DES MOINES — Last season the Panorama wrestling team set a school record when three Panthers earned medals at the state wrestling tourney. The 2018 Panthers have now done the 2017 squad two better, as Panorama will have five grapplers receive medals Saturday evening.
Senior 182-pounder Trevor Carey lost in the semifinals Friday afternoon and can now place anywhere from third to sixth place while senior Danny Nordquist (126), freshman Wyatt Appleseth (132), senior Gunnar Grunsted (170) and senior Dalton Holmes (195) will all wrestle for seventh place after each of the foursome won, then lost, in Friday’s consolation round.
Carey (44-9) roared into the semifinals with a 17-7 major decision over Akron-Westfield senior Christian Wolhuizen (38-10). Second-ranked junior Garet Sims (55-1) of Iowa Valley caught Carey off balance and scored a pin in 1 minute, 24 seconds, in the semifinal round to knock the Panther matman into the consolation round.
He faces South Winneshiek senior Manning Kuboushek (44-8) in the consolation semis, with win putting Carey in the third place match and a loss in the fifth place bout. Fifth-ranked Belmond-Klemme junior Tucker Kroeze (44-6) and sixth-rated Central Springs junior Zach Ryg (46-3) are paired opposite Carey vs. Kuboushek.
Nordquist (42-11) began Friday with a 9-4 win over Belmond-Klemme junior Logan Heaberlin (36-13), but then dropped a 14-6 major decision to eighth-ranked Logan-Magnolia senior Wyatt Crocker (50-6). Nordquist will wrestle Southwest Valley senior Teagan Lundquist (40-5) for seventh place.
Freshman Wyatt Appleseth (43-11) slipped post Okoboji sophomore Blake Abrahamson (37-13) with a 6-5 decision before suffering a 10-6 loss to NW Webseter senior Koby Hanson (23-5). He will battle second-ranked sophomore Logan James (49-5) of Underwood for seventh place.
Grunsted (45-6), ranked sixth, was fifth last season at 170 and now will look to finish seventh and win in his final prep contest. The senior began Friday with a 9-3 win over Eagle Grove senior Brayden Lyman (42-12), but then suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Missouri Valley senior Nathan Haynes (55-4), who is ranked second and is currently Iowa’s all-time victory leader with 215. He will finish his career against North Butler-Clarksville senior Brandon Trees (47-4), who is ranked fifth.
Senior Dalton Holmes (41-8 at 195) will also be seeking to cap his prep journey with a seventh-place medal after being stopped shy of the podium last season. He won an 8-3 decision against NW Webster senior Darius Gashe (28-7) before being halted, 11-7, by third-ranked Hudson senior Wes Gensler (45-2).
Holmes will have a rematch with Sumner-Fredericksburg senior Brock Meyer (41-9), who scored a 2-1 win in Tiebreaker I over Holmes in the opening round of the state tourney.
All three classes will begin consolation semifinal and fifth and seventh place matches at 10 a.m.
