Hounds find one champion at districts

TOUGHNESS

I like to credit mom for that. She’s always been there for me and I think that showed today,”

James Fuller, FM 113 lb. state qualifier

MOVING DOWN TO 113

We made the tough decision a couple weeks ago. He's been flirting with it and we had a long talk, and as silly as it sounds, we told him if he could get the weight down this one time, it could change your life.”

Nic Chiri, FM Head wrestling coach

CEDAR RAPIDS – Fort Madison found an unsung hero at the Class 3A District 3 state qualifier Saturday in the form of a 113 lb. freshman.
The Hounds' James Fuller scrambled in overtime in the 113 bracket title match to fight off a quick attack from North Scott sophomore Maxwell Davis, and was able to wrangle the Lancer to the ground for a 13-10 sudden victory. The win secured a likely top-10 seed at Wednesday’s IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament at Wells-Fargo Arena.
Fuller trailed 3-0 after the first period giving up a takedown with :40 left. But he would record two takedowns of his own in the second period as he flipped his strategy to scoring points over securing a pin. He would surrender a couple one-point escapes on each of the takedowns to get to some active wrestling. However, the third escape came back to bite him as Davis was able to score his own takedown off the escape. Fuller would get out of the situation with 14 seconds left in the period and trail 9-7 after two.
A neutral start to the third found Davis and Fuller locked up on the mat without control until Fuller scored a 3-point takedown with :41 left in the match to make it 10-9. He was then cautioned for stalling with 19 seconds left. Davis got to his feet on the edge of the mat and Fuller let him go for a point to avoid a caution penalty, forcing the 10-10 tie setting up the overtime session.
“I just had to let him go there or I was probably going to get a caution,” Fuller said.  “Then I knew in overtime I just had to go, go, go.”
After receiving a bye in the first round because of his No. 1 seed, Fuller took down Wyatt Iburg of Clear Creek-Amana with a hard fought 6-4 win. Fuller scored a quick takedown nine seconds into the first period and that would be the only points in the first two periods. The Hound would get another quick stab in the third period for a 6-0 lead, but Iburg would work an escape with a minute left in the match. He would convert that to a takedown getting aggressive down 6-1. At the :31 mark Iburg turned Fuller at the edge of the mat and took control for three points and a 6-4 score, but Fuller was able to minimize the damage for the remainder of the match for the win.
Despite wrestling just two matches for the title, Fuller said, as a freshman, he had to dig and find some toughness.
“I like to credit mom for that. She’s always been there for me and I think that showed today,” he said.
He also thanked the Chiri family, including head coach Nic and his brother Reno, for sticking with him on the season’s journey.
Head Coach Nic Chiri said it was the first time Fuller had wrestled at 113 all season. He was typically in the 120 lb. weight class.
"This is the first time he's been down at 113 all year," Chiri said.
"We made the tough decision a couple weeks ago. He's been flirting with it and we had a long talk, and as silly as it sounds, we told him if he could get the weight down this one time, it could change your life."
Chiri said Fuller has peaked at the right time and everything is working with him.
Chiri felt bad for the other kids who fell short.
"Warner doesn't miss a practice all year. Comes in early and stays late. But it came down to him just taking one shot all day and you can't win like that. But he knows that."
Chiri said the focus now is on state.
The Hounds did suffer a bevy of heartbreaking losses on the day. Logan Pennock fell 18-12 in his third-place match, eliminating him in his senior year. Pennock suffered an injury while compromised in the first period but rebounded to complete the match. The Bloodhound tried to execute two throws but North Scott’s Collin Kruse was able to counter both and Pennock ended up on his back giving up takedowns and nearfalls allowing Kruse to amass points.
Pennock scored a reversal in the second period to cut the lead to 14-8, but then was assessed a penalty and suffered another takedown to start the third and couldn’t recover.
Tate Green finished in fourth place in his senior year, suffering a 20-5 tech fall in the third-place match at 144 lbs. Cade Goodrich suffered a pin with :09 seconds left down 13-0 at 150 lbs. for fourth place. Rainer Johnson then followed at 157 lbs., suffering a pin in the first period for another Bloodhound fourth place.
Oliver Schelich (106), Cole Quittem (120), Justice Lightfoot (126), Noah Swigart (138), Jack Benner (165), and Ren Watson (190) all suffered early losses in the double elimination format.
Gavin Callahan had an 8-4 lead going into the final period of his consolation semifinal match.  A win would have put him in a third-place match, however Dubuque Hemstead’s Peyce McCoy turned the tables in the last 1:15 of the match for six points including two takedowns sandwiched around a 1-point escape for a 10-9 comeback win that eliminated the Hound senior.
Chiri said although the losses are bitter to swallow, the sweet may come next year.
"I think it's good. We've preached that you get what you earn. You've never deserved anything. It doesn't matter if you finish 4th or 8th, if you don't put in the time, you get what you earned," Chiri said at the conclusion.
"On a great day those turn into third places. But, hey, a lot of those matches we were dominated. We got to where we should be and I think it's something to build on."
He said a progressive sport like wrestling builds on success and he's hoping for that next year.
The IHSAA State Tournament in Des Moines begins for Class 3A with eight-mat wrestling. Fuller should take the mat at right at about 9 a.m. in early wrestling Wednesday.