Three A-P/GC wrestlers to state

DECORAH – Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center boys wrestling will be represented with three state qualifiers in the Class 2A state tournament that begins on Wednesday.

Trent Cakerice won his bracket at heavyweight and Carter Liston and Clay Saak finished second at 120 and 170 pounds, respectively. They will begin state competition in the 2A session that starts at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The finals are scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, with all four days of action to be held at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Cakerice won a 12-7 decision against North Fayette Valley’s James Baumler in the semifinal, and pinned Isaac Ericson of Waukon in the finals. Cakerice has received a bye to the second round of the 2A 285-pound bracket.

Liston won his first two matches by fall to reach the finals at 120, but lost a 15-4 major decision to Decorah’s Will Larson. However, by virtue of his win over Jaxson Lundgren of North Fayette Valley in the semifinals, there was no wrestleback for true second and Liston advanced on as runner-up.

Saak needed a wrestleback to earn his spot, winning a 5-3 decision against Kenny Kerr of North Fayette Valley to lock in true second place. Saak won a 3-1 match in sudden victory against Decorah’s Thomas Sexton to reach the finals, where he lost a 5-2 decision to NH/TV’s Ben Tenge.

Joe Johnson was the other A-P/GC grappler to make the podium, finishing fourth at 220 pounds with a 2-2 record at the Decorah meet. The IHSAA takes the top two wrestlers from each weight to the state tournament.

It was the final meet for Johnson, 195-pounder Carson Troyna and 138-pounder Connor Kellum. Troyna and Kellum both bowed out in the consolation semis after going 1-2 on the day.