The NSAA District 1 Tournament version of the Arlington girls wrestling team looked nothing like the one that began its first season with its first-ever official practice in November.
“The whole team made huge improvements,” Eagles coach Doug Hart said Saturday afternoon.
His AHS wrestlers fell short of qualifying for the state tournament, but five girls did combine for six victories Friday and Saturday in Fremont. Their skills and their knowledge of their sport greatly improved throughout the season, which concluded with a 23rd-place finish.
“They wrestled well,” Hart said.
Kelise Krivohlavek and Jaydin Allen were the most successful Eagles during the course of the tournament. Krivohlavek, a 125-pounder, went 2-2 with a pair of pins during the first and second championship rounds Friday night. She beat both Maria Narvaez of Omaha Bryan and Millard North's Ryleigh Eckles during the first period with a straight face, focused.
The 24-10 Eagle was, however, pinned during the quarterfinals and lost a consolation match to Stanton's Micah McGillivray by 5-2 decision.
Allen, meanwhile, bounced back from a first-match loss to finish 2-2 at 145 pounds. She pinned Plattsmouth's Olivia Byrom in 1:24 before stopping Elkhorn's Annabella Phillips in 1:23.
The 17-13 AHS wrestler's season ended, however, with a loss to Blair's Abigail James — Washington County's lone girls state tournament qualifier.
Like Krivohlavek, Carly Segebart reached the quarterfinals. The Arlington 155-pounder went 1-2 overall, besting Fremont's Sheccid Vallin by second-period pin in her first match of the district tourney.
Ireland Erixon also claimed a victory in Fremont, winning a 120-pound consolation match by first-period pin. She, too, was 1-2 for the Eagles, while Teagan Taylor went 0-for-2 in matches at 170 pounds.
Hart said his first girls team didn't know what moves were called during the first week of practice late last year, but has progressed enough to now know how to bounce back from disappointing losses.
“I think they made big strides there, too,” he said.
From the start, Arlington coaches have expressed a need for mental toughness. Hart hopes its a characteristic the Eagles keep with them as they continue on past their first season.
DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Friday-Saturday at Fremont High School
Top 10 teams: South Sioux City 245, Grand Island 242, Millard South 162, Aurora 106, Pierce 103, Fremont 94, Conestoga 89, Beatrice 85, Louisville 83, Stanton 68. Also: 11, Blair, 67. 23, Arlington, 23.
Arlington Results
(Weight: wrestler, district record (season record), place)
120 pounds: Ireland Erixon, 1-2(6-6), NA
125: Kelise Krivohlavek, 2-2(24-10), NA
145: Jaydin Allen, 2-2(17-13), NA
155: Carly Segebart, 1-2(9-10), NA
170: Teagan Taylor, 0-2(0-2), NA
