Gilroy's Nikko Villarreal defeated Selma's Alex Cisneros in dramatic fashion (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)California 138: Brian Sergi (College Park), never a state placer prior to this year, upended two nationally ranked opponents in order to win a state title. In the state semifinal, Sergi beat No. 11 Natrelle Demison (Bakersfield) -- who placed fifth and third at state the two previous years -- by a 7-4 decision. Then in the final, he avenged an earlier season loss against No. 18 Shayne Tucker -- who placed fourth at state last year -- in earning a 4-3 victory.
Iowa 3A 160: Zeb Wahle (Lewis Central) with a 3-2 finals victory over No. 14 Justin Koethe (Iowa City West), after Koethe had pins in his first three matches of the tournament in order to reach his first state final. The loss reduced Koethe to being one of the better wrestlers in Hawkeye State history to never win a state title -- as he placed fourth, third, third, and second during his career.
Illinois 3A 145: Kevin Moylan (Paolos Hills Stagg) beats No.7 Bryce Brill (Mt. Carmel), a defending state champion, 3-2 on a rideout in the ultimate tiebreaker. That reversed a loss from the semifinals at the sectional tournament the week before. Prior to the loss in the final, Brill had dominated his earlier opponents -- with technical falls in the opening two rounds, followed by a 14-4 major decision in the semifinal match.
Illinois 3A 170: Jake Residori (Minooka) upends No. 13 Ricky Robertson (Carl Sandburg) 7-3 in the championship match. The Cadet freestyle champ Robertson was undefeated prior to that match.
Indiana 120: Fourth in the state last year, and runner-up as a sophomore, Paul Petrov (Hanover Central) started his state tournament journey with an 18-3 technical fall and second period pin. His semifinal was against defending state champion Mason Todd (Pendleton Heights) -- ranked No. 8 nationally -- and he secured a second period pin in that match to advance to the final. That match would be against fellow three-time state placer Brendan Campbell (New Castle), ranked No. 15 nationally. With the 14-11 victory, Petrov relegated Campbell to a second straight runner-up finish.
Missouri Class 4 285: Donnell Walker (Parkway South) earned a pin in 4:50 against No. 10 Austin Boehm (Lee's Summit West), a defending state champion and top four in the state during all four years of his high school career, in the state championship match.
New Jersey 152: Raamiah Bethea (Trenton Central) pinned No. 17 Sal Mastriani (Don Bosco Prep) in a battle of undefeated wrestlers in the state final. Earlier in the year, Mastriani was champion at the Beast of the East, and outplaced Bethea (fourth vs. sixth) in last year’s state tournament at 145.
Texas 138: Dominic Yang (South Grand Prairie) with the 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker decision victory over No. 14 Jack Bass (Allen). The result made the sophomore Bass, also a Cadet freestyle runner-up last summer, finish second in the state in back-to-back seasons; he was also runner-up last year while competing for Robinson High School in Virginia at 125 pounds.
Texas 152: For a second straight year, No. 6 Oliver Pierce (Allen) saw an undefeated season ends in the state tournament. After winning state as a freshman two years ago, Pierce lost in the semifinal round at state last year, but came back to take home third place. This year he was upended, 4-3, in the state finals match by defending champion Aaron Walker (Judson). For his high school career, Pierce has not lost a single match outside of the Texas state tournaments, which includes winning three Mid-America Nationals titles, championships at the Kansas City Wrestling Classic each of the two years, and a title at the Cheesehead this season.
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