as he went 2-2 at the final tourney of the year.

182: Karlton Skubal, junior, Washington

Despite falling just short of his first state tournament, an impressive season at 182 pounds earned junior Karlton Skubal a spot on this year?s All-GTNS wrestling team.

Skubal notched 43 wins (19 by fall) and suffered only nine losses (two by fall) this season, en route to being a first-team All-Conference wrestler.

Skubal faced a tough district which saw him finish in third, barely missing the state tournament, but he will be motivated to reach Des Moines as an individual next year.

195: Michael Fritz, junior, Fairfield

Fairfield?s 195-pounder wrestles in what Trojans? head coach Steve Miller calls the toughest weight bracket in the sport and lost his final meet of the season at sectionals by a one-point decision after a small mistake cost him.

It doesn?t change the fact that the junior was the brightest spot on the Fairfield roster in terms of match quality, evidenced by his 206.5 team points contributed as well as his 36-6 record. He wasn?t pinned once all season long and will return next year with a chip on his shoulder to lead a very young Trojan team.

220: Levi Duwa,

junior, Mid-Prairie

Much like the regular season, Mid-Prairie junior Levi Duwa cruised through the postseason, and won his way all the way to the state finals.

Duwa took the top-ranked wrestler in Class 2A all the way into extra time, but it wasn?t enough as he fell in the match, taking second place in the state.

That finish, along with a 44-4 record throughout the season, made him an easy choice for the All-GTNS wrestling team at 220 pounds.

Of Duwa?s wins this year, 27 came by fall, as he recorded a team-best 292 points this season. Duwa was only pinned twice this season.

The Mid-Prairie junior will look to translate this success into a possible run at a state title next year.

285: Cody Crawford. sophomore, WACO

WACO sophomore Cody Crawford put his abilities on display this year in Class 1A, and it turned into a state tournament berth and medal in his second varsity season.

Crawford, who was an All-District lineman for the Warriors, won a pair of matches at the state tournament, and finished with an eighth-place medal and a 27-8 record.

In his pair of wrestleback wins in Des Moines, he claimed 4-1 and 9-2 decision wins, before falling in the medal rounds.

He will look to build on his performance this year and carry it into a second state trip next year.

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- The All Golden Triangle News Service teams are selected by sports editors Aaron Viner of The Washington Evening Journal, Josh Dillon of The Fairfield Daily Ledger and Andy Krutsinger of Mt. Pleasant News.