Millard South has won the last 5 metro tournaments, and should get a stiff test from Omaha Burke, who won 3 tournaments in a row (2011-2013) before Millard South started their streak. The individual tournament will take place on Saturday starting at 9am, while the dual tournament starts today at 4pm.

The Top 8 Dual Tournament Seeds:
#1 Omaha Burke
#2 Millard South
#3 Papillion- La Vista
#4 Omaha Bryan
#5 Omaha Central
#6 Bellevue East
#7 Elkhorn South
#8 Papillion South

Metro Conference Tourney History:
1964: Intercity League Tournament
1965: First Metro Tourney hosted and won by Omaha Tech
Most Championships: Millard South (12)
Most Consecutive Championships: Millard South (6)

Previous Team Champions:
Millard South (12): 2002, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
Omaha North (6): 1985, 90, 92, 93, 94, 99
CB Abraham Lincoln (5): 1979, 82, 83, 84, 88
Omaha Burke (4): 2000, 11, 12, 13
Millard North (4): 1996, 97, 98, 01
Omaha Gross (4): 1986, 87, 91, 95
Westside (4): 1974, 75, 76, 77
Omaha Technical (3): 1965, 66, 78
Creighton Prep (2): 1989, 10
Bellevue (2): 1972,73
CB Thomas Jefferson (2): 1969, 70
Omaha South (2): 1967, 68
Papillion LaVista (1): 2003
Omaha Northwest (1): 1981
Bellevue West (1): 1980
Boys Town (1): 1971

The Ranked Teams:
#2 Omaha Burke (9 ranked wrestlers)
#4 Millard South (7 ranked wrestlers)
#7 Papillion- La Vista (4 ranked wrestlers)
#9 Bellevue East (3 ranked wrestlers)
#10 Omaha Central (4 ranked wrestlers)

2019 Tournament By The Numbers:
41 ranked wrestlers
14 weights with at least 1 ranked wrestler
8 #1 ranked wrestlers in the tournament
7 #2 ranked wrestlers in the tournament
6 weights have 3 ranked wrestlers
4 weights have 2 ranked wrestlers
2 weights have 5 ranked wrestlers
1 weight has 4 ranked wrestlers

The Contenders:

106
#1 Gabe Grice, Bellevue East- So
#5 Caleb Coyle, Millard South- So
#6 Nate Rubino, Omaha Burke- So
Previously ranked Michael Colling- Omaha Westside- Sr

Coyle beat Rubino 2-1 at the Fracas back in mid-December. Grice beat Coyle 7-1 and 3-2 this season. Grice owns a 6-2 win over Rubino from last season. Keep an eye on Ben Kroeger of Papillion- La Vista, as he has had a solid season and won 7-1 over Colling at the Creighton Prep Invite. Rubino has beaten Colling by 3rd period fall this season.

113
#1 Emilio Haynes, Omaha Central- Jr
#2 Garrett Grice, Bellevue East- Fr
Previously ranked Quentin Donald, Omaha Bryan- So

A looming battle between Haynes and Grice is one of the most exciting potential matchups. Both have dynamic attacks in all positions, and put points on the board in a hurry. Grice has collected 23 pins and 1 technical fall in the 24 matches he has wrestled this season. Haynes owns 13 falls, 1 technical fall, 1 major decision, and 4 decisions (all by 5 or more points). This will be returning state placer Donald’s first tournament down at 113, as he has wrestled at 120 until now. Noor Salat of Omaha Bryan has had a solid season, with 4 of his 5 losses coming to ranked Class B wrestlers. Look for him to make a run at a top 4 placement.

120
#1 Jakason Burks Omaha Burke Jr
#5 Solomon Allerheiligen Millard North So
#6 Ryan Turner Omaha Central So
Previously ranked Ian Rudner, Papillion- La Vista- So
Previously ranked Stone Sindelar, Papio South- So
Previously ranked Wyatt May, Millard West- Jr
Garrett Carbullido, Millard South- So

Expect Jakason Burks to cruise to the title, but there are a host of others looking for a berth in the finals. There’s been a lot of back and forth between everyone behind Burks already this season, so expect some wild matches this weekend.

126
#1 Ladamien Sturdivant, Omaha Bryan- Sr
#2 Cody Niemiec, Papillion- La Vista- Jr
#4 Conor Knopick, Millard South- So
#5 Camden Russell, Millard West- Sr
#6 Daniel DeRosier, Bellevue East- So

Sturdivant, Niemiec, and Knopick are undefeated against Class A competition.
Russell has only lost to Niemiec, and DeRosier has only lost to Knopick in Class A competition. This is the deepest weight class in the tournament, with all 5 ranked opponents being returning state placers. Only DeRosier and Knopick (current sophomores) are the only ranked wrestlers who don’t own 2 state medals.

132
#3 Antrell Taylor, Millard South- Fr
#4 Nolan Niemiec, Papillion- La Vista- Sr
#6 Jeromy Nielsen, Omaha Burke- Jr
previously ranked (@138) Chris Kueny, Omaha Central

Taylor owns two victories over Niemiec this season (3-2 and 9-4), and a 25-10 win over Nielsen. Niemiec owns two wins over Nielsen (9-2 and 8-4) and will look to end his high school career as a 2x Metro champion. Kueny was ranked at 138 and has made the descent to 132. Keep an eye on Caelan Hester of Bellevue East to make a run at a top 3 finish, as his only losses are to ranked opponents.

138
#2 Tyler Antoniak, Millard South- Fr
#4 Peyton Meink, Millard North- Jr

Antoniak’s only in-state loss is to returning state champion Mayfield of Lincoln East, and he beat Meink 4-2 earlier this season. This weight is fairly wide open after these two.

145
#2 Creighton Baughman, Papillion LV- Sr
#3 Levi May, Millard West- Sr
#4 Trey Nielsen, Omaha Burke- Jr
#5 Deon Davis, Omaha Central- So
#6 Caleb Connor, Papio South- Jr

Baughman owns a 9-2 and 2-1 win over Connor, and has pinned Nielsen twice this season. Baughman has also won 12-4 over May, while May has beaten Nielsen 8-6. Nielsen pinned Davis the first match of the season, but don’t be surprised if Davis battles, his way to a finals matchup with Baughman.

152
#2 Alex Irizarry, Papio South- Jr
#4 Cole Price, Papillion- LV- So
#5 Deson Stapleton, Omaha Burke- So
Previously ranked Justin Davis, Omaha Central- Fr
Alex Vacha, Millard South- Sr
Ethan Valencia, Millard West- Jr

Irizarry beat Price 2-1 the first match of the season, and then 10 days later widened the gap with a 11-3 win. Price has lost to Stapleton twice by fall, but Price won their most recent match 5-4. Valencia also beat Stapleton last week, but Vacha pinned Valencia right before Christmas break. Davis has seen limited action this season, but expect him to make some adjustments from the first half of his freshman season.

160
#1 James Burks, Omaha Burke Sr
#3 Liam Kirk, Elkhorn South Sr
#6 Nolan Johnston, Omaha Westside Sr
Previously ranked Jack McDonnell, Bellevue West, So
Cade Schendt, Papillion South, Jr

Burks has beaten Johnston twice this year and is undefeated like Kirk. Johnston pinned McDonnell in December, so expect Kirk and Johnston to battle in the semifinals for a shot at Burks in the finals. Schendt has been having a solid season and should place in the top 5.

170
#6 Connor Rinn Millard North- Jr
Cole Haberman, Omaha Westside- Fr
Kale Dawson, Bellevue West- Sr
Tyler Needham, Millard South- Sr

Rinn’s only in-state loss is to top ranked Isaiah Alford. He has beaten Dawson of Bellevue West by 10-1 and 5-3 (in TB-1) scores. Haberman pinned Dawson in December. Needham has transferred to Millard South, and although he hasn’t wrestled a match this season, he was a state qualifier last year.

182
#1 Isaac Trumble, Millard South- Jr
#3 Trajen Linear, Papio South- Jr
#6 Ka’Ron Davis, Omaha Central- Sr
Previously ranked Xavier Vaughn, Creighton Prep- Sr
Carson Maas, Papillion- LV, Jr
Austin Dougherty, Omaha Burke- Jr
Matt Onken, Omaha Westside- Sr

The 3 ranked wrestlers at this weight haven’t met this season, with Trumble and Linear both undefeated so far. Trumble and Linear are bonus point scoring machines, so expect both of them to blaze a trail to the finals. The non-ranked wrestlers have all had solid seasons and are fairly familiar with each other.

195
#1 Dillyn Miller, Omaha Burke- Sr
#2 Josh Trumble, Millard South- Sr
Jacob Hilding, Omaha Central- Sr

Trumble has given Miller his toughest test so far this season losing 9-5, and is coming off a big win over DeAnda of Columbus. Hilding lost to Miller this year, but should hold off the rest of the field to finish 3rd.

220
#1 Anthony Pray, Creighton Prep- So
#3 Gavin Peitzmeier, Millard South- Sr
#5 Jaylon Walker, Omaha Bryan- Jr
#6 Dylan Sales, Omaha Burke- Sr
Previously ranked Mikey Vasquez, Omaha South- Jr

Top ranked Pray won a 6-5 match over Peitzmeier in early December. Pray also has wins over Vasquez and Sales. Peitzmeier has a win over Sales. Walker is a bit of an unknown, as he is undefeated, but hasn’t faced any ranked Class A opponents this season.

285
#2 Jack Hasz, Creighton Prep- Sr
#3 Cade Haberman, Omaha Westside- So
Previously ranked Deangelo Stapleton, Omaha Burke- Sr
Previously ranked Jacob Frezell-McClinton, Omaha Central- Jr
Jake Mayville, Millard South- Jr

Hasz and Haberman have battled twice this season, with Hasz winning both matches (one in sudden victory and one in the 1st tie breaker). Will the third time be the charm for the sophomore? Stapleton has had a consistent season, with a few head scratchers. McClinton lost to Stapleton the first match of the season, but has otherwise been undefeated against Class A competition. Mayville wrestled for last weekend for the first time this season, and was a state qualifier last season.