×

PETERS EXITS PREP STAGE WITH STATE MEDAL

Back-to-back OT?losses ends Hetland’s tourney

South Hamilton senior 160-pounder Luke Peters (top) cranks on the arm of Missouri Valley’s Nathan Haynes as he looks for the turn during a consolation round match on Friday. Peters went on to place eighth in his final state tournament and he finished his career with 140 victories. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

DES MOINES — Luke Peters had come agonizingly close before, but Saturday night his wrestling obsession finally came to fruition.

He got a personal introduction to the state medal podium. And in that moment everything he’s endured — the narrow misses, the tough draws, the torn ACL he’s been lugging around all winter — was worth the sacrifice.

Peters, a South Hamilton senior, placed eighth at 160 pounds in Class 1A on Saturday at the state wrestling tournament inside Wells Fargo Arena. Considering he entered the 16-man bracket unranked and then, by the luck or un-luck of the draw, got paired against the first-, second-, fourth-, fifth- and 10th-ranked individuals, he was more than happy with the result.

“It feels really good just because it was a tough bracket,” Peters said after he tangled with grapplers that put together a combined 236-21 record on the season.

Peters’ career tally of 140 victories — he lost just 37 times — ranks second all-time at South Hamilton behind only four-time state medalist JD Rader (155-16).

Hawks’ 126-pounder Keaton Hetland attempts to keep control of Zach Osborne of Mediapolis during the quarterfinals on Friday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Hawks’ head coach Dan Brodie has been at Peters’ side for all three of his state appearances. He was there to console his pupil when he fell short of the podium in 2015 and again in 2016, so to watch him earn the medal in his last go-round was thrilling.

“It’s a fantastic finish for him and it’s something we’ve wanted for him this entire year,” Brodie said.

After pummeling fifth-ranked Rogan Pforts of Wapello on Thursday, Peters secured his status as a top-eight finisher without even breaking a sweat. Second-ranked Karsen Seehase of Sumner-Fredericksburg was injured in the quarterfinal round and had to medically forfeit his consolation confrontation with Peters.

Later on Friday, Peters led No. 4 Nathan Haynes of Missouri Valley throughout the first and second periods on the strength of a pair of takedowns and two near-fall points. But Haynes made a late surge and executed a four-point move when he took Peters down and exposed his shoulders to pull out a 9-8 win in the closing moments.

“I was running out of gas and I really wasn’t quick enough to just grab a leg and hold on,” Peters, who put together a 32-7 record despite the leg ailment, said. “That’s what I should have done from the start.”

South Hamilton head coach Dan Brodie motions to 126-pound wrestler Keaton Hetland during Friday’s quarterfinals at the state wrestling tournament in Des Moines. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

No. 10 Garrett Sayler of Sibley-Ocheyedan controlled the seventh-place match on Saturday for a 6-1 victory over Peters.

Keaton Hetland, South Hamilton’s seventh-ranked 126-pounder, fell one win short of a medal for the second consecutive year. He dropped a pair of nail-biting overtime matches on Friday.

“My heart just breaks for him because he was very close, but we just couldn’t quite close out,” Brodie said. “But he’s got one more year left and next year we’ll be reminding him of just how close he was.”

Hetland (32-8) and Zach Osborne of Mediapolis battled for more than eight minutes without a takedown during Friday’s quarterfinals. Osborne eventually got his choice in the 30-second ride-out and was able to escape midway through the claim a 3-2 win.

Pushed to the backside of the bracket for the blood round — win and you medal, lose and you go home — Hetland gave up a takedown in sudden victory and fell to Teagan Lundquist of Southwest Valley, 3-1.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

2017 State Tournament

At Wells Fargo Arena

Des Moines

CLASS 1A

Friday

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Quarterfinals

126 — Zach Osborne, Mediapolis dec. Keaton Hetland, South Hamilton, 3-2 UTB.

Consolation Second Round

126 — Teagan Lundquist, Southwest Valley dec. Keaton Hetland, South Hamilton, 3-1 SV-1.

160 — Luke Peters, South Hamilton medical forfeit Karsen Seehase, Sumner-Fredericksburg.

Consolation Third Round

160 — Nathan Haynes, Missouri Valley dec. Luke Peters, South Hamilton, 9-8.

Saturday

7th Place Match

160 — Garrett Sayler, Sibley-Ocheyedan dec. Luke Peters, South Hamilton, 6-1.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $3.46/week.

Subscribe Today