AAU State Wrestling: Frueh, Cruzen bring home medals for Ottumwa
Feb. 28—DES MOINES — Two members of the Ottumwa Alpha Dogs brought home medals from last weekend's Iowa AAU State Wrestling Tournament.
Carter Cruzen, competing among 3rd-4th grade 175-pound wrestlers, placed third at Wells Fargo Arena while collecting 17 of the 30 points scored by Alpha Dog state qualifiers. Tayton Frueh, the son of Ottumwa High School head wrestling coach Jeremy Frueh, scored the other 13 points placing sixth among 7th-8th grade wrestlers at 115 pounds.
Cruzen opened his state tournament pinning Delaware County Wrestling qualifier Jack Peyton in 93 seconds before bouncing from a semifinal loss to Cal Crill of the Lenox Mat Cats, scoring two more wins on the consolation side of the bracket. After pinning Alexander Richer of the Siouxland Wrestling Academy in 75 seconds, Cruzen was able to earn a second win over Peyton going the distance in the third-place match before coming away with a 2-0 decision holding on after scoring a decisive takedown with 41 seconds left in the first period.
Frueh, meanwhile, took the long road to earn his state AAU medal after nearly overcoming two near falls in the second period of a 10-8 first-round loss to Kooper Waugh of the McDominate Training Center. Frueh earned five straight wins to clinch a place on the podium, pinning Lane Dolan of Assumption Elite in 15 seconds before earning four straight decisions edging Colin Sesker of the Team Valley Wrestling Club, 4-2, on a takedown with 34 seconds left before scoring a nearfall with four seconds left to edge Owen Gilbert of the High Altitude Wrestling Club, 6-4.
Frueh clinched his state medal by shutting out Bryce Carroll of the Dubuque Wrestling Club, 4-0, before winning a thrilling 'blood round' battle with Joseph Hayes of the Muscle Mat Club 8-6 on a take down 19 seconds into overtime after erasing a 6-3 lead for Hayes in the final minute of the third period. Lucas Schroeder of the Missouri Valley Wrestling Club edged Frueh out in the fifth-place match, winning 2-1 on a takedown with 46 seconds left.
