OMAHA — For the first time since 2004, Wayne High School will bring home more than one medal from the Nebraska State Wrestling Championships.
Mike Leatherdale secured a medal Thursday by winning his first two matches in Class B, 285-pound action, and Reece Jaqua clinched the Blue Devils’ second medal with an exciting win in Friday night’s heartbreak round at the CHI Health Center.
Jaqua and Oscar Lopez of O’Neill were tied at 2-2 going to the third period and both wrestlers reversed one another to tie the score at 4-4. Lopez cut Jaqua free with :36 left in hopes of getting a go-ahead takedown, but Jaqua defended himself and came away with a 5-4 win to advance to Saturday’s consolation semifinals.
To top the night off, Leatherdale earned Wayne’s first finals appearance since Dana Schuett was a state runner-up in 2005, pinning Alfredo Valquier of Nebraska City in the third period to earn a spot in Saturday’s finals. He’ll face a rematch with Arlington’s Remmington Gay, who handed Leatherdale his first loss in last week’s district finals.
In other area action, Winside secured three spots on the medal stand as Gabe Escalante (138) won in the semifinals while twin brother Art Escalante (132) came from behind to win in the third-round consolations. Cayden Ellis lost in the semifinals at 113 and will be in the consolation semifinals when action begins Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
Friday’s Results
Class B
126 — Reece Jaqua, Wayne, pinned Caden Eggleston, Norris, :32; maj. dec. Dominic Cherek, Plattsmouth, 16-2; dec. Oscar Lopez, O’Neill, 5-4. (on to consolation semifinals)
170 — Reid Korth, Wayne, dec. Damian Smith, Holdrege, 11-4; pinned Isaiah Young, Gothenburg, 4:51; dec. by Brett Tinker, Wayne, 7-2. (eliminated)
182 — Efrin Aguirre, Lexington, pinned Dakota Spann, Wayne, 1:50. (eliminated)
195 — Cade Janke, Wayne, dec. Austin Smith, Lakeview, 3-1; dec. by Dexter Larsen, Blair, 3-2. (eliminated)
220 — Jacob Ludwig, Ashland-Greenwood, pinned Martin Carrillo, Wayne, 4:04. (eliminated)
285 — Mike Leatherdale, Wayne, pinned Alfredo Valquier, Nebraska City, 4:43 (on to finals)
Class C
195 — Aiden Worthey, HTRS, pinned Kolby Casey, QCNE, 2:20. (eliminated)
Class D
113 — Scout Ashburn, Plainivew, dec. Cayden Ellis, Winside, 9-2 (drop to consolation semifinals)
132 — Art Escalante, Winside, dec. Hunter Kildow, Bayard, 7-4; pinned Carter Buchheit, Hemingford, 4:03. (on to consolation semifianls)
138 — Gabe Escalante, Winside, Dec. Dustin Klingsporn, Axtell, 7-3. (on to finals)
