Parker Filius shines on the mat

The NCAA wrestling season hasn’t gotten underway yet, but Havre’s Parker Filius has been on the mat.

The Purdue junior finished fifth at 65 kg of the U23 division, at the USA Wrestling U23 and UWW Junior National Freestyle Championships this past weekend, held at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Filius rallied from a first-round loss to post a 6-2 record on the weekend. He fell on criteria 2-2 in his opening match of the tournament to Iowa's Carter Happel, which forced Filius to need four straight wins to earn his place on the podium. He posted a 14-4 technical fall over South Dakota State's Rylee Molitor, defeated Illinois' Andrew Cohen 7-2, edged out teammate Alec White on criteria 5-5 and came from behind in a 14-9 victory over Missouri's Allan Hart. Filius was awarded a shot at redemption in the consolation quarterfinals and took full advantage, defeating Happel in the rematch 10-5 before falling in the consolation semifinals to Iowa All-American Max Murin. Filius finished the tournament with his hand raised, earning a 7-5 win over South Dakota State's Clay Carlson in the fifth-place match.