Roth, Williams assured medals at state wrestling

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A pair of Platteview seniors assured themselves a medal at the NSAA state wrestling championships being held at Qwest Center Omaha, but both Isaac Roth and Matt Williams will now have to focus on winning out to place third.

Roth was knocked out of the championship bracket by top-ranked junior Christan Loges of Skutt in tonight's semifinals action. Roth will next wrestle in Saturday morning's consolation semifinals opposite Crete senior Cody Wendelin (33-7).

Roth and Loges (42-3), the defending 130-pound champion, wrestled to a scoreless tie in the first period. Loges scored on an escape and a takedown to lead 3-0 after two periods. Loges then countered an escape by Roth (24-4) in the third period with a takedown to advance to tomorrow's championship finals with a 5-1 win.

Matt Williams stayed alive in the consolation bracket today by knocking off another ranked opponent in the morning's second consolation round. This time Blair senior John Tranmer (24-11), ranked sixth at 215 pounds, dropped a 5-0 decision to Williams.

Williams scored two back points in the second period to grab a 2-0 lead. In the third he scored on an escape and takedown as Tranmer ran out of gas.

Tranmer and Williams met twice earlier in the season.

Tranmer pinned an ill Williams in the Platteview Invitational back in December. Williams won by decision at the Waverly Duals. Tranmer won by injury default in the championship match at the Plattsmouth Invitational, then Williams won the Eastern Midlands Conference championship by injury default over Tranmer.

Williams advanced to the evening consolation quarterfinals with his latest win over Tranmer and stayed alive with an 8-5 decision over senior Lukas Ramsey of Mount Michael.

Williams scored first against Ramsey (31-12) on a takedown and led 3-2 after one period. Ramsey tied the score on an escape with 46 seconds left in the second. Williams countered with a takedown, then Ramsey scored on a reverse to tie the score at 5-5 heading into the final period.

Williams (27-8) sealed his victory on an escape with 49 seconds left followed by a takedown.

Yet another ranked wrestler awaits the gritty Trojans senior in the consolation semifinals in Ashland-Greenwood senior Keith Stille. Stille (33-4), a 14-6 loser to Boys Town's Shaquil Barrett in the championship semifinals, is ranked third in Class B.

Williams will be looking to avenge a pin by Stille in last weekend's B-1 district championship match at Norris.

Platteview senior Noah Keyes saw his career come to an end in this morning's second consolation round. He began the day by pinning Bennington junior Taylor King with 11 seconds left in their first-round consolation match. But in the second Keyes (23-16) suffered an 11-2 loss to Crete sophomore Corey Kalkwarf (32-9) in the next round.