Millage, Geerts claim state titles; Chickasaws take second

 Michael Millage and Keaton Geerts claimed individual state wrestling championships for New Hampton on Saturday night, and the Chickasaws added a second-place trophy to the state championship they won at the state dual meet on Wednesday.Millage won the Class 2A 126-pound state title with a 3-2 victory over Solon's Drew West while Geerts dominated Ballard's Skyler Noftsger in a 6-2 decision at 138 pounds.It was the second state championship for both wrestlers as Millage won the 106-pound title for Crestwood as a freshman while Geerts won the 132-pound crown last winter. Geerts became the first back-to-back state champion for the Chickasaws since Mike Humpal in 2002 and 2003.Ryan Gorman, meanwhile, lost a hard-fought 4-2 decision against Davenport Assumption's Julien Broderson for the 160-pound title.Solon finished the tournament with 96.5 points, one-half more than New Hampton, which also had placewinners in Noah Fye (sixth at 132), Noah Glaser (sixth at 170) and Noah Hopp (eighth at 220). For Geerts, Millage and Fye, it was the third time in their careers they made their way to the medal stand at state while Gorman, Glaser and Hopp were all first-time placewinners.There will be a "welcome home" rally for the wrestling team on Sunday, which begins at 4 p.m. in the high school gymasium.- For more on the state tournament, see the Tuesday Tribune that will contain a four-page special pullout celebrating New Hampton's success in Des Moines