Junior Kelise Krivohlavek set a new bar for Arlington High School girls Saturday during the final day of the NSAA State Wrestling Championships in Omaha.
The Eagle claimed fourth at 125 pounds, ending her tournament 4-2 and her breakout campaign 38-4. While she and Brooklyn Ruskamp are their schools' first state qualifiers this season, Krivohlavek is AHS' first-ever medalist on the mat.
“Thinking about my team just really made me relaxed,” she said Friday. “To get here, it was all of the hard work that we've all put in and I'm glad to see it pay off.”
Krivohlavek approaches matches stoically, but broke out into a smile after securing a medal stand spot by first-period pin.
“I'm just really happy that I get a medal tomorrow,” the junior said, her voice breaking into a laugh.
After a 2-1 start to the state tournament — which included a loss to the eventual state champion, Jordyn Campbell of Yutan — Krivohlavek faced 37-5 Grand Island wrestler Briannah Kutschkau during the win-or-go-home heartbreak round. She finished the match by pin just 1:23 in, resorting to her usual methods to get the job done.
“Usually I go for a chop, but, if that doesn't work, coach puts me into a tight-waist ankle because I can really drive them to their belly,” Krivohlavek said, describing her technique. “Then I just run a half (nelson) and, so far, I haven't had any girls get out of that.”
From there, the AHS standout competed in two matches Saturday, going 1-1. She first pinned Kearney's Trinity Nagatani in 3:35 before closing the season with a third-place match loss to Omaha Skutt's Aubrie Pehrson.
After a brief attempt at wrestling in elementary school, Krivohlavek helped start coach Doug Hart's girls wrestling program last season. Less than two full years in, she's established herself as Arlington's best.
“It shows it doesn't matter how many years you've been wrestling,” the 125-pounder said. “You can be a state medalist.”
Ruskamp makes state debut
After a quick loss to start the tournament against 39-1 Madelynn Bohnet of South Sioux City, Ruskamp, the Eagles' freshman 105-pounder, bounced back and earned a 6-4 lead against Nebraska City's Addisyn Walters on Friday.
The Eagle scored a quick takedown, but was reversed in the first period before earning her own reversal and back points in the second.
In the end, though, Walters caught and pinned Ruskamp in 3:43 to end her season.
“She wrestled really well in that match,” Hart said. “We just couldn't pull it off.”
The loss capped a successful 22-14 campaign for the AHS wrestler.
“For a freshman, being down here and being under the lights is impressive in its own right,” Hart said.
Ruskamp, he noted, started wrestling in elementary school well before there was even a high school team to work toward.
“Once we got girls wrestling, it was all she wrote for Brooklyn,” Hart said. “She bought in.”
One season down and the 105-pounder already has her first state appearance. It's experience Krivohlavek hopes all of her teammates can build on.
“I have high hopes for our team next year,” the junior said. “I want everyone to go to state because I feel like we can.”
NSAA STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
GIRLS
Thursday-Saturday at CHI Health Center, Omaha
Top-10 team standings: Omaha Westside 111 points, Grand Island 110, Omaha Skutt 77, South Sioux City 71, Stanton 60, Papillion-La Vista 58, Omaha North 55, Summerland 48, Ralston 41, Lincoln East 39. Also: 34, Arlington, 20. 39, Blair, 18.
Arlington Results
(Weight: wrestler, tournament record (overall record))
105 pounds: Brooklyn Ruskamp, 0-2 (22-14)
125: Kelise Krivohlavek, 4-2 (38-4), fourth place
