The third time was a a charm for Mercer County’s Zach Nelson.  After taking second at 145 pounds and 152 pounds the last two years, the Golden Eagle senior won the Class 1A state championship at 152 pounds Saturday night in Champaign.  Nelson pinned Jake Kaecker of Ashton-Franklin Center at the 1:52 mark to finish an undefeated season at 41-0.  It was his third straight victory on Kaecker on the season.  The two met last Saturday in the Oregon sectional championship match. Nelson becomes Mercer County High’s first individual state champion.

Mercer County Sophomore Tristen Finch couldn’t find the answer against Dakota’s Carver James as he was defeated in the 138 pound championship match 3-0.  Finch and James also met last Saturday in the Oregon sectional final with James winning 2-1.  After a scoreless first period, James scored an escape and a take down in the second.  Finch was unable to escape in the third and he closed out the season with a record of 39-4, with three of the losses coming to James.

Mercer County’s 170 pounder, senior Jon Ricke took sixth place and Sherrard’s 285 pounder Ben Corlett finished 5th to round out the medal count for our area wrestlers.  A welcome home ceremony for Mercer County’s wrestlers will be held Sunday at 1:00 P.M. at the high school.