Pioneers qualify seven for state wrestling championships
Three girls and four boys from Nebraska City High School will head north to Omaha this week for the state wrestling championships.
By News Channel NebraskaNEBRASKA CITY - After impressive performances at districts, Nebraska City High School is sending seven total wrestlers to the state championships this week at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
Azaria Ruby (100), Rylee Stracke (120) and Jocelyn Davis (125) will be representing on the girls' side of things. Ruby (19-11) will wrestle Sandhills Valley's Aubree Stutzman (39-2) in the opening round after finishing fourth at districts. Stracke also finished fourth at districts after losing to eventual district champion Lacy Lemburg from Columbus-Lakeview.
The sophomore Stracke brings a 26-16 record into her opening round matchup with Saije Phelps (28-7) of Sandhills Valley. Davis finished second at the district meet as a sophomore and will put her 26-13 record to the test against Grand Island junior Briannah Kutschkau (39-11).
As for the boys, the Pioneers qualifiers are juniors Drew Weddle (126) and Gabe Hartman (132). Senior Bayler Poston qualified at 152-pounds as a district champion and sophomore Dawson Thorne will compete at 285-pounds.
Poston (24-9) pinned his first two opponents at the district meet before winning by tech fall in the semifinals and a 12-3 major decision over Scottsbluff's Mason Wagner in the final. Poston will face Miguel Cullum (42-9) from Columbus-Lakeview.
Weddle finished second at districts and enters the state championships with a 21-11 record. He faces York's Emmett Dirks in the opening round at 126. At 132, Hartman (30-9) will look to follow his third-place district finish with an opening round win against Lance Olberding (38-3) of Fort Calhoun. Hartman has the best individual record of any Pioneer qualifier.
Thorne (11-13) was a fourth-place finisher at districts, falling to Auburn's Owen Rowell and faces Daulton Kuehn (42-6) from Minden in his opening match.
The state championships begin Thursday, Feb. 16 in Omaha and conclude Saturday, Feb. 18. Below is a list of other River Country wrestlers competing this week.
Girls
100: Payton Thiele (47-0), Louisville, Jocelyn Prado (25-4), Johnson County Central 105: Alejandra Reyes (32-15), Johnson County Central 110: Bettie Chambers (24-4), Palmyra 115: Kylee Plowman (37-3), Conestoga 130: Libby Sutton (36-10), Weeping Water 145: Rita Ceballos (29-6), Johnson County Central, Maggie Fiene (39-7), Conestoga, Daysha Jones (40-10), Louisville 170: Catalina Jones (31-6), Louisville 190: Makena Schramm (35-0), Fairbury 235: Evelyn Bryan-Aldrich (15-8), Palmyra
Boys
Class B
138: Reed Patera (37-8), Platteview 145: Logan Wooten (13-9), Plattsmouth 152: Bryar Nadrchal (14-3), Platteview 170: Mathew Zitek (27-12), Plattsmouth 220: Ben Tuttle (28-18), Platteview, Caleb Adkins (16-0), Plattsmouth 285: Owen Rowell (30-7), Auburn, Orion Parker (29-8), Plattsmouth
Class C
106: Bailey Thimmes (31-12), Falls City, Carter Wander (25-10), Syracuse 113: Gavin Gerths (27-21), Fairbury 126: Spencer Weers (26-28), Fairbury 132: Dalton Van Laningham (33-21), Fairbury 138: Levi Boardman (43-12), Johnson County Central 145: Connor Gerths (35-14), Fairbury, Wyatt Olberding (46-2), Falls City, Barret Brandt (35-1), Syracuse 152: Cater Plowman (31-9), Conestoga 160: Robert Gilkerson (34-6), Falls City, Riley Arner (26-21), Fairbury, Lucas Anderson (29-12), Conestoga, Cy Petersen (41-3), Syracuse 170: Kadyn Strecker (23-17), Falls City 195: Andy Maloley (22-4), Humboldt, Table Rock, Steinauer 220: Evan Bryan-Aldrich (41-4), Palmyra, Gage Totilas (40-9), Conestoga 285: Drake Richtarik (26-14), Fairbury
Class D
113: Caelen Wipf (29-9), Weeping Water 182: Brennan Demike (30-16), Weeping Water