Saturday will be the 8th NSAA State Dual Championships. Millard South is the defending Class A Champion. Last year was the Patriots fourth title, and this year they enter the state duals with the #1 seed after going 16-0 this season.

This is the fifth appearance in state duals for Columbus. Grand Island is in their seventh appearance. They won the state title in 2014 and finished runner up in 2013. Kearney has appeared in the State Duals every year of the tournament and won it in 2018 to go along with runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2017. Lincoln East is making their fourth appearance. The Spartans finished runner up in 2018 and 2019. Omaha Burke joins Kearney and Millard South in appearing in State Duals every year of the tournament. The Bulldogs won the title in 2013 and finished runner up in 2015. Norfolk is making their second appearance and Millard North is making their first.

The Teams:

#1 Millard South Patriots
106 Bryce Jackson
113 #4 Caleb Coyle
120 #3 Joel Adams
126 Garrett Carbullido or Aiden Robertson
132 #1 Conor Knopick
138 #1 Tyler Antoniak
145 #1 Antrell Taylor
152 #3 Scott Robertson
160 Blake Smith
170 Alex White
182 #7 Ian Byington
195 #8 Chris Wortman
220 #1 Isaac Trumble
285 #8 Conner Hoy

#2 Grand Island Islanders
106 #3 Ein Obermiller
113 #1 Juan Pedro
120 #7 Rogelio Ruiz
126 #2 Blake Cushing
132 Kael Kingery
138 #5 Brody Arrants
145 Ethan Steinfeldt
152 Tyler Salpas
160 #8 Kolby Lukasiewicz
170 Izaiah Deras
182 #2 Daylon Keolavone
195 Alex Cavazos
220 Alex Rodriguez
285 Michael Isele

#3 Lincoln East Spartans
106 #1 Keith Smith
113 #3 Brandon Baustert
120 Case Jurgens/Cole Toline
126 Case Jurgens/Cole Toline
132 #4 Nic Swift
138 Noah Mitchell or Heath Jensen
145 #2 Breckin Sperling
152 Chase Kemmerer
160 #1 Maxx Mayfield
170 #1 Grant Lyman
182 #4 Edward Lankas
195 Aiden Ingwerson
220 Brendan McGlothlin
285 #4 Ge’Auvien Creighton

#4 Norfolk Panthers
106 James Cole
113 Calvin Empkey
120 Dylan Busch
126 #8 Weston Godfrey
132 #7 Aaron Dittmer
138 Cory Armstrong
145 #8 Jacob Licking
152 #4 Josh Licking
160 #4 Brayden Splater
170 #4 Austin Miller
182 Hunter Mangelson
195 Laikon Ames
220 #4 Brayden Heffner
285 Jake Jensen

#5 Omaha Burke Bulldogs
106 Julio Reyes
113 Jordan BeyEssman
120 #4 Nathan Rubino
126 #1 Jakason Burks/Sammy Rubino
132 #1 Jakason Burks/Sammy Rubino
138 #7 Jayden Looney
145 Mitch Dotzler
152 Blaine Miller
160 #3 Deson Stapleton
170 Austin Dougherty
182 Clayton Jackson
195 Jaysean Stanfield
220 Muminjon Mirzoev
285 #5 Nolan Olafson

#6 Millard North Mustangs
106 Tanner Clanton
113 #5 Solomon Allerheiligan
120 Kameron Robbins
126 Braedin Harris
132 Akesh Satti
138 #3 Peyton Meink
145 Brian Petry
152 Tony Rinn
160 #6 Guillermo Espinoza
170 Connor Rinn
182 Lucas Nigh
195 #3 Jon Keller
220 Chris Shiney
285 #7 Zeph Sivels

#7 Kearney Bearcats
106 #8 Perry Swarm
113 #2 Archer Heelan
120 Hunter Nagatani
126 #4 Rylie Steele
132 Cisco Rivas
138 #2 Brayden Smith
145 #4 Gage Ferguson
152 #4 Guage McBride
160 Tate Kuchera
170 Josh Pierson
182 Bronson Amend
195 #5 Alex Hunt
220 #8 Dario Rodriguez
285 Peter Kreutzer

#8 Columbus Discoverers
106 #2 Adrian Bice
113 Blake Cerny
120 #6 Clay Cerny
126 Andon Stenger
132 #5 Tanner Kobza
138 Alex Korte
145 Levi Bloomquist
152 #8 Rylee Iburg
160 Mac Shevlin
170 #2 Blayze Standley
182 #3 Anthony DeAnda
195 #2 Kasten Grape
220 Victor Catalan
285 Sam Beyer

Previous Matchups

Columbus 36 Kearney 25
Columbus 40 Norfolk 26
Grand Island 45 Kearney 33
Grand Island 46 Omaha Burke 30
Grand Island 35 Lincoln East 34
Grand Island 45 Columbus 27
Grand Island 34 Columbus 34
Kearney 48 Columbus 29
Kearney 38 Columbus 28
Lincoln East 44 Kearney 21
Lincoln East 39 Columbus 25
Lincoln East 44 Kearney 19
Lincoln East 40 Norfolk 27
Millard South 44 Columbus 30
Millard South 53 Lincoln East 17
Millard South 49 Grand Island 22
Millard South 37 Kearney 24
Millard South 49 Columbus 21
Omaha Burke 46 Millard North 27

The Bracket

The Predictions:

Quarterfinals:

#1 Millard South over #8 Columbus
It will be the third matchup between the two teams, and the first time the two lineups will have their full lineups healthy. Columbus will have advantage at upper weights, whereas Millard South will have the advantage at lower weights. Expect a lot of bonus point matches. Millard South has an advantage in the middle weights and could start to pull away if they get momentum rolling.

#5 Omaha Burke over #4 Norfolk
The two teams will have contrasting styles in this matchup. Both teams have deep lineups but Burke should have the advantage based on their ability to score bonus points at several weights. Norfolk can never be counted out though with their mental toughness and will to win. Burke overall will have the more experienced wrestlers and should win in a close one.

#3 Lincoln East over #6 Millard North
Millard North has only dualed one team in this field and fell to Burke. Lincoln East is deep and experienced and has been here many times before. The wrestlers will be familiar with each other from the CB Classic and the North Star Invite. Lincoln East has the deeper lineup on paper, and should pull away in this one. Allerheiligen and Baustert at 113 is the marquee match in this one.

#2 Grand Island over #7 Kearney
Grand Island has one win over Kearney this year, and will look to add two more over the Bearcats this week as the dual on Thursday prior to their meeting Saturday. Some of the teams’ strongest wrestlers will be at the same weight classes. Injuries have hurt Kearney this year and could slow them down in the duals a little bit. Grand Island may win a close one where it could come down to 285. All eyes will certainly be on the 113 match between #1 Juan Pedro vs #2 Archer Heelan.

Semifinals

#1 Millard South over #4 Omaha Burke
It would be the first match up between the two schools this season, although they are familiar with each other from a metro perspective. The two team’s strength is definitely in the lower half of their lineups. After a back and forth early part of the dual, the Patriots will pull away as they move up into the upper weights. Will we see Burks vs Knopick again at 132?

#3 Lincoln East over #2 Grand Island
Grand Island won the early season match up at the Fracas by one point, 34-33. This semifinal will be very tightly contested. Lincoln East was not at the full strength in that dual, and Grand Island has had guys change weights since then so this dual will be all over the place. Both teams have ranked kids all over the board. It could come down to bonus points where Lincoln East holds a slight advantage with Mayfield, Lyman, and Sperling being at the top in bonus point victories in Class A. Expect Lincoln East to win a very close one.

Finals

#1 Millard South over #3 Lincoln East
The two teams have started to separate themselves from the rest of Class A, and it will be a tight dual for the Championship. Millard South ran away the first dual 53-17. Lincoln East will look a lot different this time around. The match will be decided with swing matches at 182, 195, and 285. In the end, Millard South should remain unbeaten and bring home back to back titles.