Six wrestlers from the Panhandle…all in Class B will be going for state titles Saturday afternoon in Omaha with 24 others guaranteed medals in consolation action.
Scottsbluff has the largest regional contingent in the finals with 3: Juan Delacruz at 106, Keegan Hessler at 113, and 2-time defending state champion Colton Adams at 132.
Alliance undefeated Tyson Dowler in the 152 title match, while Chadron’s Colby Riesen is going after his 3 medal and first title at 160.
Losing in the championship semifinals Friday and wrestling Saturday morning in the Class B consolation semifinals are Scottsbluff’s Joseph FloresYbarra at 120 and Andrew Aratani at 285, Chadron’s Chance Bila at 170…who suffered his first loss of the year…and Alliance teammates Devin Ushio at 120, Walker Johnson at 126 and Dawson Johnson at 160.
Also in the Class B consolation semifinals are Baily Hort of Gering at 113, Tyler Smith of Alliance at 138, Chadron’s Willy and Cooper Cogdill…Willy at 152 and Cooper at 182, and at 195 Kyson Schnell of Alliance and Tanner Winholz of Sidney…who face each other.
Falling to the Class C consolation semis after losing in the championship semifinals are Brandon Nichols of Bridgeport at 138 and Brendan Swanson of Mitchell at 170. Garrett Shadbolt of Gordon-Rushville earned his slot coming up through the bracket.
In Class D, all 4 Panhandle wrestlers in the championship semifinals lost…Allen Denton of Bayard at 160, his 195-pound teammate Tanney Willey, and at 220 both Steve Horrocks of Hay Springs and Banner County’s David Gifford.
They join 6 others in the consolation semifinals: CJ Sidrow of Morrill at 106, Joey Johnson of Hay Springs 132, Garden County’s Makay Beck 152, Bayard’s Tristan Hunter 170, and 285 both Matthew Hessler of Morrill and Chris Wurm of Bayard.
In the team race, Scottsbluff, Alliance, and Chadron are still in the top 10 in Class B. Scottsbluff is second behind Omaha Skutt…117.5 to 95…Alliance is 8th with 60.5, and Chadron is 10th with 53.5. No Panhandle team is in the top 10 in any other class.
Grand Island leads Omaha Burke155-127.5 in Class A, Central City has a 113-101.5 lead over O’Neill in Class C, and Pender has a 30.5 lead over Amherst in Class B 145-114.5.
Saturday’s schedule begins with the consolation semifinals for all classes at 8:30 MT, followed by the 3rd and 5th place matches. The finals…with all 4 classes going at the same time and broadcast statewide on NET…begin at 2:00 MT.