OMAHA (KMTV) — The Nebraska state wrestling tournament kicked off Thursday at the CHI Health Center.
- Libby Sutton pulled off an upset Thursday in the Girls 125 lb. division.
- Video shows results from quarterfinal rounds of the state wrestling tournament.
- One wrestler in Class B, Skutt Catholic junior Cade Ziola, is a defending state champ and a Nebraska wrestling commit.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
State wrestling quarterfinals, ladies first. Ralston's Dylen Richtey remains perfect after pinning a pair of her opponents at 140. Meanwhile, Westside's Regan Rosseter also remaining undefeated after two pins at 130, the 2nd marking the 100th of her career. And the upset of the night, Weeping Water's Libby Sutton stuns two-time champ Aubrie Pehrson at 125.
"I had no strategy, I had no hope," said Sutton. "I didn't think I was going to win until I just started going you know. Like everything started clicking."
In Class A boys, Millard South easily in 1st place thanks in part to Kiernan Mienk moving on. The sophomore a state champ a year ago at 106 on to the semifinals again this time at 120.
Another Millard South sophomore moving on to semifinal Friday is Brady Danze at 132, making his first final four appearance after edging out a senior that had 52 wins, 3-2 the final.
And at 157, Papio's Sterling Sindelar is semifinal bound for the first time following a 6-0 shutout.
"This means the world," Sindelar said. "I put in the work for this sport since I was three years old. It's just all paid off."
In Class B wrestling, plenty of athletes returning to the state tournament.
One of them: Skutt Catholic junior Cade Ziola.
He’s a defending state champ, he’s undefeated this season, and he’s committed to wrestle at Nebraska.
He says that only adds a little bit of pressure this time around at state.
“It makes me more motivated honestly,” Ziola said. “I want to represent my state super well. It’s an honor to be committed there too. And man, I just want to show those guys what I’m capable of. I’m so super grateful to them for giving me the opportunity.”
Ziola cruised through the first two rounds, earning a 23-7 tech fall in the quarterfinals against Columbus Lakeview’s Yordi Dominguez.
Back down in Class B 106, Cade’s younger brother, Ben, a freshman at Skutt Catholic, moves on to the semis as well, after a 9-4 decision over Blair’s Tanner Bellamy.
At 150 in Class B, two-time defending state champ Kyler Lauridsen moves on for the third straight year after a tech fall against York’s Hudson Holoch.
“I was trying to get a little workout in those first two matches just to get prepared for the bigger matches down the road,” Lauridsen said. “So I was just taking it easy, not trying to mess up, keep my technique up and get the job done.”
In Class B 113, Bennington’s Cadyn Coyle advances to the semis, pinning Gross Catholic’s Josh Shear in the first period.
Class B 157, Skutt Catholic’s Niko Rotella moves on with the 6-1 decision over Wahoo’s Noah Bordovsky.
And at Class B 215, Elkhorn senior Mason Villwok, another defending champ, pins Carver Konzem from Ashton-Greenwood in the second period to advance to day two.
“Tough competition all the way through,” he said. “The biggest thing is just… I want to keep my legacy going on and I want to keep making my school proud.”
The state semifinals start at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the CHI Health Center.
