OMAHA — Winside powered through a solid first day and put four wrestlers in the semifinals to highlight the area effort during the opening rounds of the 2022 Nebraska State High School Wrestling Championships at the CHI Center.
The Wildcats’ top four wrestlers all reached the semifinals with solid first-day efforts, getting bonus points in seven of their combined eight matches on the first day.
Jacoby Mann had a fast pin and a major decision to move on to the semifinals at 120 pounds, improving to 30-2 on the season.
Cayden Ellis won his 150th career match in the quarterfinals, a 14-6 major decision over Ted Hemmingsen that was added to a first-round technical fall to put the 37-4 senior in the 126-pound semifinals.
Twin brothers Art and Gabe Escalante both advanced to the semifinals with a pair of victories. Art picked up two pins at 145 pounds to win his 40th match of the season, while Gabe had a pin and a 3-0 decision to improve to 35-2 and advance to the semis at 160 pounds.
Mason Topp won his first match by pin at 195 pounds, but fell in the quarterfinals. Korbin Carlson (113) and Maddox Magwire (138) both lost their first-round matches.
The Wildcats’ efforts put them in second place in the Class D team standings with 43.5 points, trailing only top-ranked Sutherland, which put six through to the semifinals and leads with 62 points.
The day was a rough one for the five Wayne High Blue Devils who qualified, as all five wrestlers lost their first-round matches.
The five Blue Devils — Will Leseberg (106), Garrett Schult (120), Ashton Munsell (138), Dakota Spann (182) and Martin Carrillo (195) — will all have a chance to come back through the consolation rounds on Thursday. Two wins in the morning session and a third win during Friday night’s “blood and guts” round will guarantee a medal spot for those wrestlers.
In Class C action, Quad County’s Kolby Casey was pinned late in the first period of his first-round match at 195 pounds. He will wrestle in Friday’s consolations as well.
Friday’s wrestling will include the first-ever girls division, and two Wayne High wrestlers will be among the 144 girls competing. Ichell Rivas (100) and Jaycee Bruns (126) will both wrestle in the opening round, which starts at 12:30 p.m.
