State Wrestling: Gallagher advances to Day 2 before bowing out of state tourney

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com
@BrandonJHurley

Sometimes, more meaningful lessons are gained from a defeat than in victory.
Greene County’s Brenner Gallagher took that notion to heart during last week’s state wrestling tournament.
The 113 pound sophomore lasted just 53 seconds against now two-time defending state champion Carter Fousek, Gallagher’s first round opponent Feb. 20. But a quick re-evaluation – with his back against the wall and a loss from elimination – gave Gallagher all the motivation he’d need, as he bounced-back for a 12-6 victory over Sheldon’s Osvaldo Campo in the consolation bracket the ensuing evening.
The sophomore got up early and held on to earn a win in his first state tournament appearance. Although he was bounced from competition the next morning by Bondurant-Farrar’s Rylie Anderson, the resiliency Gallagher showed was quite the welcome sight, Greene County head coach Zach Beekman said. Gallagher was dealt a tough road for a guy that was wrestling JV a year ago – Anderson was rated fifth in the state and went on to place fourth – but didn’t seem to phase Gallagher.
“He’s got so much heart,” the coach said. “He wants to win so
bad. You can see the emotion running through him when he knows that (the match) is getting further and further out of reach. (A) continuing to battle kind of mindset.”
Gallagher and Osvaldo were neck-and-neck in the opening period of the consolation bracket, as the Ram sophomore clung to a narrow 4-3 lead. An early reversal put him on the board while a similar move in the second frame gave Gallagher a 8-3 advantage entering the final period. Gallagher closed the match with a slew of escapes, securing his place in the day 2 matches.  
“I was trying to stay focused that I was up a couple points and didn’t need a big move to end the match,” Gallagher said. “I just going for point after point and got that match.”
Bondurant-Farrar’s Rylie Anderson was a frisky cat in the consolation second round. Gallagher hung around in the opening period despite trailing 4-1. Anderson’s superior speed took over in the second frame, as a string of reversals and escapes gave him a commanding 9-1 advantage. Anderson picked up the eventual win, 11-2 after a fairly quiet final period.
The experience Gallagher gained from matching up with a state runner-up in practice everyday (106 pounder McKinley Robbins), coupled with battles against some of the state’s best all while capturing a win at the state tournament, has done wonders for an underclassmen with a bright future. Gallagher represented Greene County well in Des Moines, finishing with 34-16 overall record. There’s still room to grow, he doesn’t quite have the technique down yet, but he’s got the passion for wrestling, Beekman said.  
“We’ll work on the emotional part of it,” the coach said. “But he’s tougher than nails and that’s hard to instill in a kid and he’s already got that.”
Carter Fousek won the state title for the second straight year, waltzing his way through the 113 pound bracket, outscoring his opponents 18-4 while securing a pair of pins, including a championship-sealing pin fall of Center Point-Urbana’s Cole Whitehead just 1:40 into the title tilt.
Anderson lost to Central DeWitt’s Keaton Zeimet in the third place match, a 7-2 three period decision.
No matter what, Gallagher will continue to rise off the mat. Despite finishing second in both sectionals and districts, he qualified for state. And though he endured a brutal draw in the 113 pound bracket, he left Des Moines with a bounce in his step, ready for next winter. Gallagher will be one of the Ram leaders for a program that’s ready to thrive with both of its state qualifiers returning.
“He’s got so much momentum going forward and into next year,” Beekman said. “It’s phenomenal to have a sophomore and a freshman as state qualifiers. That’s phenomenal for our program and we are really excited about that.”