Keeler caps career with medal

CORALVILLE — Creston senior Grace Keeler became a state placewinner for the first time at the Girls State Wrestling Tournament Thursday and Friday.

Keeler matched her pre-tournament seed by placing sixth at 135 pounds in Class 2A competition, the largest of the two Iowa girls classifications.

Galankis also showed progress in her second trip to state, winning a first-round match at state for the first time before falling one point short (2-1 decision loss) in the second consolation match that determined which wrestlers would advance to medal competition on Friday.

Keeler, finishing with a 47-9 record, spent her final evening as a high school wrestler participating in the parade of medalists prior to the finals and the medal stand awards in front of a sold-out crowd in Xtream Arena. That presentation was made after Bella Miller of Dubuque Hempstead scored a 12-1 major decision over Southeast Polk’s Addie Nelson for the 135-pound gold medal.

Keeler, also a state qualifier last year with a 37-8 record, said she enjoyed the culmination of her career.

“It was crazy to see the whole arena full of people like that,” Keeler said. “I thought of all the tears and late nights, and second-guessing my work. It was a good moment in life.”

Nelson’s march to the finals included a hard-fought 3-1 win over Keeler in the quarterfinal round after Keeler opened with a win by fall over Ava Perkins of South Tama County.

“The girl only had two losses this year and is really good,” Creston coach Maggie Arnold said. “Grace got ridden out in the second period, but she stayed in it until the end.”

Keeler rebounded with a strong showing in the consolation second round Thursday night to assure her spot on Friday’s medal stand. She rolled up an 11-2 lead before winning by fall in the third period over fifth-seeded Bethann Templeman of team champion Raccoon River-Northwest Waukee.

“It feels nice,” Keeler said after her second win Thursday. “I came into it with a goal and achieved it, but I’m not done yet. She was the fifth seed, so it’s a good win.”

“Grace broke that girl in the second period,” Arnold said. “Excellent match. That’s what you want out of a senior in that (elimination) match. She beat a higher seed.”

Friday’s matches

On Friday Keeler pinned seventh-seeded Josephine Budederi of Cedar Rapids Jefferson after building a 7-0 lead. She lost a wild 17-11 decision to No. 4-seed Mariah Benedict of Fort Dodge in the consolation semifinals, 17-11.

“The first one was a nice, quick match to get all the nerves out,” Keeler said. “(Benedict) had me on my back but I bridged out and in the second period I got her on her back, so it was 8-8 going into the third period. We were neutral and she got the takedown. I escaped and at the end I was down by three and made a desperate move. She got the takedown out of it. It was a good match.”

Mia Luck of Oskaloosa, the eighth seed, showed strong defense in earning a 4-0 win against Keeler in the fifth-place match.

“In those last two matches, those girls were good and Grace worked really hard in those,” Arnold said. “(Against Benedict) she got a takedown near the edge of the mat and had the girl on her back. We were hoping for the pin, but it just didn’t quite happen.”

Keeler, undecided about wrestling in college, ended her prep career with 132 wins, including 109 by falls. She made huge strides after going 17-17 as a freshman.

“She just worked super hard,” Arnold said. “As a sophomore (31-9 record) she was one match away from making it to state, when it was all one state class. Junior year she made it to the blood round, and had the misfortune of having the number one seed on her back side of the bracket. That made her super hungry for this year. She wrestled all offseason and improved her technique, and she went out for cross country to improve her conditioning. I cannot express just how much I will miss her in the room next year. She was a great leader. She did a great job with the freshman girls this year, helping them understand what it takes.”

Galanankis improves

Arnold said Galanakis had two career losses to Perry 130-pounder Cate Erickson, including a 7-0 decision this season at Panorama. But, Arnold said that familiarity paid off as Galanakis, the 13th seed, won by fall on Thursday. It was the first opening-round win at state by Galanakis, a state qualifier last year as a sophomore.

“I was glad to see that was our draw, because in our loss at Panorama the score really didn’t show how close the match was,” Arnold said. “She got turned once in that match, so the big thing was to keep her hips up and not get turned, and keep her arms away on the bottom. She did a better job of that today.”

Galanakis got the opening takedown with 33 seconds left in the first period. Erickson countered with her own takedown in the second period to tie it, 3-3. Galanakis escaped with :08 left in the period and also escaped in the third period before countering a throw attempt with her own takedown into a pin.

“We were on our feet, she took a pad shot and I did a chin-elbow, and threw her to her back,” Galanakis said, “I was trying to get the cradle. I got her to her back and I knew that in one of those situations where you’re the 13th seed and she’s the fourth seed, you better stick her when you have her on her back!”

Southeast Polk’s Arabella Varvel was controlling her quarterfinal match with Galanakis until the Panther junior stormed back from a 6-0 deficit to get a late escape in the second period and takedown in the third to get with 6-4. Varvel avoided nearfall points and held on for the narrow victory.

“We had the other girl kind of backing up in the third period and Alainah got a nice little ankle-pick for the takedown,” Arnold said. “I was really hoping we could get that turn, but time expired.”

Galanakis was eliminated from medal contention by the slimmest of margins, a 2-1 loss to Izzy Duncan of Raccoon River-Northwest in the consolation second round.

Galanakis broke a scoreless tie with a second-period escape, but Duncan was awarded a stalling point later in the period for a 1-1 tie. Duncan broke away with 1:38 left in the final period for the 2-1 win.

“Her tie-ups were really strong and I couldn’t get a good shot in,” Galanakis said. “I like to drop down to a double or something there, but nothing was there.”

Assistant coach Mario Galanakis, Alainah’s father, gave credit to Duncan for establishing an effective pace.

“I think the girl had a good game plan and tied our wrists up, not letting us get to our tie-ups,” Mario Galanakis said. “Alainah is still pretty new to the sport. She just needs more matches and more experience. She picks up on everything really good and now it’s just putting it all together.”

Other medalists

Southwest Valley’s Kenzie Maeder placed fifth at 145 pounds in Class 1A. Also in 1A, Denver freshman Abigail Peterson capped an undefeated season by winning the 100-pound title by fall in 2:42 over Audrey Cummings of Wilton. She is the daughter of Jeremie (Creston 1992 graduate) and Heather (Antisdel, 1995 Orient-Macksburg graduate) Peterson.

Ainsley Hemann, daughter of Osage coach Nick Hemann — a former Creston assistant coach — won the 1A championship at 105 pounds.

Former Creston wrestler Karlie Kruse, now a member of the Ankeny team, placed sixth in Class 2A at 125 pounds.

Class 2A

130 pounds — First round: Alainah Galanakis (Creston) pinned Cate Erickson (Perry), 5:02. Quarterfinal: Arabella Varvel (SE Polk) dec. Galanakis (Creston), 6-4. Consolation second round: Izzy Duncan (Raccoon River-Northwest) dec. Galanakis (Creston), 2-1.

135 pounds — Grace Keeler (Creston) pinned Ava Perkins (South Tama County), 2:45. Quarterfinal: Addie Nelson (SE Polk) dec. Keeler (Creston), 3-1. Consolation second round: Keeler (Creston) pinned Bethann Templeman (Raccoon River-Northwest), 5:19. Consolation third round: Keeler (Creston) pinned Josephine Budederi (CR Jefferson), 1:40. Consolation semifinal: Mariaha Benedict (Fort Dodge) dec. Keeler (Creston), 17-11. Fifth place: Mia Luck (Oskaloosa) dec. Keeler (Creston), 4-0.