Liberty High’s Barker Overcomes Nerves to Make History With Opening Round Win

Ryan Murken Follow @rmmurken February 14, 2019

Photo by Jeff Yoder / Click here to view 3A state wrestling photo gallery.

Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Nerves are natural for a wrestler at the state tournament.

When it’s a wrestling making his state meet debut as the first qualifier in school history feeling some butterflies is expected.

That was the situation for Liberty High sophomore Ashton Barker at the Class 3A state meet Thursday morning.

“Absolutely,” Barker said when asked if he was nervous for his state meet opener. “I’ve been nervous the last four days.”

It took a little time but Barker got the best of his nerves and Norwalk’s Tristen Duncan in a 170-pound opening-round match to notch the first win at a state meet in Liberty High history.

Barker (18-4) broke open a tight match with six points in the third period on his way to a 13-6 decision over Duncan at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“I’m always nervous when I wrestle that’s just how I am but that’s fun,” Barker said. “The third period they definitely settled down. I’d like it to be the first when they settle down but I can’t change it.”

It had already been a nerve-wracking and history making week for Barker even before his state meet debut.

Barker became the first state qualifier for Liberty High last Saturday when he won the 170-pound title at the 3A, District 7 meet at Cedar Rapids Prairie.

“It’s great for him and our program,” Liberty High coach Joe Williams said. “It just shows our guys if we stay the course and do the things we are asking you to do in practice success is going to follow.”

Barker made his first match at the state meet memorable racking up five takedowns to none for Duncan.

He needed just 14 seconds to record his first takedown and took a 5-2 lead into the second period with a takedown with 50 seconds left in the opening period.

“Having the nerves is part of it,” Williams said. “If you don’t feel something then something is wrong with you it’s using those nerves to go out and wrestle and continue to wrestle and have a good tournament.”

Barker scored the only takedown of the second period but led just 7-5 entering the final two minutes after allowing an escape and reversal to Duncan.

The third quarter was all Barker.

He recorded two takedowns in the opening 30 seconds and put the finishing touches on the win with a nearfall as time expired.

“Those shots are not my go to shots,” Barker said. “I usually do a little single but they were open so I went for them and it worked.”

Fresh off back-to-back matches that produced historic finishes eighth-ranked Barker will face No. 4 Will Jefferson (34-5) of Bettendorf in the quarterfinals on Friday morning.

“It feels pretty good,” Barker said. “I was nervous but it was a great feeling.”

Class 3A State Meet

Team scores (Top 10; Area Teams) – 1. Waverly-Shell Rock 31.5; 2. Southeast Polk 25; 3. Fort Dodge 23; 4. Cedar Rapids Prairie 22; 5. Johnston 21; 6. Bettendorf 20.5; 7. North Scott 19; 7. Waukee 19; 9. Ankeny Centennial 17; 10. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 16; 18. West High 11.5; 19. City High 10.