Class 2a State Wrestling Results Iowa

Fernando Villaescusa wins his match against Casey Pick, of Boyden Hull-Rock Valley at 182 pounds in Class 2A during the first round of the state wrestling tournament on Thursday. Villaescusa was a state champion at Arizona, but is enjoying the unique atmosphere of the Iowa tournament.

DES MOINES — Fernando Villaescusa is enjoying his first Iowa state wrestling tournament experience.

The Gilbert junior moved to Iowa in May after living in Arizona, where he was a state champion wrestler at 160 pounds last year as a sophomore.

He wants to do the same here in Iowa.

"I'm looking to win it," Villaescusa said. "I've just got to keep wrestling a match at a time."

So far so good. Villaescusa improved to 35-1 at 182 pounds after pinning Boyden Hull-Rock Valley's Casey Pick in one minute, 23 seconds during the first round of Class 2A competition at state Thursday.

"He's cool, he's calm and he's ready to go," Gilbert head coach Scott Auderer said. "He's doing what he expects to do — he's been through many big tournaments before."

But even though he's done a lot at Arizona and at the national level in AAU, Villaescusa couldn't help but admire his first state meet at Wells Fargo Arena.

"It's exciting," Villaescusa said. "It's a different type of crowd and a little bit bigger tournament. The big arena with three sets of stands — it's exciting to be under the lights like this."

He actually got a little too caught up in the experience on Thursday. Pick took him down to start their match.

"There were a little bit of nerves," Villaescusa said. "A lot of thoughts going through my head."

But it didn't take Villaescusa long to find his bearings.

"I threw him to his back and he rolled through," Villaescusa said. "The next time he did it he just stayed."

Even with the COVID-19 restrictions in place, Villaescusa couldn't help but admire the large amount of support he and the other wrestlers received Thursday night from the crowd in attendance. He wasn't used to that in Arizona.

"There are a lot more fans," Villaescusa said. "There is a lot more attention to it in Iowa. I like it."

He's embraced the challenge of wrestling in a state steeped in wrestling tradition, both at the high school and collegiate levels.

"It's known that Iowa has a different type of style," Villaescusa. "You always have a pace going forward. You're always pushing the match — there's no let-ups. It's always wrestle, wrestle, wrestle. They're a lot more serious about the sport. There are tougher guys here. I love the environment."

Villaescusa may have to make an adjustment here or there to the more aggressive style of Iowa. But he's handled it with aplomb thus far.

"I just wrestle my match," Villaescusa said. "I don't care what the other guy is going to do. I have my tricks for every little situation there is."

One of Villaescusa's teammates — Gilbert senior Cael Ihle — picked up his first championship-round victory at state on Thursday. Ihle (32-3) held off West Delaware's Blake Engel by a 1-0 decision. Ihle went up 1-0 in the second period then rode Engel the whole third period.

Gilbert's Cael Ihle got an escape in the second period then rode West Delaware's Blake Engel for the entire third period to earn a 1-0 victory at 126 pounds in Class 2A during the first round of the state wrestling tournament Thursday.

"I was able to keep pretty good down-forward pressure on him," Ihle said. "That's really all there was to it. Go until you hear the whistle and that's what I did and it allowed me to win that match."

The Tigers' Joe Larimore lost to Forest City's Reese More by an 11-3 major decision then by fall to Nathan Keating of Anamosa to end up 33-5.

Ballard's Mason Askelsen and Gabe Christensen both earned a victory in their first match at state.

Askelsen, ranked fifth and undefeated at 195, won a thrilling 8-5 battle with South Tama County's Brayden Smith. Askelsen came back from a 5-3 deficit to get the big victory.

"It was my partners in the room and my coaches that push me every day," Askelsen said of getting through the match. "This was my first time being at state and it was good to get the nerves out."

Ballard's Mason Askelsen rallied from a 5-3 deficit to defeat South Tama County's Brayden Smith by an 8-5 decision at 195 pounds in the first round of Class 2A competition at the state wrestling tournament Thursday in Des Moines.

Christensen, ranked seventh at 160, won a 4-2 battle with Woodward-Granger's Dustin Harney. He had just defeated Harney by a 3-0 score at districts.

"He knows how to stay away from good shots and is a solid wrestler that stays in position," Christensen said. "I practiced shots all week against his defense and I got that first takedown and I knew the match was secure after that."

The Bombers' Gage Long lost his opener to Sioux Center's Dao Keokhamthong by a 6-5 decision. But he came back to beat Winterset's Jensen Kaldenberg by a 9-1 major decision in the first round of consolations.

Ballard junior Nick Wacha dropped both of his matches in his first state experience, losing by fall to West Liberty's Kobe Simon and Mid-Prairie's Josh Wallington to end a surprise season at 14-12.

Both Roland-Story wrestlers were victorious in their opening matches in 2A on Thursday.

Freshman Kade Blume went to 41-1 at 106 after defeating Independence's Kaden Kremer by a 6-1 decision.

"It was just another match," Blume said. "I felt like I've prepared my whole life for what I've done and I felt good. I just wrestled my style and I feel like I controlled the whole match."