DES MOINES - Cedar Falls' 145-pounder Michael Kelly and Waterloo East's 171-pound Kyven Gadson are on a mission. Pity anyone who gets in their way.

Both metro wrestlers competed in Class 3A's state 145-pound bracket last season. Kelly finished fourth and Gadson lost by 12 points in the finals. It didn't sit well with either wrestler.

Saturday night both will get a shot at redemption. The juniors advanced to the state finals of their respective weight classes Friday afternoon with first-period pins.

"It should have came one year earlier," Kelly said after earning his first trip to the finals. "It's exciting, but I've got one more match. … You don't come here to take second, you come here to take first."

Gadson echoed that sentiment.

"I'm looking forward to a chance to win the state title," he said. "I don't like losing so anytime I get a chance to come back next year and win it, it feels good."

This time around, Gadson has dropped all three of his state tournament opponents in the first period. Friday afternoon, he pinned Iowa City West's David Solis at the 1:59 mark.

Gadson is now 37-0 and hasn't been on the mat for longer than four and a half total minutes in this year's state tournament.

While his abundance of talent may suggest otherwise, the East standout insists maintaining the perfect record has been difficult.

"It's been real tough," Gadson said. "When you're undefeated and ranked No. 1, there's a target on your back and everybody is reaching for you so you've just got to work harder."

Gadson's finals opponent will be Mississippi Valley Conference foe Jason McCormick (30-2) of Cedar Rapids Jefferson. Gadson defeated McCormick by decision earlier this season.

Kelly (34-2) also stormed past his semifinals opponent Jordan Weirather of Fort Madison with a 1:09 fall. The convincing victory came one day removed from a narrow 1-0 decision over No. 3 Matt Vercillo of Bettendorf.

"I wanted to get out there and just dominate like I had been doing all year," Kelly said. "I got a little bit lazy yesterday. It was a little bit of a lapse, but we're onto a new day. I just want to come out and dominate every period of every match."

The Cedar Falls junior will face 39-0 Chad Lowman of Des Moines Roosevelt in the finals.

West, East wrestlers advance through back draw

After losing to top-ranked John Meeks in the first round, Waterloo West 119-pounder Nick Sand has worked his way back into Saturday's third-place match. He earned 7-3 and 8-4 wins Friday. Sand's heavyweight teammate Johntrell Humphrey gives the Wahawks a second wrestler vying for third. Humphrey earned a 3-2 consolation semifinal victory.

Waterloo East's 152 pounder Quinten Hayes and heavyweight Tray Pendleton will also be competing for third place.

The Trojans' Demetrious Taylor (125) and Onazi Agbese (215) will wrestle for fifth.

"We battled hard," coach Willie Gadson said concerning his team's effort in the wrestle-backs. "All we can do is keep reaching for the sky."

Contact Nick Petaros at (319) 291-1428 or nick.petaros@wcfcourier.com