Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Truman Folkers, Ankeny wrestling

**The arm of Ankeny’s Truman Folkers is raised after he pinned Waukee’s Carson Crigger in the 132-pound match to give the Hawks a 35-32 victory on Thursday at Ankeny. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

Ankeny wrestler Truman Folkers earned a runner-up finish at 126 pounds in the Frank Baltzley Invitational on Saturday at Johnston. The fifth-ranked Folkers recorded a pair of falls before dropping a 10-0 major decision to No. 3 Maximus Riggins of Southeast Polk in the finals.

Folkers, a junior, has compiled a 7-2 record. He placed fifth in the Dan Gable Donnybrook on Dec. 1-2 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Folkers is a two-time state qualifier who placed sixth in Class 3A at 113 as a sophomore. He boasts a career mark of 63-22.

Here is some inside info on Folkers:

Congratulations on an outstanding season thus far. What has been the highlight for you?

I think the highlight for me has been how I wrestled at Donnybrook.

You had a pin on Thursday to clinch your team’s 35-32 victory over Waukee in a CIML Conference dual meet. Were you confident that you could get the bonus points that you needed?

I felt very confident that I could get bonus points. I just knew I needed to stick to my offense and look to score points.

**Ankeny’s Truman Folkers battles for position during his match against Waukee’s Carson Crigger on Thursday. He went on to record a fall in 4 minutes 54 seconds. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

You moved up a weight that night to 132 and had to face a bigger wrestler in Carson Crigger. Did that change your approach to the match at all?

I kept the same approach because I knew that my strength wasn’t going to be a problem with wrestling a bigger opponent.

You placed second in the tournament on Saturday after placing third at 113 a year ago. Were you happy with the way you wrestled?

I felt okay with how I wrestled Saturday. I got to the finals with two pins, which was good.

Had you wrestled Riggins before, and what made him so tough?

I have practiced with Max in the offseason a little bit so I knew it was going to be a tough match. I think he was just really good at hang fighting, which made it tough to score.

Your team placed 10th overall with 89 points. What did you think of your squad’s performance?

I think our team wrestled well even though we were missing quite a few starters. Our team hasn’t been at its full potential yet.

Coach Jack Wignall told me that he allowed you to pick which weight you wanted to wrestle at this season. Are you glad that you don’t have to be constantly cutting weight?

I think 126 is a great weight for me. I’m not too small, but I’m also not losing strength by cutting lots of weight each week like last year.

**Ankeny’s Truman Folkers works for a takedown against Waukee’s Carson Crigger during Thursday’s dual meet at Ankeny. Folkers has compiled a 7-2 record this season. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

Do you expect to remain at 126 all season?

I do plan to stay at 126. If I do change weights, I would probably drop down to 120.

Your team will return to Johnston on Thursday for a dual meet against the Dragons, so you could see No. 10 Shandrel Thompson again after pinning him in 4 minutes 41 seconds in the semifinals on Saturday. Are you pretty familiar with him and his wrestling style?

I have wrestled Shandrel multiple times so I feel confident about Thursday’s dual.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

My main goal is to place high on the podium (at the state meet) in February.

Would you like to wrestle in college, and if so, have you looked at any schools yet?

I haven’t decided yet if I want to wrestle in college.