#1 Kearney vs #3 Columbus (Tournament Rankings)
The #1 Bearcats stroll into town to battle the #3 Discoverers on Senior Night in Columbus tonight at 7pm. Starting at 6pm, the youth clubs for each high school will dual each other.
Ranked Wrestlers:
132 features the #1 and #2 ranked wrestlers, while 113 and 160 features the #4 and #5 ranked wrestlers. There are 16 total ranked wrestlers in this dual.
Who is Favored?
Kearney is favored to win 8 of the matches, and has already won by pin in 4 of those matchups earlier this season. Columbus has won by pin in 3 of the matchups that occurred earlier in the season. The matchups at 152 and 170 have not occurred this season, and Columbus will need to win both matches to win the dual.
Prediction:
Kearney 33 Columbus 30
106- #2 Archer Heelan (Kearney) vs Caine Stenger (Columbus)
Stenger just earned the starting spot here beating teammate Blake Cerny 3-0 in the 5th place match at the High Plains Invite. Heelan and Stenger have not met this season, but Heelan pinned Cerny at the Kearney Invite in late December. Heelan will be looking for a bonus point win.
113- #4 Hunter Nagatani (Kearney) vs #5 Clay Cerny (Columbus)
Nagatani scored a 13-4 major decision over Cerny at the Kearney Invite in December. Cerny has been having a solid year, but Nagatani has only lost to one Class A opponent this season.
120- Rylie Steele (Kearney) vs #3 Tanner Kobza (Columbus)
Steele and Kobza have not met this season or last year. For what it’s worth, Steele’s teammates Gage Ferguson and Brayden Smith both won matches against Kobza at 113 last year.
126- Gage Ferguson (Kearney) vs Carsen Marking (Columbus)
Ferguson pinned Marking in the first period at the Kearney Invite. Ferguson is favored to repeat that performance tonight.
132- #1 Phillip Moomey (Kearney) vs #2 Carter Kucera (Columbus)
Moomey pinned Kucera in the first period at the Kearney Invite. This season, Kucera has only lost to Moomey, and the top ranked wrestler at 132 in Class C. Look for Kucera to give Moomey everything he’s got, as this is Kucera’s last home dual of his high school career.
138- #3 Gauge McBride (Kearney) vs Alex Korte (Columbus)
McBride pinned Korte at the Kearney Invite. McBride’s only in-state losses are to the #1 and #2 ranked wrestlers in Class A.
145- #1 Nick James (Kearney) vs Rylee Iburg (Columbus)
James pinned Iburg in less than 45 seconds at the Kearney Invite, so expect a technical fall at minimum for the returning state champion.
152- #6 Colton Kowalek (Kearney) vs Cade Fullner (Columbus)
Kowalek and Fullner have not met this season. Although Kowalek is ranked, Fullner is no slouch and has a respectable record this season. Fullner will be seeking a win on senior night.
160- #5 Carter Abels (Kearney) vs #4 Avery McMeekin (Columbus)
McMeekin won a 4-3 match over Abels at the Kearney Invite. Abels can spoil senior night for McMeekin if he is able to turn the tides.
170- #4 Gus Franzen (Kearney) vs Blayze Standley (Columbus)
These two have not met this season. For what it’s worth, both have lost to #3 ranked Grant Lyman of Lincoln East by similar scores. Like 152, this is a winnable matchup that is crucial for the Discoverers.
182- Josh Pierson (Kearney) vs #2 Carson Zwingman (Columbus)
Zwingman pinned Pierson’s teammate Bronson Amend at the Kearney Invite, and will look to do the same against Pierson on his senior night.
195- Bronson Amend (Kearney) vs #3 Anthony DeAnda (Columbus)
Deanda pinned Amend’s teammate Josh Pierson at the Kearney Invite, and will look to repeat the same result.
220- Dario Rodriguez (Kearney) vs #2 Kasten Grape (Columbus)
Grape pinned Rodriguez in the first period at the Kearney Invite, and should repeat that performance tonight.
285- Peter Kreutzer (Kearney) vs #5 Eddie Loredo (Columbus)
Loredo won 3-1 over Kreutzer at the Kearney Invite, and the Discoverers will likely need a bonus point win from Loredo to help their chances to win this dual.