State wrestling: Fearless Fisher refuses to coast; local schools advance

Nashau-Plainfield 182-pounder avenges wild defeat while advancing in winner’s bracket; North Butler, Rockford continue forward

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

Nashua-Plainfield 182-pounder Jason Fisher didn’t get to the State Wrestling Championships by playing it safe.

So forgive him for getting a little greedy with a comfortable lead midway through the third period against West Hancock-Britt’s Hunter Hagen in the first round of the Class 1A tournament Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena.

“I didn’t feel like taking it easy at that point,” Fisher said. “I wanted to score more points and keep the intensity going.”

Problem was Fisher, with an 8-1 advantage, almost got pinned himself as Hagen — using Fisher’s aggressiveness to his advantage — rolled his opponent on his shoulders and nearly held it for what would have been stunning, turn-of-events victory.

In the end, it was Fisher who got the fall at the 5:21 mark.

“The last time we wrestled, it was a wild one,” said Fisher (44-8), who lost to Hagen in a football-score-like 18-15 decision earlier in the season.

“We would trade reversals, near-falls … it was crazy,” said Fisher, who got to take rest of the day off as he advances to the quarterfinal round of the winners’ bracket, which resumes today.

“I’m just taking it in,” said the senior Huskie about his first and last state final. “I came out here earlier to look around and saw how this place fills up for this. It’s awesome.”

Nashua-Plainfield’s other state qualifier, sophomore 126-pounder Tristen Brase, lost his opening bout against Tanner Lundgren of Emmetsburg, 11-4, but later pinned Jarrett Stedghill in 4:47 of their subsequent consolation match to stay active in the tournament.

ROCKFORD

Rockford junior 106-pounder Will Portis will have to wait another year to become the Warriors’ second state champion in school history, as he dropped a first-round decision (9-4) to Donny Schmit of Wapsie Valley-Fairbank shortly after the national anthem.

Portis later defeated Juan Guido of Belmond-Klemme (7-0) in their subsequent consolation bout.

NORTH BUTLER

North Butler’s 152-pound district champion, Dalton Nelson, lost a close decision (3-1) to Karsen Seehase of Sumner-Fredericksburg in their Class 1A first-rounder. Nelson rebounded with a convincing major decision (9-0) over Chance Rice of Manson Northwest Webster in the consolation round.