Kelise Krivohlavek was there in November 2022 when the Arlington High School girls wrestling program held its first practice.
“Honestly, I have to laugh,” the now-senior Eagle said Wednesday. “We, literally, had no clue what was going on.”
Just a few years later, though, the 120-pounder stepped out of the NSAA State Wrestling Championships tunnel into a darkened CHI Health Center under a spotlight as her name was announced to thousands in the Omaha crowd. Krivohlavek lost her title match to Columbus Lakeview's Lacy Lemburg on Wednesday, but she ends her three seasons as an AHS grappler as the fledging program's only two-time medalist and a state runner-up.
“I'm just really proud of us because we've come so far,” Krivohlavek said. “In the moment, you don't realize how far you've come until you sit back and look.”
With six state qualifiers this season, the Eagles appear a lot different than they did during that first practice.
“We, literally, did not know anything about wrestling and we made it to state and placed,” Krivohlavek said, smiling through the sentence.
Altogether, the Arlington senior went 3-1 during the 2025 Class B tournament. She closes the season 36-2 overall.
“She’s different,” Eagles coach Layne Laaker said, detailing all of the hard work his two-time medalist put in. “She’s going to hold records probably for years to come and, even though she only got 3 years, I have a feeling a lot of those records are going to be really hard to beat.”
Krivohlavek started her state tourney Tuesday with back-to-back pins of Saije Phelps of Sandhills Valley and Tekamah-Herman's Kristi Raue. She then edged Battle Creek's Ella Reeves in overtime during the semifinals Wednesday, letting the emotion of the moment take over.
The Arlington wrestler keeps a straight face on the mat, but, after 6-plus minutes against Reeves, she looked like she was about to cry. Was she dead tired or just very, very happy?
“Both,” she said after the match.
Krivohlavek trailed the semifinals bout 6-1 through one period. She remained focused and listened to her coaches as they told her not to get frustrated.
“I just kept wrestling,” the senior said. “I was like, 'I just can't sit.' I did not want to get turned.”
The Eagle earned a lead during the third period, but Reeves took it right back. A late Krivohlavek escape and takedown, however, forced OT.
“That is Kelise to a 'T,'” Laaker said. “Cool and collected — even in the biggest moments.”
AHS' best wrestler scored a double-leg takedown in extra time, advancing onto the finals with a 14-11 decision. She didn't win a state championship from there, but she got to soak in two-straight state tournaments, earning her school's only two medals.
“It's meant a lot because, honestly, I did not think I was ever going to be here,” Krivohlavek said, her eyes welling up with tears. “I'm just really happy that I got the opportunity to wrestle at state.”
She credited all of her coaches for their efforts, including Laaker, Madison Pawoll and boys coach Doug Hart.
“They mean everything to me,” Krivohlavek said. “They're always there for me and I just love them.”
The senior doesn't discount their dedication.
“I appreciate all of them because of all of the time and effort they put into helping girls wrestling grow,” she said. “And just all of the patience they had teaching us how to wrestle because I know it was not easy at all.”
Laaker certainly appreciates his senior state medalist, too.
“She's a huge pillar for this program,” he said.
The Eagles are growing and improving, but the coach doesn't believe Arlington wrestling has the numbers going out in junior high and the youth programs it does right now without Krivohlavek's success. The senior was one of nine who showed up for the first high school practice in November 2022 and now she's the standard future Eagles will reach for.
5 more Eagles experience state
Five Eagles joined Krivohlavek in Omaha on Tuesday and Wednesday, but all five went 0-2 in their first state wrestling experiences.
“It's emotional,” Coach Laaker said. “But we're still a young program. We're only in year three.”
The group — Caitlyn Camp, Callee Shearer, Dianna Flores, Rylie Kyllo and Addyson Beam — included a freshman, a sophomore, two 2-year grapplers and a senior who wrestled junior varsity matches a year ago.
Altogether, the Arlington qualifiers were inexperienced, but still made it to state.
“It's a huge statement in itself,” Laaker said.
Shearer, a senior committed to Morningside University, led her first match Tuesday against Thayer Central's Braelyn Degenhardt before she got caught for a pin and finished 0-2.
Camp, an inaugural member of the original AHS girls team, too, lost two matches at 155 pounds by pin as well. She finished her senior year 11-11 overall.
Flores (190 pounds), Beam (235) and Kyllo (115) were all pinned twice, too. They close out the season with 22-14, 15-16 and 25-13 records, respectively.
Altogether, Laaker said it was a special season — his first as head coach.
“Probably just the sarcastic remarks every day at practice,” he said, grinning, when asked what he'll remember most about the 2024-25 team.
The Eagles, he explained, always enjoyed irritating him by saying they were going to Taco Bell after tournaments.
“They know it bothers me,” Laaker said, cracking another smile. “So they bring it up as much as possible.”
Ultimately, though, he thanked the wrestlers for buying in and giving him their all this season.
NSAA STATE GIRLS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday-Wednesday at the CHI Health Center, Omaha
CLASS B
Top-10 team standings: Yutan 130 points, Columbus Lakeview 97, Conestoga 79, Johnson County Central 75, Battle Creek 70, Crofton/Bloomfield 70, Palmyra 62.5, Southwest 62, Fort Calhoun 53, Minden 52, West Holt 52. Also: 30, Arlington, 22.
Arlington Eagles Results
(Weight, wrestler: Tourney record (overall record), place)
115 pounds, Rylie Kyllo: 0-2 (25-13), NA.
120, Kelise Krivohlavek: 3-1 (36-2), second.
130, Callee Shearer: 0-2 (28-13), NA
155, Caitlyn Camp: 0-2 (11-11), NA.
190, Dianna Flores: 0-2 (22-14), NA.
235, Addyson Beam: 0-2 (15-16), NA.
