Omaha Central welcomed the Fort Calhoun wrestling team to Saturday's Phil & Pat Pisale Invite with a 43-24 dual win.
“We don't match up necessarily really well there,” Pioneers coach Drew Welchert said after the 0-1 start to Omaha Northwest's dual tournament. “It's a tough one to have first.”
FCHS went just 3-4 in contested matches with the Class A Eagles, but its coach wasn't deterred.
“We've got four more (duals) and we'll focus on those,” he said.
The Pioneers responded, going 4-0 against Omaha Benson, Omaha Roncalli, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson and the host Huskies to finish second overall to Central. They routed all four opposing teams, too — 48-30, 59-18, 58-15 and 51-24, respectively.
AJ Duros and Lance Olberding led FCHS with 4-0 Saturdays. Duros earned four pins in his four contested matches, finishing a pair in just 42 and 43 seconds, respectively.
Olberding, meanwhile, won four matches with three pins and a technical fall competing at 132 pounds.
Central 145-pounder Kevin Boston ended Ely Olberding's unbeaten streak to start the season by 8-6 decision, but the senior Pioneer returned to 138 pounds and won three straight. He now has a school-best 158 wins in his career.
TJ Demilt was 3-1 on Saturday, too. He pinned Central's Maurice Hoffman in 1:26, eliciting a celebratory reaction from his coaches and teammates.
Welchert said he was proud of Demilt's work against the Eagle 152-pounder.
“We've got a lot of guys at 145 (pounds) and 152, and he's in the mix there,” the coach said. “He had a really good warmup and seemed real focused. So, we tossed him out there and he got a win.”
FCHS' Wesley Short was 3-1, too, as was Levi Lasher at 126 pounds. Dane Jensen went 2-0 in contested matches at heavyweight for the Pioneers, while Fred Altstadt went 1-0 at 145.
Mason Touring, Aidan Garbers and Dakota Tripp added a win apiece at Northwest, too. Gage Nixon, Matthew Kelly and Lawson Tjardes claimed team points by forfeit as well.
Overall, multiple Calhoun wrestlers who haven't regularly competed in varsity meets did Saturday.
“That's why I like these dual tournaments, especially in the second half of the year,” Welchert said. “We've got some guys finally with a little momentum, maybe in JV, that we can try out in some of these spots. It's nice to see them wrestle.”
Pioneers sweep triangular duals
On Thursday, FCHS hosted both Louisville and Platteview for duals on its Youth Wrestling Night. The Pioneers beat the Lions first, 41-33, before a 48-27 victory against the Trojans.
Against Louisville, Lance Olberding, Ely Olberding and Nixon picked up contested victories. Ely Olberding and Nixon won by pin, while Lance Olberding claimed a 17-1 technical fall 32 seconds into the second period of his match with the Lions' Nicholas McCaul.
FCHS junior varsity wrestlers Seth Waters, Kelly and Michael Maxon also earned wins against Louisville.
Then, in the nightcap, Ely Olberding, Short, Jensen and Nixon won contested matches against Platteview. All four won by fall.
PHIL & PAT PISALE INVITE
Saturday at Omaha Northwest
Team standings: 1, Omaha Central, 5-0. 2, Fort Calhoun, 4-1. 3, Omaha Benson, 3-2. 4, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, 2-3. 5, Omaha Northwest, 1-4. 6, Omaha Roncalli, 0-5.
FCHS Dual Scores: Lost to Central 43-24; Beat Benson 48-30; Beat Roncalli 59-18; Beat Thomas Jefferson 58-15; Beat Northwest 51-24.
