Oskaloosa's Miller, Parker are state bound for the Indians

Feb. 13—WILLIAMSBURG — After not sending any wrestlers through to districts after a tough day a sectionals a year ago, a new year with a new qualifying format gave Oskaloosa an opportunity to return to the boys state wrestling tournament. Saturday's district tournament saw eight schools in attendance with boys needing a top two placement to get to state as Trey Miller and Kaiden Parker would answer the call by both taking second and earning trips to Des Moines.

Oskaloosa sent 10 boys to the district meet and finished seventh as a team with 72 points but had five boys finish in the top four.

"We're a young team and those guys battled all day today," Oskaloosa head coach Derek Moyer said. "I was pleased with our performance. Our guys went after it today and gave it everything and I'm just proud of the performance overall as a team."

Miller was the first to punch his ticket to state for Oskaloosa as the senior 132-pounder started his day with a second period pin in the quarterfinals. He then made quick work of his next opponent with a pin in just 28 seconds to send him off to the finals where he would face MaCael Bear of South Tama County.

Miller was able to recover after being thrown by Bear and roll through to counter with the takedown of his own before riding it out to lead 2-0 after the first period. Miller elected to start the second period on the bottom and would get turned a couple of times before being rode out by Bear, who now held a 4-2 lead going to the third. Bear selected a neutral start and grabbed a takedown and three-point nearfall to pull ahead 9-2. Miller would try to come up with something late as he was able to escape, get a takedown and try to get one last turn in before time would run out on a 9-5 decision.

Despite the loss, there was good news awaiting Miller as he found out he didn't have a wrestleback and secured second place and a trip to state after missing some time and battling some injuries earlier in the season.

"He's been working his butt off to get himself back in the room and wrestling," Moyer said of Miller. "He's had a great season. We limited his matches because of an injury and when it came time to step up, that's what he did and he wrestled well all day. I thought in his finals match the most important thing I saw there was he didn't stop wrestling even when he was down. I feel like he gained some confidence going into state."

Oskaloosa would later have two boys in the wrestlebacks and were hoping to get another one through. Parker started his day in the five boy 126-pound bracket with a bye to the semifinals. His first match of the day would be a comfortable 9-1 win to get to the finals to face the top seed of Amare Chavez of South Tama. Chavez had a takedown in each of the three periods while holding Parker off the board in a 7-0 decision to send Parker to a wrestleback for state.

The freshman would need to reset before entering the biggest match of his young high school wrestling career and he would do just that and more as he came out aggressive and scored a takedown before getting the turn for a first period pin to send him to state.

"We bumped him up a weight and as a freshman it's hard to come back after a loss at districts," Moyer said of Parker. "He wrestled well in his wrestleback and looked good, got after it and got the pin. Today is a win and advance type of day. That's what you've got to do. It doesn't matter the place you get or how you get there, you just have got to get there to get to the state tournament."

A couple of other Indians came close to joining Miller and Parker at state. Ty Lorentzen (113) bounced back from a semifinal loss to win a pair of major decisions on the consolation side to get him into a wrestleback where he would ultimately come up short in a 7-1 decision. Luke Abrahamson (145) and Parker Jordan (182) were both trying to get to wrestlebacks after picking up wins on the backside of the bracket before coming up short in their third place matches to finish fourth.

Oskaloosa's Sam Nelson (106), Ivan Montgomery (120), Reid Luck (138), Talon Zickefoose (152) and Brock Beerbower (160) also wrestled but did not place in the top four.

The Iowa High School Boys State Wrestling Tournament made the change from 16 to 24 boys per weight this year with the top eight seeds earning first round byes. They also made the change from three to four days with wrestling starting at Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday with the Class 2A tournament starting at 1:30 p.m.

At 126, No. 23 Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa, 29-17) will start his tournament against No. 10 Jayden Gargano (Humboldt, 38-6) while at 132 pounds No. 20 Trey Miller (Oskaloosa, 20-6) will battle No. 13 Trey Chesnut (Creston, 40-11) in his first match.

"I feel great about it," Moyer said about Osky returning to state. "That means the kids are buying in. Last year we didn't have anybody go but there are plenty of other schools that go through that same scenario. This year we were able to get two guys through and that's awesome. I'm excited for them and I think they're ready to go."

Oskaloosa results

106: Sam Nelson (18-30) place is unknown and scored 1.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Sam Nelson (Oskaloosa) 18-30 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Jayson Johnson (Tipton) 38-14 won by fall over Sam Nelson (Oskaloosa) 18-30 (Fall 0:19)

Cons. Round 1 — Sam Nelson (Oskaloosa) 18-30 won by decision over Jesse Stultz (Mid-Prairie) 15-23 (Dec 9-3)

Cons. Semi — Cale Graff (South Tama County) 27-17 won by fall over Sam Nelson (Oskaloosa) 18-30 (Fall 0:21)

113: Ty Lorentzen (24-20) placed 3rd and scored 12.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 won by decision over Gavin Sorgenfrey (Tipton) 24-21 (Dec 10-5)

Semifinal — Colin Cassady (West Liberty) 17-5 won by tech fall over Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 (TF-1.5 3:31 (15-0))

Cons. Semi — Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 won by major decision over Ian Estudillo (Columbus/WMU) 22-24 (MD 8-0)

3rd Place Match — Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 won by major decision over Gavin Sorgenfrey (Tipton) 24-21 (MD 13-4)

2nd Place Match — Kyler Provin (Williamsburg) 37-15 won by decision over Ty Lorentzen (Oskaloosa) 24-20 (Dec 7-1)

120: Ivan Montgomery (10-15) place is unknown and scored 1.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Ivan Montgomery (Oskaloosa) 10-15 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Ty Scorpil (Columbus/WMU) 37-9 won by fall over Ivan Montgomery (Oskaloosa) 10-15 (Fall 1:05)

Cons. Round 1 — Ivan Montgomery (Oskaloosa) 10-15 received a bye () (Bye)

Cons. Semi — Eligh Branan (South Tama County) 35-12 won by tech fall over Ivan Montgomery (Oskaloosa) 10-15 (TF-1.5 4:13 (15-0))

126: Kaiden Parker (29-17) placed 2nd and scored 17.0 team points.

Quarterfinal — Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa) 29-17 received a bye () (Bye)

Semifinal — Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa) 29-17 won by major decision over Bowen Thomson (Columbus/WMU) 26-27 (MD 9-1)

1st Place Match — Amare Chavez (South Tama County) 37-5 won by decision over Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa) 29-17 (Dec 7-0)

2nd Place Match — Kaiden Parker (Oskaloosa) 29-17 won by fall over Gavin Roth (Tipton) 21-26 (Fall 1:45)

132: Trey Miller (20-6) placed 2nd and scored 18.0 team points.

Quarterfinal — Trey Miller (Oskaloosa) 20-6 won by fall over Preston Prior (Columbus/WMU) 11-12 (Fall 2:27)

Semifinal — Trey Miller (Oskaloosa) 20-6 won by fall over Colin O'Rourke (Mid-Prairie) 18-12 (Fall 0:28)

1st Place Match — MaCael Bear (South Tama County) 36-8 won by decision over Trey Miller (Oskaloosa) 20-6 (Dec 9-5)

2nd Place Match — Trey Miller (Oskaloosa) 20-6 won by no contest over Preston Prior (Columbus/WMU) 11-12 (NC)

138: Reid Luck (10-26) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Reid Luck (Oskaloosa) 10-26 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Tristin Sorgenfrey (Tipton) 45-11 won by major decision over Reid Luck (Oskaloosa) 10-26 (MD 16-7)

Cons. Round 1 — Blake Johnson (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) 14-9 won by decision over Reid Luck (Oskaloosa) 10-26 (Dec 6-2)

145: Luke Abrahamson (9-24) placed 4th and scored 9.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Luke Abrahamson (Oskaloosa) 9-24 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Luke Abrahamson (Oskaloosa) 9-24 won by fall over Andre Puentes (West Liberty) 6-7 (Fall 5:10)

Semifinal — Jacob Youngbear (South Tama County) 23-23 won in sudden victory — 1 over Luke Abrahamson (Oskaloosa) 9-24 (SV-1 6-4)

Cons. Semi — Luke Abrahamson (Oskaloosa) 9-24 won by decision over Brett Santiago (Williamsburg) 11-15 (Dec 10-5)

3rd Place Match — Nathan Curry (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) 16-14 won by fall over Luke Abrahamson (Oskaloosa) 9-24 (Fall 2:43)

152: Talon Zickefoose (18-18) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.

Quarterfinal — Kael Chapman (Tipton) 21-22 won by fall over Talon Zickefoose (Oskaloosa) 18-18 (Fall 5:11)

Cons. Round 1 — Talon Zickefoose (Oskaloosa) 18-18 won by fall over Anthony Thompson (South Tama County) 0-3 (Fall 1:44)

Cons. Semi — Levi VanDonsalaar (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) 18-11 won by fall over Talon Zickefoose (Oskaloosa) 18-18 (Fall 3:01)

160: Brock Beerbower (4-16) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Brock Beerbower (Oskaloosa) 4-16 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Cole Storm (Columbus/WMU) 39-12 won by fall over Brock Beerbower (Oskaloosa) 4-16 (Fall 0:39)

Cons. Round 1 — Kinzer Jaennette (South Tama County) 7-22 won by fall over Brock Beerbower (Oskaloosa) 4-16 (Fall 3:06)

182: Parker Jordan (20-19) placed 4th and scored 11.0 team points.

Champ. Round 1 — Parker Jordan (Oskaloosa) 20-19 received a bye () (Bye)

Quarterfinal — Parker Jordan (Oskaloosa) 20-19 won by fall over Marcus Bear (South Tama County) 21-19 (Fall 0:15)

Semifinal — Kyler Ricard (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) 18-3 won by fall over Parker Jordan (Oskaloosa) 20-19 (Fall 0:56)

Cons. Semi — Parker Jordan (Oskaloosa) 20-19 won by fall over Colin Nash (Tipton) 12-22 (Fall 1:45)

3rd Place Match — Marcus Bear (South Tama County) 21-19 won by decision over Parker Jordan (Oskaloosa) 20-19 (Dec 6-2)

Colin Peters can be reached at 641-672-2581, by email at cpeters@oskyherald.com or on Twitter @ColinPetersOH.