FCHS standout wins races, qualifies for state again
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, right, finishes the 1,600-meter run just ahead of Cornerstone Christian's Justin Sherman on Thursday at Douglas County West.
Grant Egger
Kaylee Taylor, from left, Ely Olberding and Michael Maxon will represent Fort Calhoun during the 2023 NSAA State Track and Field Championships.
Grant Egger
The Eagles' Nolan May, middle, leads the 3,200-meter run just ahead of Fort Calhoun's Ely, left, and Lance Olberding, second from right, Saturday at Arlington High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun seniors Ely and Lance Olberding celebrated their signing to the Southeast Community College wrestling team Monday at FCHS.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding adjust his headgear Thursday at the CHI Health Center.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, top, competes Thursday at the CHI Health Center.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, facing, helps up Minden's Orrin Kuehn after their semifinals match Friday at the CHI Health Center.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding is introduced Saturday before his state championship match at 138 pounds inside the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Pioneers 138-pounder Ely Olberding, left, latches onto the leg of Bennington's Kyler Lauridsen on Saturday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding wrestled Saturday in Omaha to become a two-time NSAA State Champion — as spelled out on the CHI Health Center ribbon board during introductions — but finished second at 138 pounds.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 138-pounder Ely Olberding, left, faces Bennington's Kyler Lauridsen on Saturday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding is introduced Saturday before his state championship match at 138 pounds inside the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, facing, helps up Minden's Orrin Kuehn after their semifinals match Friday at the CHI Health Center.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 138-pounder Ely Olberding, left, competes against Minden's Orrin Kuehn on Friday at the CHI Health Center.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding, left, competes against Omaha Central's Kevin Boston on Saturday at Omaha Northwest.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding takes down Kameron Pilege of Omaha Westside on Saturday during the 151st win of his career. The Pioneers opened the Tom Dineen Invitational with his 150th victory at Omaha Creighton Prep.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, top, stretches out his Broken Bow opponent in an attempt to turn him to his back Saturday at Logan View.
Grant Egger
The Pioneers' Ely Olberding, left, takes down Millard South's Aaron Kreun on Saturday at Fort Calhoun High School.
Grant Egger
Senior brothers Lance, front left, and Ely Olberding return this winter for their final Fort Calhoun High School wrestling season.
Grant Egger
The third-place Fort Calhoun boys cross-country team poses for a photo Friday at Kearney Country Club. From left: Seth Waters, Lance Olberding, Travis Skelton, Lawson Tjardes, Ely Olberding, Gage Nixon and Will Dennis.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun seniors Lance, middle left, and Ely Olberding, middle right, run Friday at Kearney Country Club.
Grant Egger
Ely Olberding of Fort Calhoun competes Friday in Kearney.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Lance (1264) and Ely Olberding (1263) race Thursday during the Class C-2 District meet at Sycamore Farms near Waterloo.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun qualified 12 runners for the 2022 NSAA Class C State Cross-Country Championships. Front row, from left: Maelie Nelson, Kaitlyn Thalman, Dala Drowne, Bria Bench, Bella McLaughlin and Harley Schwarte. Back row: Lawson Tjardes, Lance Olberding, Gage Nixon, Travis Skelton, Ely Olberding and Will Dennis.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun senior Ely Olberding, right, leads Arlington junior Nolan May to the the final stretch of Thursday's 5-kilometer run at Fort Atkinson.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely, left, and Lance Olberding run Thursday at Blair High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding competes Wednesday at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Lance Olberding, left, and Ely Olberding run Wednesday at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding competes Wednesday at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Lance Olberding, left, and Ely Olberding run Wednesday at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun junior Ely Olberding, top, wrestles Wahoo's Isaiah Foster for third Saturday at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun coaches Drew Welchert, back left, and Jake Welchert speak with Ely Olberding, front left, and Lance Olberding on Friday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, left, competes against Hastings' Braiden Kort on Friday during the NSAA State Championship semifinals in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, looks to his coaches Thursday during a first round win in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, works to turn Sidney's Austin Munier on Thursday during the first round of the NSAA State Wrestling Championships in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun coaches Jake, left, and Drew Welchert instruct Ely Olberding from matside Thursday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun coaches Drew Welchert, back left, and Jake Welchert speak with Ely Olberding, front left, and Lance Olberding on Friday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, left, competes against Hastings' Braiden Kort on Friday during the NSAA State Championship semifinals in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, looks to his coaches Thursday during a first round win in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, works to turn Sidney's Austin Munier on Thursday during the first round of the NSAA State Wrestling Championships in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun coaches Jake, left, and Drew Welchert instruct Ely Olberding from matside Thursday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, competes against Caleb Berg of South Sioux City on Thursday in Omaha.
Joe Burns
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, looks to his coaches Thursday during a first round win in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding hooks the arm of Jack Hartman on Saturday in Aurora.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, top, works to turn DC West/Concordia wrestler Jack Hartman on Saturday during the Class B District 2 Tournament in Aurora. Olberding and his brother Lance each qualified for a third time during the event.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun brothers Lance, left, and Ely Olberding each qualified for their third NSAA State Wrestling Championships on Saturday during district competition.
Grant Egger
Jake Welchert, from left, Monte Christensen, Ely Olberding, Lance Olberding, Drew Welchert and Jim Meyer pose for a photo Saturday after Ely broke Christensen's school record for career wrestling wins in Wakefield. Olberding, a junior, now has 132 wins competing for his coaches, the Welcherts, after Christensen earned 129 under Meyer in the 1990s.
Photo Courtesy of Erika Donahue
Fort Calhoun 126-pounder Ely Olberding, left, pinned Omaha Central's Jordyn Brookins in 16 seconds Saturday at Boys Town.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun junior Ely Olberding rounds the final curve of Friday's race at Kearney Country Club.
Grant Egger
The Fort Calhoun boys cross-country team won a Class C state title Friday during the NSAA State Championships at Kearney Country Club. Pictured are coach Rebecca McMahon, from left, Lawson Tjardes, Johnathon Schwarte, Gage Nixon, Lance Olberding, Jacob Rupp, Ely Olberding, Travis Skelton, coahc Jim Meyer and coach Kyle McMahon.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Gage Nixon, from left, Johnathon Schwarte, Lance Olberding, Jacob Rupp, Ely Olberding, Travis Skelton and Lawson Tjardes are 2021 Class B cross-country champions.
Grant Egger
District champion Ely Olberding of Fort Calhoun races to the finish line Thursday at Fort Atkinson.
Teresa Hoffman
The Fort Calhoun cross-country team qualified for the Class C state meet Thursday during district competition at Fort Atkinson. Team members are front row, from left, Harley Schwarte, Dala Drowne, Tess Skelton, Kaitlyn Thalman and Xinzhi Huang. Back row: Lawson Tjardes, Gage Nixon, Johnathon Schwarte, Lance Olberding, Jacob Rupp, Ely Olberding and Travis Skelton.
Teresa Hoffman
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding runs Thursday at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun junior Ely Olberding runs Thursday during the Pioneers' home invite at Fort Atkinson.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding, left, runs Thursday at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Gage Nixon, from left, Lawson Tjardes, Lance Olberding, Jacob Rupp, Travis Skelton and Ely Olberding start Tuesday's race in Plattsmouth.
Grant Egger
The Fort Calhoun cross-country team returns plenty of varsity depth this season, including state medalists Jacob Rupp, front row, left, and Bria Bench, right. Second row, from left: Kylie Perfetti, Dala Drowne and Kaitlyn Thalman. Third row: Luke Gustafson, Ely Olberding, Lance Olberding and Johnathon Schwarte.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun Pioneer Ely Olberding, top, controls Maine's Julian Henderson on Monday during a Nebraska-Maine Exchange Dual at Arlington High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, left, scores a takedown Saturday during the NSAA State Championships in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, top, wrestles Friday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, top, works to score back points against Raymond Central's Jacob Schultz on Friday in Omaha.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, right, picks up his opponent Saturday at Albion Boone Central.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's 2021 NSAA State Wrestling Championship qualifiers are Grant Nixon, from left, Lance Olberding, Ely Olberding and Trey McCoy.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, top, works Raymond Central's Jacob Schultz to his back Saturday at Arlington High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun 113-pounder Ely Olberding, left, works to turn the Raiders' Wyatt Willnerd on Saturday at Logan View.
Grant Egger
Wrestlers Ely Olberding, facing, drills with Trey McCoy on Tuesday at Fort Calhoun High School.
Grant Egger
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding looks down course Friday at Kearney Country Club.
Fort Calhoun's Ely Olberding, right, races to the finish line Thursday at Sycamore Farms near Waterloo.
Athlete of the Week Ely Olberding recently won two races — the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs — in Louisville and qualified for the NSAA State Championships during a meet in Elkhorn. The Fort Calhoun Pioneer was honored alongside Arlington baseball player Jack Bang and Greta Galbraith of the Blair track team this week.
