The third day of the state wrestling tournament featured high-stakes battles as Ballard's wrestlers fought through the semifinals and consolation rounds.  Easton Enyeart and Tucker Vitzthum both punched their tickets to the championship finals, while Jacob Harrison and Rhett Hedrick continued their runs in the wrestle-backs.  Hedrick will have one more opportunity to climb the podium on Saturday.

Enyeart and Vitzthum Advance to Finals

At 120 pounds, Easton Enyeart (35-3) continued his stellar tournament performance with a clutch 4-1 decision over Linden Phetxoumphone (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows) (35-3) in the semifinals.  Enyeart, who had already secured a tech fall and a quarterfinal decision earlier in the tournament, now looks to cap off his run with a state title on Saturday night.

At 165 pounds, Tucker Vitzthum (40-4) delivered another dominant performance in the semifinals, claiming a tech fall (18-3, 4:15) over Degan Miller (Greene County) (35-10). Vitzthum, who won by fall in the quarterfinals, has been unstoppable on his path to the finals and will wrestle for a championship on Saturday.

Harrison's State Run Ends in Consolations

At 138 pounds, Jacob Harrison (40-9) saw his tournament come to an end in Consolation Round 4.  After falling in the quarterfinals, Harrison faced Jayden Bucknell (NH/TV) (44-13) but was defeated in an 11-5 decision, bringing his season to a close.

Hedrick Fights for a 7th-Place Finish

At 190 pounds, Rhett Hedrick (37-6) rebounded in Consolation Round 4 with an impressive tech fall (19-3, 4:32) over Caysen Curran (Mount Vernon) (43-10).  In Consolation Round 5, he battled Thomas Sexton (Decorah) (41-6) in a thrilling match but came up just short in sudden victory (16-13).  Hedrick will now compete on Saturday morning for a 7th-place finish, looking to close out his tournament on a high note.

Ballard Sits at 8th in Team Standings

Heading into the final day of competition, Ballard currently sits in 8th place in the Class 2A team standings with 65.0 points.  Burlington Notre Dame (116.0 points) leads the team race, followed by Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (107.5 points) and Assumption, Davenport (93.0 points).

Up Next: Championship & Placement Matches

With Enyeart and Vitzthum wrestling for state titles and Hedrick aiming for 7th place, Ballard's wrestlers have one final day to leave their mark.  Action resumes Saturday at 9:00 AM and 5:15 PM as the Bombers look to climb the team standings and bring home more hardware from the state tournament.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography