The Washington wrestling team had five guys going in the state tournament yesterday, with three of them falling in the first round and the first consolation round and two advancing to round two of the winners’ bracket.

Walker Ikerd started things off for the Demons at 120 pounds, taking the loss to ninth-ranked Kyler Dunn of Spirit Lake Park by a 7-6 decision.  The next round ended in exactly the same score for Ikerd, this time falling to Union’s Hunter Worthen and eliminating him from state tournament competition.

Garrett Ikerd was next at 138, falling in round one to fifth-ranked Chase McLaren of Atlantic by a 9-3 decision.  He went on to the consolation bracket from there, where we took on North Fayette Valley’s Gunner Rodgers, ranked tenth in the state, losing by a 6-2 decision.  His state tournament run is now over.

Dillan Sanders went at 145 pounds, losing his first-round match to NHTV’s Max Babcock, the sixth-ranked wrestler in the state, who pinned him with one minute to go in the match.  He went up against number 10 Cael Meyer of West Delaware in the consolation bracket, getting pinned in 2:20.  He is now out of tournament competition.

Second-ranked Tristin Westphal had a very quick first round at 182, pinning Creston’s Beau Barncastle in just 29 seconds.  He moves on to the second round of the winner’s bracket, where he will face sixth-ranked Luke Jenness of Sheldon-SO.

Last, but not least, ninth-ranked Logan Escher got the win at 195, taking down Chariton’s Reid Walters by an 8-4 decision.  He’ll have a tough test in the second round, going up against Assumption’s Julien Broderson, the top-ranked wrestler in the state.