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'I'm going to state!'
Area 2A wrestlers off to Des Moines
FAIRFIELD — The Union area’s Class 2A wrestlers were split into three districts in Saturday’s district wrestling meets. In the end, 10 matmen will represent the area next week in Des Moines.
In Fairfield, the hosting Trojans were able to send a Union-high five wrestlers through, grabbing two championships on the night and getting three through in true-second place matches.
The first Trojan to earn his spot was Cael McCabe, who will be making his return back to Des Moines at 106 pounds. McCabe went 2-0 on the day, earning a 44-second pin in the semifinals and a 4-3 decision over Notre Dame’s Colt Boyes in the championship match.
McCabe, who also won a district championship last season in Washington, was the first wrestler of any school in the district to put his name on the bracket.
“It's great,” McCabe said. “I'm ready for it. To get on the podium, that's the goal this year.”
McCabe was soon joined by Dane Burkhardt, who took first place at 175. Burkhart had two wins on the day, a technical fall in the semifinals and a 7-2 decision against Dru Diaz of Davenport Assumption in the 175-pound championship.
It was Burkhart’s first ever district title and he’ll be making his state debut this weekend.
“All of us have been working hard this entire year,” Burkhart said. It's just great to see that all that work paid off.“
The Trojans had just two wrestlers through after the championship and third place matches, but Fairfield had a handful of wrestlers going for a true second place finish. Among those was two-time state qualifier Cason Miller, who continued his streak at 157 pounds.
After a semifinal win, Miller was narrowly defeated in the first place match, pitting him against Albia’s Kael Hutchinson in a do-or-die match. Miller got the pinfall in 2 minutes, 58 seconds.
“I was a little disappointed in how the first place match went, of course,” Miller said. “But we did what needed to be done.”
Perhaps the most impressive run of the night was that of 190-pounder Carter Moore. Moore was pinned in the semifinals and had to battle back through the wrestlebacks, collecting a pair of pins and getting an opportunity at second against Mediapolis’ Parker Lange.
Lange held the lead in the third period, but Moore caught him on his back and ignited the home crowd with a pin, getting it done in 5:18.
“It was just surreal,” Moore said. “Once I got him to his back, I knew instantly that I have to get this. Once he slapped the mat and blew the whistle, I'm like, 'I'm going to state!'”
Dre Smithburg had lost the first place match at 215 pounds, which means he needed to take out Albia’s Nate Ballard for true second. Smithburg pinned Ballard in four minutes flat to earn a return trip to Des Moines.
“I just had to keep my composure,” said Smithburg. “At the start, it wasn't going my way. I was making minor mistakes that I can't be making at this point in the season.”
Fairfield’s Zandrik Allison (144) and Logan Johnson (285) lost their third place matches and didn't’ get a chance at a true second.
Mt. Pleasant’s Ramzy Davis was able to wrestleback at 15- pounds. Davis lost his first match of the day, but fought all the way back to come one win away from state, facing Albia’s Bode Thompson in the second place match. During the run, Davis pinned Mediapolis’ Mason Johnson, the same opponent he had lost to in the opening round.
Davis, however, was done in by Thompson in the do-or-die battle. Thompson pinned Davis in 4:50.
In Williamsburg, Washington’s Aaron Boone continued his dominant season by flying back to the state tournament at 132 pounds.
Boone had two matches on the night. He dominated his semifinal match, earning a pinfall in 1:02, and beat Grinnell’s Logan McDonald 5-2 to earn his ticket to the state tournament.
Boone, the only Demon to make it through, has only lost one match this season.
Caden Greiner took a tough loss in the 138-pound second place match to finish third. Chase Greiner finished third at 157 pounds.
Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union is sending four wrestlers through after a big day at the District 9 meet in Solon. The Wildcats had one champion and three second-place finishers on the night.
Ty Scorpil rocked the house in the 126-pound bracket, scooping up a pair of pins to win the title. He took out Evan Burg of Solon in 1:57 to win the bracket.
Jacob Nelson advanced to Des Moines at 113 pounds, taking true second from Mount Vernon’s CJ Martin by the score of 6-1. Kason Dopler was second at 175, and didn’t have a true second place match, and Russel Coil took silver at 285, pinning Mid-Prairie’s Burke Berry in 3:57 for second place.
It was a frustrating day for Mid-Prairie, as the Golden Hawks finished with three third-place finishers. Tucker Miller was third at 138. Quin Callahan took third at 215, and Burke Berry finished third at 285.
