Regina Senior Milder Moves Back in to 1A Quarterfinals

Ryan Murken Follow @rmmurken February 14, 2019

Photo by Jeff Yoder / Click here to view the 1A state wrestling photo gallery.

Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Wrestlers, coaches and fans of the sport were glued to phones and computers until the early morning hours last Sunday awaiting the release of the state meet brackets.

Nick Milder wasn’t among them.

After securing his third consecutive trip to the 1A state meet with his first district title last Saturday the Regina senior opted for watching movie rather than waiting to find out his opening round opponent.

“I was just watching a movie and my dad came in and told me about my first match and I said, ‘cool’ and didn’t even look it up,” Milder said. “I’ve never been a guy that looks at brackets.”

Rather than checking out his future opponents Milder is focusing on himself in his final go around at the state meet.

That self-centered approach worked well for Milder on Thursday.

Milder (34-2) returned to the 1A quarterfinals for the second time in three years with a 7-2 win over Mediapolis senior Hunter Aney in the 182-pound opening round at Wells Fargo Arena.

“It felt really good especially to get through the first day,” Milder said. “I didn’t wrestle the way I wanted to, I thought I could have won by more but it’s all about getting ready for the next day at this point.”

The opening-round win was the 12th straight victory for Milder and snapped a personal four-match losing skid at the state meet.

After winning his state meet debut as a sophomore Milder lost his next four matches at state including a pair of setbacks to eventual medalists last season.

“Last year he got stuck in a really tough quarter where he had three top five kids in his quarter but he has been here before, he’s been on the second day before, he’s wrestled in these big tournaments so he is familiar with this type of environment,” Regina coach Adam Martensen said. “Now it’s just about going out and doing it.”

Milder took care of business on Thursday.

He scored the first of his three takedowns just 20 seconds in the match and built a 5-0 lead after two periods.

Milder had a takedown in all three periods including the clincher with 43 seconds left that made the score 7-2.

“I felt like he definitely went into more of a defensive mode so it was hard to take him down and turn him,” Milder said. “I feel like I definitely done more to set up my shots.”

True to his plan of inner focus Milder wasn’t sure after his match who was awaiting in the 1A quarterfinals Friday afternoon.

The answer to that question is third ranked Tucker Kroeze (40-5) of Belmond-Klemme.

“I haven’t checked my bracket yet it’s all just what my coaches and parents have told me,” Milder said. “I haven’t really paid attention to it because it’s not going to help me positively. I just don’t think it matters either way.”

Milder will get a quick scouting report on Kroeze on sometime before Friday but he isn’t switching his style of worrying about himself first.

“It’s all about practice for me,” Milder said. “I don’t think looking ahead is going to help me at all.”

Kroeze finished third last season and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 12-5 decision over Brennon Mauer of Treynor.

“He will be tough kid, a strong kid and we just need to come out and worry about what we need to do,” Martensen said.

Class 1A State Meet

Team scores (Top 10; Area Teams) – 1. Don Bosco 31; 2. Denver 29.5; 3. Underwood 23.5; 4. Lisbon 23; 5. West Sioux 19; 6. Interstate 35 12.5; 7. Alburnett 10.5; 8. Martensdale St. Marys 10; 8. MFL MarMac 10; 8. Woodbury Central 10;