Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – There is advancing to the state finals.

There is making a statement and proving a point.

Then there is what Robert Avila did in his Class 3A 145-pound semifinal match on Friday night.

Avila needed just 44 seconds to produce a resounding pin of Bettendorf defending state champion Dustin Bohren and advance to the state title match for the fourth time.

“I think I had a little bit to prove to myself honestly,” Avila said. “This whole last calendar year has been rough for me mentally, physically all around really it’s been a tough year so I have something to prove to myself for sure.”

Senior Hunter Garvin joined Avila in advancing to the Class 3A finals with a pin of fifth-ranked Peyton Westlin of North Scott in the 152-pound semifinals as West High sent multiple wrestlers to the championship round for the third time in five seasons.

Both four-time state finalists with a combined seven state titles between them Garvin and Avila will look to cap incredible prep careers with state titles on Saturday.

Avila (14-1) will be attempting to join a list of 29 four-time state champions on Saturday when he faces fifth-ranked Indianola senior Ryder Downey (40-2) in the 145-pound championship.

Downey advanced with a 4-3 semifinal upset of top-ranked Joel Jesuroga of Southeast Polk.

“It feels good but I have one more,” Avila said. “One more match. That’s what I’m looking forward to right now just staying focused and got one more to do.”

Top-ranked Garvin (47-0) will be chasing a third consecutive state title when he squares off with second-ranked Carter Martinson (34-2) of Southeast Polk in the 152-pound title match.

Avila set up his fourth title match with one of the most impressive semifinal wins by any wrestler on Saturday.

Less than 30 seconds into the match Avila locked up a front headlock and tossed Bohren (35-6) to his back, pinning the 2021 126-pound champion in just 44 seconds.

“I was watching his match with (Jace) Anderson earlier and I was back at the hotel and was telling the kids I was going to foot sweep him,” Avila said. “He steps way too hard with that foot so I put him in a front head lock and waited for him to step and sure enough he did.”

Avila said the plan from the outset was to look for the front headlock and leg sweep against Bohren no matter how long it took.

As it turned out he didn’t have to wait long.

“I didn’t know how long it was going to take but I knew it was going to be there,” Avila said. “Right away it was there.”

The semifinal wins from Garvin and Hunter were part of a strong second day for West High which enters Saturday with five wrestlers still alive.

The Trojans are sixth in the 3A team standings with 73 points, two behind Bettendorf for fifth.

Seniors Grant O’Dell and Kael Scranton both remained alive in the consolation bracket along with freshman Justin Avila.

O’Dell, Scranton and Avila had all locked up medals.

“We’ve been dreaming of this moment since forever ago, since we started wrestling,”  Robert Avila said of wrestling with his brother Justin. “It means a lot. He has more work to do but he clinched up that placement so I’m super excited for him and proud of him for that.”

Class 3A State Wrestling Tournament

At Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Waukee Northwest 133; 2. Waverly-Shell Rock 127; 3. Southeast Polk 124; 4. West Des Moines Dowling 77; 5. Bettendorf 75; 6. West High 73

Semifinals (Area wrestlers)

145 – Robert Avila (West High) pinned Dustin Bohren (Bettendorf) :44

152 – Hunter Garvin (West High) pinned Peyton Westlin (North Scott) 4:39

Third round consolation

138 – Grant O’Dell (West High) pinned Kaleb German (Urbandale) 1:45

160 – Brayden Broderick (Waukee Northwest) major dec. Kael Scranton (West High) 11-3

170 – Justin Avila (West High) major dec. Eli Sallis (Waterloo East) 11-1

Saturday’s Championship Matches

145 – No. 2 Robert Avila (14-1), Sr., West High vs. No. 5 Ryder Downey (40-2), Sr., Indianola

152 – No. 1 Hunter Garvin (47-0), Sr., West High vs. No. 2 Carter Martinson (34-2), Sr., Southeast Polk

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