Blythe pins way to third state crown

DES MOINES - Williamsburg's Austin Blythe rose from the mat, hugged his coaches and went to the center for the referee to raise his arm, which he followed by flashing three fingers up in the air.It was a simple gesture but it said it all.Blythe concluded his state tournament career with a third state title in four trips to the finals, pinning Zach Bauer of Dallas Center-Grimes in the heavyweight champion of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 2A state wrestling tournament Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena."I kept pushing my pace and ended up getting him tired there in the third period. I was able to turn him," Blythe said. "It just feels freaking great."When Blythe finished off Bauer in 5:31 he became the 73rd three-time state champion in state history. He became the state's 43rd four-time state finalist with a pin in the semifinals. Blythe (49-1), who is believed to be the first heavyweight to accomplish the feat, pinned his through the field.“I came in wrestling well putting people on their backs and pinning them,” Blythe said. “I wanted to continue here. I knew I could. I just kept wrestling and even took it another stepped and wrestled better. I'm relieved by all measure right now.”After his match, Blythe embraced his older brother, Holden. The two appeared in the finals together when Holden won the 215-pound title as a senior and Blythe was a freshman runner-up.“Holden, he's drilled with me the last three years," said Blythe, who praised his coaches and family for their effort and support. "He's been coming back every year from college just to be there for me and help me accomplish my goals.”It caps an individual career that should be ranked among the best. It seemed to peak at Wells Fargo Arena.“Just the atmosphere,” Blythe said. “You want to wrestle your best for everybody who's watching you. This is it.”Mission accomplished for South Tama's Kyle Lux. He captured the 160-pound title and a perfect season with a 13-7 win over Independence's Nick Fuller.“My goals were to go undefeated for a season and win a state championship,” Lux said. “I got both of those accomplished.”Lux (40-0) and Fuller exchanged leads in a wild match going back and forth before Lux scored seven points in the final period. He opened with a reversal and then scored a takedown and three nearfall in the final seconds. TRhe realization of his title sunk in as the clock expired.“I really worked hard for it,” said Lux, who credited first-year head coach and former South Tama state champ nathan van Dyke. “It's nice to actually get there. It means a lot.”Benton Community's Chase Skoneczka became the school's first finalist in a decade, and he finished second after a tough 6-4 loss to East Marshall's Ryan Valline in the 152 final.Skoneczka led 4-3 in the final 10 seconds when he was called for stalling and then gave up a takedown in the final two seconds."Very disappointing