Arlington wrestlers Jake Flesner and Tate Johannes won their way to the championship round of their home tournament Saturday evening.
It was exactly where the Eagles' 190-pounder wanted to be.
“It always feels great to make it to that point, especially at home,” Johannes said.
Both Flesner and he ultimately finished second in their weight classes, leading coach Doug Hart's squad to a ninth-place team finish. Raymond Central took first and Elkhorn North second during the 15-team invitational.
Flesner was the 120-pound runner-up, dropping his final match to Tekamah-Herman's Blayne Williams by 14-2 major decision. To qualify for the first-place bout, however, the Eagle pinned 14-11 Bancroft-Rosalie wrestler Landon Bonneau and secured a 10-2 major decision against 14-3 Tyson Philbrick of Elkhorn North.
Hart brought up Flesner when asked who from his team stood out.
Johannes stood out scoring pins during both the quarterfinals and semifinals. He stuck Logan Baker of Omaha Concordia in 2:50 before stopping Lincoln Northwest's Cooper Floyd in 1:28.
Tekamah's Gabe Stock, however, won their 190-pound final.
Like Flesner and Johannes, Arlington's Stokely Lewis reached the semifinals during a fourth-place effort Saturday. The 175-pounder finished the day 2-2, besting both Hayden Meisenbach of Tekamah-Herman by 10-4 decision and Elkhorn North's Gabe Brabec by first-period pin.
Though they didn't earn podium spots, the Eagles' Haydn Hegemann, Braxton Soll, Tanner Kyllo, Cameron Hancock and Zane Gerrish won matches at home, too. Hegemann was 2-2 at 113 pounds, battling 26-4 Wahoo Neumann wrestler Tate Abbott during a consolation semifinals. He lost the bout just 8-5.
“He gave it a hundred percent at a really tough bracket,” Johannes said.
Soll, meanwhile, was 2-2 at 126 pounds with a pin and a 4-0 decision win.
“He had a very stacked bracket,” Johannes noted. “(There were) a lot of ranked kids, and he went out there and gave them a show.”
Kyllo's 2-2 showing at 150 pounds was slowed during a consolation round match with Devron Jackson of Boys Town. The wrestlers collided at one point during the match, causing lacerations on both of their faces.
Kyllo's bandage wrapped around his head and covered his bloody eyebrow, while Jackson's stopped his cheek from leaking onto the mat. The match was stopped a second time when Kyllo's wrap slipped and he uttered the words “I can't see,” but he won in the end by technical fall.
Meanwhile, Hancock and Gerrish won one match apiece at 132 and 285 pounds, respectively. Their team next competes 6 p.m. today in home dual against Douglas County West.
Johannes said the Eagles still have room to improve as the season winds down.
“I think we do a really good job of keeping ourselves in the game through the entire match,” he explained. His team isn't always the first to strike, though.
“That's one of the biggest things to increase your odds of winning and we're struggling with getting that first hit,” Johannes explained. “I know that's my biggest issue.”
After Tuesday's dual, AHS can next take their shots 10 a.m. Saturday during the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament in Fort Calhoun.
Eagles finish 4th at Yutan
Before fulfilling their hosting duties Saturday, the Eagles finished fourth out of nine teams Thursday in Yutan.
Hancock led Coach Hart's squad, securing first at 132 pounds. He won three matches to top the podium, besting Gus Grint of the host Chieftains by pin during the finals round.
Kyllo and Lewis, meanwhile, secured second-place AHS finishes during the tournament. Kyllo earned two wins at 150 pounds as Lewis took two at 175.
Jake Flesner (120 pounds), Soll (126) and Johannes (190) added third-place results for the Eagles as well, while Gerrish was fourth at heavyweight. Owen Meehan and Ben Flesner were fifth in their weight classes, too, while Cameron Wirsen, Brayden Nathan and Tristin Kwiatkowski were sixth in their's.
AHS' Tucker Jorgensen earned first at his 175-pound junior varsity weight, too.
AHS BOYS WRESTLING RESULTS
ARLINGTON INVITE
Saturday at Arlington High School
Top-10 team standings: Raymond Central 163 points, Elkhorn North 146.5, Tekamah-Herman 128, Wahoo Neumann 125, Lincoln Christian 118, West Point-Beemer 104.5, Wahoo 96, North Bend Central 83.5, Arlington 72.5, Boys Town 69.5.
Arlington top-6 placers: 2, Jake Flesner, 120 pounds. 2, Tate Johannes, 190. 4, Stokely Lewis, 175.
YUTAN INVITATIONAL
Thursday at Yutan High School
Team standings: Lincoln Christian 129 team points, Fort Calhoun 123.5, Yutan 113, Arlington 94.5, Stanton 78, Crete 74.5, Lincoln Lutheran 67, Cedar Bluffs 36.5, EMF 28.
Arlington top-6 placers: 1, Cameron Hancock, 132 pounds. 2, Tanner Kyllo, 150. 2, Stokely Lewis, 175. 3, Jake Flesner, 120. 3, Braxton Soll, 126. 3, Tate Johannes, 190. 4, Zane Gerrish, 285. 5, Owen Meehan, 144. 5, Ben Flesner, 165. 6, Cameron Wirsen, 120. 6, Brayden Nath, 157. 6, Tristin Kwiatkowski, 285. JV: 1, Tucker Jorgensen, 175. 3, Noah Brodahl, 132.
