For our next match we reached into our bag of tricks and pulled out another good one. From Iowa it will be none other than two-time Iowa state champion Josh Portillo. His opponent will come from the nation’s #1 ranked high school from the 2015 season, Justin Stickley of St. Paris Graham.
Josh Portillo (SR)
School: Clarion Goldfield
College: NDSU, Nebraska-Kearney, Minnesota-St. Cloud
Credentials: Two-time Iowa state champion
Justin Stickley (SR)
School: St. Paris Graham, Ohio
College: Iowa and Missouri are both listed in Stickley’s early list
Credentials: Ohio state runner-up, fifth place medalist at Ironman
I like this matchup because there is a little history with the Portillo family originally from the state Ohio this is yet another match where the two wrestlers share a history. Since moving to Iowa, Portillo has been one of 1A’s most dominant wrestlers, and is one of the top ten seniors in the 2016 class. Stickley has a top five finish at a major national tournament to go with a runner-up finish at state so this should be a good lightweight battle.
Portillo on Stickley: Being originally from Ohio, I’ve known Justin for quite a while. He’s a good guy. I would even classify us as friends. It should be a great match!
Stickley on Portillo: I think he’s a tough guy and I need to respect him as an opponent.
Portillo on the Night of Conflict: The arena may be quite intimidating to others, but it’s just another gym with a mat in it for me. The atmosphere is going to be insane. This is going to be a legendary event, I can already tell. A big thanks to IA Wrestle for putting it together!
Stickley on the Night of Conflict: It’s a great opportunity to wrestle in Carver and it’s going to be awesome competing in the same place the Hawkeyes do.