Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Cooper Gates wasn’t going to sugarcoat it – walking into the state wrestling meet for the first time the West Branch freshman felt the nerves.

“I was nervous,” Gates said. “After a while I got used to it and it felt like a normal tournament but as I was coming in here I was like I am nervous. It’s nerve wracking for sure.”

Gates overcame the nerves and an early takedown to make his state meet debut a memorable one on Wednesday.

The 152-pound Gates scored four consecutive points to build an 8-5 lead after falling into an early hole before pinning Blaise Beane of West Central Valley in 5:04 in a Class 1A second-round match at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“I keep pretty calm through matches, I’ve been taking down in the first period of a match before so I was pretty calm,” Gates said. “I just kept working, kept my pace and I tried to go off the second and third period.”

Gates (35-4) will face second-seeded Carson Klostermann (48-1) of Alburnett in the quarterfinals on Thursday morning.

All four losses for Gates this season have come in the championship matches of regular season tournaments, including a third-pin fall against Klostermann at the Gary Curtis Invitational in Highland on January 7.

All four of those losses are also to state quarterfinalists.

Following a district title last week and his win over Beane on Wednesday Gates is unbeaten in postseason action.

“He is a guy that got second at every tournament this year and he caps his season off with a district title and now he is just rolling into this bracket,” Slocum said. “A top-three finish isn’t out of the question for him as a freshman. His future at West

Branch is going to be crazy. He is going to break a lot of records, including a bunch of mine.”

Gates didn’t exactly get off the start he wanted in his opener on Wednesday.

Beane (33-9) scored a takedown 57 seconds in and led Gates 3-2 after the opening period.

Gates trailed 5-4 in the second period before scoring a takedown in the final seconds to take his first lead of the match at 6-5.

“The big thing with him is wrestling is a mental sport and Cooper is pretty mentally strong,” Slocum said. “He got taken down and a lot of kids just fold and he knew that he had to get his butt in gear and get going and he did.”

Gates earned an escape a point on a locked hands technical violation in the third before putting Beane on his back in the final minute and quickly securing the fall.

“I was just getting my ties, getting my setups and getting my stuff down,” Gates said. “It feels great.”

Just a few days ago the main goal for Gates this season was earning a berth at the state tournament.

After his debut on Wednesday those goals have changed.

“My goal was just to get to the state tournament but now it’s to get a medal,” Gates said. “Hopefully I can get that goal too.”

West Branch had a strong start on Wednesday with junior 120-pounder Lincoln Edwards,  freshman 132-pounder Logan Christoffel and junior 145-pounder Cale Seydel all earning opening-round wins.

Gates was the lone second-round winner for the Bears which had six qualifiers.

Sophomore 113-pounder Timmy Hosier and junior 220-pound Logan Wright join Edwards, Christoffel and Seydel in the consolation bracket.

Second seed Tanner Arjes of North Butler won a 17-0 tech fall over Christoffel

“You look at those guys that won the first round they weren’t satisfied with just being here,” Slocum said. “I think we are building and I honestly think that everyone has a chance at placing still. There is still a good shot for all six to get into the program.”

Class 1A State Meet

At Wells Fargo Arena Des Moines

Team scores (Top 20 area teams) – 1. Don Bosco 55; 2. Wilton 43; 3. Nashua-Plainfield 38; 4. Alburnett 36; 5. Lisbon 30; 6. Emmetsburg 26; 6. Logan-Magnolia 26; 8. Wapsie Valley 25; 9. Underwood 23; 11. Waterloo Columbus 22; 12. Interstate 35; 13. MFL Mar-Mac 17; 14. Sigourney-Keota 16; 14. Wet Hancock 16; 16. Westwood 14; 17. Hinton 13.5; 17. Lake Mills 13.5; 17. New London 13.5; 20. Ogden 13; 21. West Branch 12; 61. Regina 4

Opening Round (Area athletes)

113 – Cole Frost (Don Bosco) pinned Timmy Hosier (West Branch) :41

120 – Lincoln Edwards (West Branch) dec. Bradyn Burns (East Sac County) 5-2

126 – Keagan Riley (Sioux Central) dec. Cash Hatfield (Regina) 4-2

132 – Logan Christoffel (West Branch) dec. Kai Carritt (Logan-Magnolia) 4-3

145 – Cale Seydel (West Branch) dec. Cody Cox (Lake Mills) 6-2

145 – Gunnar Keeney (Alburnett) dec. Will Aitchison (Regina) 9-6

195 – Corbin Hill (Denver) pinned Christopher Waikel (Regina) 3:51

Second Round (Area athletes)

120 – Dawson Bergan (Edgewood-Colesburg) dec Lincoln Edwards 2-0

132 – Tanner Arjes (North Butler) tech fall Logan Christoffel 17-0

145 – Keaton Moeller (Starmont) pinned Cale Seydel :43

152 – Cooper Gates (West Branch) pinned Blaise Beane (West Central Valley) 5:04

182 – Ian Udell (Regina) dec. Ryan Funke (Dyersville Beckman) 5-3

220 – Henry Lund (AHSTW) pinned Logan Wright 3:59

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.