No Washington County wrestlers won their weight classes Saturday during the nine-team Nebraska Capitol Conference (NCC) Boys Tournament at Fort Calhoun High School.
The county's coaches agreed that the competition level was high with Syracuse taking first, the host Pioneers earning third and the Arlington Eagles finishing fifth overall.
“Syracuse wrestles a pretty tough schedule, so those guys always come in pretty tough,” AHS coach Doug Hart said. “Raymond Central's always tough. They're deep.”
He continued.
“Logan View's got some guys. DC West has got some guys,” Hart noted. “Our conference, it's become a pretty tough wrestling conference.”
Calhoun coach Drew Welchert is of the same opinion.
“Not everybody is bringing a full team every time, but everybody here brings at least a couple of real tough kids,” he said. “There's a lot of similar teams in this conference and a lot of similar styles, and it's fun to watch them go out there and battle it out a little bit.”
It's tough going.
“There's not an easy bracket in this conference,” Welchert added. “That makes it worth a little bit more when you get away with one.”
That's not a bad thing for those who don't finish first either.
“It's good,” Hart said. “It's what we need to see going into the postseason.”
His Eagles lineup went without a finalist, but that didn't speak to how the wrestlers competed Saturday morning into the afternoon.
“We did alright,” the coach said. “We wrestled pretty tough.”
He noted third-place 175-pounder Stokely Lewis among the AHS wrestlers he was impressed with. The grappler went 3-1, falling to Raymond Central's Matt Larson during the semifinals, but battling back with a pair of consolation wins. He bested Yutan's Tyler Keiser by 8-5 decision in his finale.
The Eagles' Jake Flesner (120 pounds), Tanner Kyllo (150), Tate Johannes (190) and Zane Gerrish (285) added third-place results, too, while Ben Flesner was fourth at 165 pounds. Kyllo was the team pins leader with three, while Cole Flynn — who fell just short of the podium — was second with two.
Both Flesners, Johannes, Gerrish, Cameron Hancock and Lewis added a conference pin apiece, too.
Fort Calhoun, meanwhile, had two NCC finalists Saturday. Both Lucas DeMilt (1-1 at 106 pounds) and Merritt Olberding (1-1 at 120) each wrestled for their respective weight class titles, but fell short. DeMilt lost by pin, while Olberding dropped a 1-0 decision to 25-1 Yutan wrestler Eli Kult.
Overall, Welchert said he was content with his team's effort at home.
“We've had a couple of outings recently where we did pretty well and we've had some where we kind of underperformed,” the coach said. “So, I think we were right where we were supposed to be today.”
FCHS' Presley Olberding (126 pounds), Levi Lasher (138), TJ DeMilt (157) and Nathan Duros (215) added third-place results in conference competition, while Alex Schuler was fourth at 190 pounds.
“Could of done better. Could of done worse, but, overall, I'm happy with the way everybody's wrestling and improving now,” Welchert said. “I think we're on the right course to districts here in a couple of weeks.”
Lasher, Duros and TJ DeMilt notched two pins apiece to lead Calhoun during Saturday's tournament, while Seth Waters and both Olberding brothers secured one each.
Pioneers split duals in Omaha
Two days before the NCC Tournament, the Pioneers split a pair of duals in Omaha.
Calhoun beat Omaha Burke soundly, 63-18, but lost to the host Westside Warriors on Thursday — 37-33. Coach Welchert's team went 12-8 in contested matches overall.
The Pioneers, notably, went 7-1 in bouts against the Bulldogs. Merritt Olberding, Presley Olberding, Waters, TJ DeMilt, Beau Ruma and Schuler all earned pins, while Lasher produced a 5-1 decision at 138 pounds.
Against Westside, though, FCHS wrestlers went 5-7. Each team earned six forfeit points, too.
Both Olberding brothers earned first-period pins against the Warriors, while TJ DeMilt beat Anthoney Thomas at 157 pounds, 7-2. Ray Caruso secured a Calhoun pin at 175 and Schuler earned his at 190 as well.
NEBRASKA CAPITOL CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Saturday at Fort Calhoun High School
BOYS
Team standings: Syracuse 191 points, Raymond Central 138.5, Fort Calhoun 95, Douglas County West 94.5, Arlington 86, Yutan 83, Louisville 68.5, Logan View 66, Conestoga 65.
Top-6 Arlington placers: 3, Jake Flesner, 120 pounds. 3, Tanner Kyllo, 150. 3, Stokely Lewis, 175. 3, Tate Johannes, 190. 3, Zane Gerrish, 285. 4, Ben Flesner, 165.
Top-6 Fort Calhoun placers: 2, Lucas DeMilt, 106 pounds. 2, Merritt Olberding, 120. 3, Presley Olberding, 126. 3, Levi Lasher, 138. 3, TJ DeMilt, 157. 3, Nathan Duros, 215. 4, Alex Schuler, 190.
