Unbeatens Ricker, Reed advance to quarterfinals

DES MOINES — Two area wrestlers stayed unbeaten Thursday at the State Wrestling Tournament, but it took one of them nearly the maximum amount of overtime to do it.

Top-ranked Mount Ayr heavyweight Joe Ricker moved to 47-0 for the season with a 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker win over fourth-ranked Tim Butcher of Manson-Northwest Webster.

Also, No. 1-ranked Dusten Reed of Bedford/Lenox went about a workmanlike 5-0 decision over unranked Drew Davis of Independence in the Class 2A 132-pound class. Reed improved to 48-0 and meets No. 5 Stuart Schafer of Davenport Assumption (34-7) in today’s quarterfinals.

For Ricker, the road was tougher against Butcher. Both of them managed to score an escape during regulation, and neither could break the tie during the first one-minute sudden victory period.

In the first 30-second tiebreaker, Butcher escaped to take a 2-1 lead. If he rode out Ricker for 30 seconds in the next one, the No. 1 wrestler would be knocked out of the championship bracket. Ricker escaped to force the ultimate 30-second tiebreaker where the winner either escapes or rides out his opponent.

By the criteria of scoring first in the match, Ricker got to choose his position and he went down. Eight seconds into the period, Ricker escaped for the 3-2 win.

“We always choose down in the second period if we get choice, for that reason,” Ricker said, alluding to his escape to post a 1-0 lead in the match. “If it goes into the seventh period like that, I’m pretty confident I can get out from under anyone. It’s hard to ride a big guy for 30 seconds.”

The heavyweight from Maryville, Mo., and Creston/O-M’s Jake Gutschenritter are the only other wrestlers to push Ricker the full distance in a match this season. Co-coach John Ford said it was a good experience for his talented senior.

“He’s got his shape back better than when he had mono at Christmas,” Ford said. “Now he knows he can go the distance, too. That helps with his confidence.”

Ricker was matched up this afternoon with unranked Houston Coleman of Sibley-Ocheyedan (39-8), who advanced by injury default.

Ricker is the only area wrestler advancing to the quarterfinals in Class 1A. Ben Freese of Nodaway Valley went 1-1 to stay in contention in the consolation bracket at 120 pounds. He won 12-5 after getting pinned by undefeated sophomore Bryce West of Highland, ranked second.

Brogan Kinyon of East Union was beaten by unranked Jordan Woodward of Lisbon (30-20) in the first round, 8-5. Woodward took a 6-1 lead on two takedowns and a reversal. Kinyon closed with a 4-2 third period, but fell short.

“He got nerved up,” said Eagle coach Steve Kinyon. “This second match that he wrestled, if he did that the first time, we’re still wrestling.”

Kinyon was eliminated in a hard-fought match with ninth-ranked Riley Wohlers of Logan-Magnolia, who led 7-3 before earning the fall in 3:42. Kinyon ends his senior season at 35-14.

Mike Ward was declared ineligible earlier this week and was unable to compete as scheduled at 195 pounds for East Union.

In Class 2A, Reed’s Bedford/Lenox teammate Jared Hensley improved to 44-2 with a 17-7 major decision over seventh-ranked Travis Pulse of Davenport Assumption. The fifth-ranked Hensley moved into today’s quarterfinals at 113 pounds against No. 4 Derek Holschlag, who won 13-4 over No. 10 Spencer Johnson of Southwest Valley.

Class 2A

First Round

113 — Jared Hensley (Bedford/Lenox) major dec. Travis Pulse (Davenport Assumption), 17-7.

132 — Dusten Reed (Bedford/Lenox) dec. Drew Davis (Independence), 5-0.

160 — Colton Ranney (Central Decatur) major dec. Joe Argo (Davenport Assumption), 12-0.

182 — Trenton Wells (Central Decatur) dec. Trevor Rommann (Center Point-Urbana), 9-2.

220 — Kelly Pierce (Gilbert) pinned Trace Carson (Central Decatur), :33.

First round consolation

220 — Travis McMillian (Oelwein) dec. Trace Carson (Central Decatur), 5-4.

Class 1A

First round

120 — Bryce West (Highland) pinned Ben Freese (Nodaway Valley), :36.

126 — Jacob Hansen (West Fork) major dec. Austin Pontier (Interstate 35), 14-0.

160 — Cody Kingery (Underwood) dec. Sal Arzani (Interstate 35), 8-4.

170 — Jordan Woodward (Lisbon) dec. Brogan Kinyon (East Union), 8-5.

285 — Joe Ricker (Mount Ayr) dec. Tim Butcher (Manson-Northwest Webster), 3-2 (4TB).

First round consolation

120 — Ben Freese (Nodaway Valley) dec. Alex Hanna (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont), 12-5.

126 — Christian Polley (Tri-Center) major dec. Austin Pontier (Interstate 35), 13-2.

160 — Sal Arzani (Interstate 35) dec. Bryce Oveson (Wilton), 5-3.

170 — Riley Wohlers (Logan-Magnolia) pinned Brogan Kinyon (East Union), 3:42.