by Colin Pfeiffer
Ravenna Invite:
Amherst proved once again why they are the team to beat in Class D. They put 9 wrestlers in the finals and won 5 of those matches. Their lone dark spot on opening weekend, was 138 #4 Sam Florell failing to medal.
Notable Matches:
113- #1 Salvador Aguirre defeated #6 Zak Olsen 3-1 in Sudden Victory
126- Class C #2 Wyatt Allen from Wood River beat class D returning champ and #1 Tyler Pawlowski by 8-0 major decision
220 C #5 Bryan McGahan defeated 195 D #2 Trent Christancy 7-3
Creighton Invite:
This Tournament featured many of the Class D top teams. Plainview finished 2nd behind class C Battle Creek, but showed they may have the fire power to challenge Amherst. Other class D teams Creighton and Pender finished ahead of Elkhorn Valley, who is also expected to be near the top in class D.
Notable Matches:
106- 106C #1 Caydon McCracken of Battle Creek defeated D 113 #3 Cam Wilkinson of Neigh-Oakdale
106- Unranked Koby Ellis of Winside defeated #6 Nate Christensen of Plainview 5-1
120- #2 Alejandro Martinex defeated #1 Dom Rickard of Plainview and 113 #5 Bryson Bovee Pender
126- Damien Kersten of Battle Creek defeated #2 Zac Hazen of Creighton 8-4
145- #2 Cole Aschoff won a loaded weight which featured 4 rated wrestlers in 152 #5 Bryce Zimmerer of Creighton 145 #6 145 Brady Oliver of Pender and 132 #4 Paul Gubbels of Osmond. Josh McFarland of Elkhart Valley defeated two ranked wrestlers in Oliver and Gubbels
Friend Invite:
Top 10 team Palmer finished 4th behind class C Centennial, Shenandoah IA and Class D Tri County.
Notable Matches:
145- #4 Spencer Wichmann of Palmer defeated Kain Songster Centennial 4-0
152- Edwen Baptista of Friend defeated Colby Ensz of Tri county 13-11 in Sudden Victory and #3 Connor Donscheski of Palmer 5-3.
160- Class C #3 Levi Kult of Yutan defeated #2 Chandler Donscheski 3-1 in Sudden Victory
170- #2 Hunter Reimers of defeated 160 #3 Keighton Moore of Friend after falling to Kyle Owens of Shenandoah, IA
182- #4 Cooper Smith of Tri County defeated #3 Dietric Kenning of Thayer Central
Elwood Invite:
Cambridge started off the season with a bang winning the RPAC duals on Thursday, the winning the Elwood Invite on Friday with a short turnaround. As expected, Sutherland’s Ryan Patrick and Robert Muench dominated the field. Elwood’s Ben Bogle won 138 easily and looks like he could be in the hunt for a state medal. Konner Banzhaf of Cambridge defeated 145 #5 Dylan Davis of Medicine Valley at 152.
Other Notable Matches and News from Opening Weekend:
132- #1 Cameron Riggs of North Platte St. Pat’s won his 100th Match at the Mullen Invite on Saturday. The two-time state champion is now boasts a perfect 102-0 career record
145- #1 Jaydon Elge of Nebraska Christian did not compete this weekend due to sickness
152- #1 Devon Walker of Elm Creek, returning 145 defending state champion has reportedly decided to quit wrestling
106- #1 Tommy Nelson of Crawford Competed at 113 this weekend
160- #4 Miles Kulhanek of Howells-Dodge competed at 152
195- #3 Cory Shoff of Winside will miss the season due to injury