DES MOINES — Fourth-ranked junior Wyatt Appleseth advanced to the quarterfinals with a first round win Thursday while senior Emry Colby recovered from a loss to win in the consolation round and remain active at the state wrestling tourney.
Appleseth (39-0) won his 152-pound opener with a pin of Anamosa’s Alex Casey in 3 minutes, 18 seconds to advance. He will face PCM senior Colby Tool (18-2), ranked fifth, after Tool scored a 9-1 major decision over Forest City senior Kristian Gunderson (40-15).
A win in Friday’s 9 a.m. Session IV would pit Appleseth — a three-time qualifier — against the winner of top-ranked West Liberty senior Will Esmoil (39-0) and 10th-rated Iowa Falls-Alden senior Riley Burke (33-3).
A loss would force Appleseth to defeat West Lyon senior Johnny Perez (41-12) in a second round consolation match in order to remain alive.
Colby’s first-ever state tourney match pitted the 145-pounder against No. 5 Jackson Rolfs (30-5), a Decorah junior. Rolfs won, 6-1, dropping Colby into the consolation bracket.
The Panther matman kept his hopes of a podium spot alive by pinning Sergeant Bluff-Luton senior Cory Bates (36-14) in 4:17.
Colby awaits the loser of the quarterfinal between No. 1 Hayden Taylor (49-0) of Solon, a sophomore, and IF-A senior Cayden Howland (35-4). Should Colby win he would secure a podium spot and would then wrestle in the third-round consolation.
Both Panorama grapplers compete in the 9 a.m. session, with the 2A semifinals and third round consolation matches to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Session VI.
