Pekin’s Nelson fights to sixth-place finish at State tournament

CORALVILLE – Things weren’t looking great at all.

Down by several points late in the third period, Pekin’s 105-pound wrestler Lexa Nelson seemed poised to head to the seventh place match. Instead of letting things hold her back, Nelson did what she has done throughout the season. 

She was never going to give up, and she never did.

That attitude helped Nelson turn things around in the third round consolation match against Perry’s Mercedes Ponce. 

Early on Ponce had all the advantage as she scored a three point takedown and a three point nearfall to take a 6-0 lead after one period. 

Nelson scored her own three point take down early in the second period. 

In the third period Ponce added an early two-point nearfall to take an 8-3 lead. That’s when Nelson put things into overdrive. 

With just over a minute remaining in the match Nelson was able to score a reversal. She trailed 8-5 at that point. The clock was still counting against her. 

Ponce tried to just rest on her belly and wait out the final minute, but that worked in Nelson’s favor as the ref called back-to-back stalling penalties on Ponce, awarding Nelson two free points. 

In the final seconds of the match Ponce missed on a shot and Nelson captured her. She took a step and then drove Ponce to the mat. She would have recorded a pin, but ran out of time. 

That didn’t matter. The four-point nearfall gave Nelson the win, and she moved onto the consolation semifinals. 

After getting the come-from-behind win, her coach, Al Chapman pointed to her heart and said, “that match was all heart. That’s what this win was about.”

Throughout the weekend Nelson continually showed her heart as she wrestled to a sixth place finish in the class 1A 105-pound weight class. 

There were several times throughout the season where it seemed Nelson wasn’t going to be able to make it as far as she did. 

After winning her opening round match with a third period pin, Nelson had to battle eventual state champion, Violet Diaz, who was undefeated in the quarterfinals. 

Nelson was pinned within the first minute of that match. Instead of letting that get to her, Nelson came back for the Friday night consolation round match. 

Facing a senior Nelson was in a battle. Her East Buchanan opponent scored seven points in the first period with a takedown and a nearfall. 

Things turned around in the second period. Nelson was able to grab an early reversal and then added a three point nearfall and a four point nearfall to score nine points and take the lead. 

In the third period Nelson scored a four point nearfall early on.

Her opponent was able to record a reversal and her own nearfall to tie the score at 13 with just seconds remaining. 

The match was won in the final seconds as Nelson recorded a reversal for two more points and an eventual 15-13 victory. 

That win assured Nelson that she would place in the tournament. 

Nelson’s winning streak came to an end as she was pinned by a Knoxville opponent in the consolation semifinals. In the fifth place match Nelson was pinned in the second period. 

Nelson overcame a lot to make it to the podium this year. She had hip surgery during the summer, and had to learn how to wrestle without weakening the hip throughout the year. 

After finishing second at the regional tournament in Williamsburg Nelson had to battle a tough bracket, including a tough ninth seed  draw in the State tournament. She didn’t let that hold her  down as she was able to finish sixth in her weight class. 

She was the only Pekin wrestler to place at this year’s IGHSAU tournament, and was just one of two local athletes to finish on the podium. 

Overall Nelson finishes with an overall record of 31-9 this season. 

Photos by Mark Schafer