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Maquoketa Valley's Nathan Beitz is finally a state wrestling finalist
Class 1A boys’ state wrestling: Alburnett sends 2 to Saturday’s championship round
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DES MOINES — Before Dan Beitz passed the potatoes to his son, Nathan, he couldn’t resist sprinkling in some friendly mealtime ribbing.
That’s because Dan reached the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s finals as a prep for Maquoketa Valley. Nathan, who owns two third-place finishes at state for the Wildcats, couldn’t say the same.
Until now.
Beitz, a senior, beat Don Bosco’s Kyler Sallis by major decision in Friday’s Class 1A 215-pound semifinal to advance to Saturday night’s championship round at Wells Fargo Arena.
So take that, dad — who proudly embraced his son after the score-settling triumph.
“I’m finally better than him,” Nathan said with a smile. “He made it to state three times and I did, too, but I’ve got three medals and he’s only got two.”
Dan Beitz conceded that point, and for once, he was almost speechless.
“There’s no words for it,” Dan said. “There really isn’t. It’s a wonderful thing. Born and bred in Maq. Valley and that’s the way we are.”
Nathan Beitz, the No. 2 seed, will face top-seeded and unbeaten Ashton Honnold of Nodaway Valley in the finals.
“It feels awesome,” he said. “I’ve wrestled in the semis for three years now, and finally made it happen.”
Don Bosco wrapped up its seventh consecutive 1A team title with 187 points. Alburnett — which sent second-seeded 126-pounder Rowdy Neighbor and No. 2-seed 138-pounder Preston Klostermann to the finals — is second with 127.5 points, and Wilton’s third with 103 points.
Neighbor reached the state finals for the third straight time. The senior and four-time medalist won the 1A crown at 120 last year, and took runner-up honors at 113 as a sophomore.
“Obviously, not done yet,” said Neighbor, who will face top-seeded and unbeaten Gavin Landers of Denver in the finals. Landers also won a state title last season at 113 and these high-performing rivals also met in early December. Landers edged Neighbor, 3-0, in overtime in that 126-pound title bout at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational.
“I wasn’t really myself,” Neighbor said. “I wasn’t too offensive. I kind of took a back seat to him, which, I don’t know why. I guess the nerves, but I’ll be ready this time.”
Klostermann was ready to dominate in his semifinal match with Belle Plaine’s sixth-seeded Aidan Timm. He won by fall in 1:26 and has piled up bonus points in all three of his matches at state, helping the Pirates come close to clinching their second state-runner up finish in a row.
“Alburnett is a family,” Klostermann said. “We always go hang out and do other stuff together, but when we’re in that room, we’re fighting each other. We’re fist fighting and everything, but right when practice is over, we’re back to being brothers again.”
Jesup’s tied with Hinton for 10th with 59 points and Lisbon sits in 12th with 54 points.
The Lions’ third-seeded 150-pounder Tiernan Boots advanced to his first state title match by beating second-seeded Teague Smith of West Hancock, 5-2, in sudden victory. Blood oozed from a wound in his nose as his hand was raised in triumph.
“Just that Lions’ grinding style, where you’re just head-banging almost like a boxing match,” said Boots, who finished fourth at 144 last year. “Just using your power. Moving guys. Using your head to block first. Just intense.”
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