Kiser King Again
TA Senior Wins Back-To-Back State Wrestling Titles
Posted: February 16, 2013
SALEM – Luke Kiser remembered his older brother’s body language vividly after Bryce lost in a state championship wrestling match, trying to cap his senior season with back-to-back Group AA titles in 2009.
“He told me when he lost in the finals it was the most painful thing he’s ever felt,” Luke Kiser recalled. “I told myself that I was not going to let that happen to me, because I saw how it broke him.”
The younger Kiser will never experience that feeling.
A year after winning the 145-pound state championship by one point, Kiser took home the 152-pound title at a jam-packed Salem Civic Center Saturday night with a 3-2 victory over New Kent senior Brett Flora, a tough No. 3 seed out of Region I who Kiser saw in a holiday tournament.
“I wasn’t worried. I’ll be honest,” TA coach Marshall Smiley said. “I wasn’t worried. I’ve seen that kid give up one takedown all year. I wasn’t worried. I knew that was our match.”
As the clock struck zeros, Kiser took a breathe, smirked, rose to his feet and did his best Richard Nixon impression – only his two fingers on each hand signified two state championships.
“You have no idea how much pressure that took off,” Kiser said of the victory.
Setting out to win a state title in memory of teammate Jackson Reel, since his death in October, Kiser said he also wanted to avenge his brother’s state title loss and show the Knights that he could be the first back-to-back champion since 1998.
Now, he’s the fourth TA wrestler to win multiple state titles.
Kiser, who finished the season 45-1, fell behind in the title match 1-0 after a scoreless first period and appeared to have a go-ahead takedown out of bounds, but Flora had a few fingers still wrapped around his ankle to deny him two points. About 30 seconds later, Kiser swept his opponent’s legs near the edge of the circle and stretched his legs out.
“It was toes in. It was really close,” Smiley said. “That’s the way the match was the first time we saw him. It seemed like every takedown that we were getting ready to have, we were right at the edge. [Flora] was always on the edge.”
The takedown was big.
Cutting Flora loose intentionally, Kiser entered the third period needing just an escape to break a 2-2 tie. He got it and held on for the final minute and 30 seconds, nearly sliding by for another takedown with 25 seconds remaining.
It seemed like Kiser’s former wrestling partner was with him all the way.
Reel, a state participant last year who died in a car accident days before in-season wrestling practices this season, was honored with a moment of silence before Saturday’s championship introductions.
Kiser had gotten used to the reminders.
The Valley District and Region III tournaments also conducted moments of silence for Reel, before Kiser added to his collection of championships each time while wearing Reel’s custom-made singlet.
Saturday was no different, but it was a lot more special.
“To do it here is crazy,” Kiser said of the moment of silence in Salem. “The state of Virginia is honoring my best friend. It was very special.”
Kiser finished his impressive career with a record of 159-21, winning nine VHSL championships. That’s four district titles. Three regional crowns. Twice standing atop the state podium.
The 5-foot-7 Kiser reached the semifinals before running into a top seed and a familiar face, Grafton’s Justin McRee. The same McRee he defeated 4-3 to win last year’s state title. First playing defense on a landed leg shot, Kiser earned four points on a takedown with back points and held on for a hard-fought 4-1 win.
Even Kiser admitted, this year was a tougher road than last year. The 18-year-old started off the tournament with the eventual third-place winner, Poquoson freshman Ross Graham.
But Kiser was on a mission. Nothing was going to get in his way. It was almost like losing was not an option.
“In a way, I felt like that,” said Kiser, one of six TA state-qualifying wrestlers. “I told myself that this win was for Jackson Reel. I had to get it done for him. I felt like if he was here, he would’ve gotten it done for himself. I wanted a title in his memory, a title for him. I hope he’s smiling down on me, because I’m smiling up at him.”
Group A/AA State Wrestling Meet
Saturday’s Final Results
At Salem Civic Center
Group A Team Scores (Top 10): 1. Grundy 143, 2. Strasburg 128, 3. Manassas Park 121, 4. Rural Retreat 90.5, 5. Northampton 86, 6. Parry McCluer 79, 7. Clarke County 67.5, 8. Castlewood 59, 9. James River 54, 10. Riverheads 51.
Group AA Team Scores (Top 10): 1. Christiansburg 158, 2. Brookville 92, 3. Eastern View 81.5, 4. New Kent 77.5, 5. Brentsville District 72.5, 6. Poquoson 67.5, 7. Northside 61, 8. Fauquier 57.5, 9. Tabb 52, 10. Smithfield 47.
Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Individual Results
Broadway (2):
113—Drew Diaz, junior (2-3, 8th)
195—Tyler Funkhouser, junior (1-2)
East Rockingham (3):
113—Dylan Cook, senior (0-2)
170—Daniel Shifflett, sophomore (0-2)
285—David Kisling, sophomore (5-1, 3rd)
Harrisonburg (2):
132—Jordan Dove, sophomore (1-2)
195—Ahmad Salehi, senior (2-3, 6th)
Turner Ashby (6):
106—Dalton Farley, freshman (1-2)
113—Brandon Garcia, freshman (1-2)
120—Jacob Ritchie, junior (1-2)
152—Luke Kiser, senior (4-0, 1st)
182—Josh Powers, senior (4-2, 4th)
285—Nic Moyers, senior (0-2)
“He told me when he lost in the finals it was the most painful thing he’s ever felt,” Luke Kiser recalled. “I told myself that I was not going to let that happen to me, because I saw how it broke him.”
The younger Kiser will never experience that feeling.
A year after winning the 145-pound state championship by one point, Kiser took home the 152-pound title at a jam-packed Salem Civic Center Saturday night with a 3-2 victory over New Kent senior Brett Flora, a tough No. 3 seed out of Region I who Kiser saw in a holiday tournament.
“I wasn’t worried. I’ll be honest,” TA coach Marshall Smiley said. “I wasn’t worried. I’ve seen that kid give up one takedown all year. I wasn’t worried. I knew that was our match.”
As the clock struck zeros, Kiser took a breathe, smirked, rose to his feet and did his best Richard Nixon impression – only his two fingers on each hand signified two state championships.
“You have no idea how much pressure that took off,” Kiser said of the victory.
Setting out to win a state title in memory of teammate Jackson Reel, since his death in October, Kiser said he also wanted to avenge his brother’s state title loss and show the Knights that he could be the first back-to-back champion since 1998.
Now, he’s the fourth TA wrestler to win multiple state titles.
Kiser, who finished the season 45-1, fell behind in the title match 1-0 after a scoreless first period and appeared to have a go-ahead takedown out of bounds, but Flora had a few fingers still wrapped around his ankle to deny him two points. About 30 seconds later, Kiser swept his opponent’s legs near the edge of the circle and stretched his legs out.
“It was toes in. It was really close,” Smiley said. “That’s the way the match was the first time we saw him. It seemed like every takedown that we were getting ready to have, we were right at the edge. [Flora] was always on the edge.”
The takedown was big.
Cutting Flora loose intentionally, Kiser entered the third period needing just an escape to break a 2-2 tie. He got it and held on for the final minute and 30 seconds, nearly sliding by for another takedown with 25 seconds remaining.
It seemed like Kiser’s former wrestling partner was with him all the way.
Reel, a state participant last year who died in a car accident days before in-season wrestling practices this season, was honored with a moment of silence before Saturday’s championship introductions.
Kiser had gotten used to the reminders.
The Valley District and Region III tournaments also conducted moments of silence for Reel, before Kiser added to his collection of championships each time while wearing Reel’s custom-made singlet.
Saturday was no different, but it was a lot more special.
“To do it here is crazy,” Kiser said of the moment of silence in Salem. “The state of Virginia is honoring my best friend. It was very special.”
Kiser finished his impressive career with a record of 159-21, winning nine VHSL championships. That’s four district titles. Three regional crowns. Twice standing atop the state podium.
The 5-foot-7 Kiser reached the semifinals before running into a top seed and a familiar face, Grafton’s Justin McRee. The same McRee he defeated 4-3 to win last year’s state title. First playing defense on a landed leg shot, Kiser earned four points on a takedown with back points and held on for a hard-fought 4-1 win.
Even Kiser admitted, this year was a tougher road than last year. The 18-year-old started off the tournament with the eventual third-place winner, Poquoson freshman Ross Graham.
But Kiser was on a mission. Nothing was going to get in his way. It was almost like losing was not an option.
“In a way, I felt like that,” said Kiser, one of six TA state-qualifying wrestlers. “I told myself that this win was for Jackson Reel. I had to get it done for him. I felt like if he was here, he would’ve gotten it done for himself. I wanted a title in his memory, a title for him. I hope he’s smiling down on me, because I’m smiling up at him.”
Group A/AA State Wrestling Meet
Saturday’s Final Results
At Salem Civic Center
Group A Team Scores (Top 10): 1. Grundy 143, 2. Strasburg 128, 3. Manassas Park 121, 4. Rural Retreat 90.5, 5. Northampton 86, 6. Parry McCluer 79, 7. Clarke County 67.5, 8. Castlewood 59, 9. James River 54, 10. Riverheads 51.
Group AA Team Scores (Top 10): 1. Christiansburg 158, 2. Brookville 92, 3. Eastern View 81.5, 4. New Kent 77.5, 5. Brentsville District 72.5, 6. Poquoson 67.5, 7. Northside 61, 8. Fauquier 57.5, 9. Tabb 52, 10. Smithfield 47.
Harrisonburg/Rockingham County Individual Results
Broadway (2):
113—Drew Diaz, junior (2-3, 8th)
195—Tyler Funkhouser, junior (1-2)
East Rockingham (3):
113—Dylan Cook, senior (0-2)
170—Daniel Shifflett, sophomore (0-2)
285—David Kisling, sophomore (5-1, 3rd)
Harrisonburg (2):
132—Jordan Dove, sophomore (1-2)
195—Ahmad Salehi, senior (2-3, 6th)
Turner Ashby (6):
106—Dalton Farley, freshman (1-2)
113—Brandon Garcia, freshman (1-2)
120—Jacob Ritchie, junior (1-2)
152—Luke Kiser, senior (4-0, 1st)
182—Josh Powers, senior (4-2, 4th)
285—Nic Moyers, senior (0-2)