Arlington wrestling coach Doug Hart believed his team was close to the success it'd hoped for all season long.
“But, today, you've got to turn that corner,” he said Saturday during the final rounds of the Class C District 1 Tournament in Albion.
Three Eagles turned it and qualified for the NSAA State Wresting Championships during the win-or-go-home heartbreak round. Jake Flesner, Trey Hill and Tanner Kyllo won successive matches at 106, 113 and 120 pounds and closed the tourney with top-four, podium-worthy finishes.
“It's a cool experience,” Flesner said. “It's awesome.”
The three AHS wrestlers — who helped their team to an 11th-place finish — started Saturday's second day of district competition at Boone Central High School with semifinals losses. Flesner and Hill were pinned, while Kyllo lost a 12-2 major decision to 22-5 David City wrestler Keaton Kloke.
“Not the way we wanted to start the day,” Hill said. “But we still got it done. We're heading to state.”
The 113-pounder will start his second Class C tourney Thursday in Omaha with a 40-6 season record. He won his third-place match with the Scouts' Kendall Schindler by second-period pin, but saved his season with a 14-9 decision during the consolation semis — the heartbreak round.
Hill trailed Boone Central's Gavin Mauch 5-4 through two periods and opted to allow the Cardinal a free escape point to start the third-period standing. The Eagle tied the match at 6-all with a takedown, but intentionally allowed Mauch to his feet again to set up the go-ahead, two-point takedown he'd earn for an 8-7 advantage.
“So, coach notices I'm really good at getting takedowns, but I have to work on getting that half (nelson) on the way down,” Hill said. “That's why we chose to go neutral.”
The strategy worked and the two-time state qualifier all but secured the win with more points late.
“I knew I was in really good position once he tried head-throwing me and I got that last takedown,” he said.
Kyllo, a freshman, was noticeably disappointed with his semifinals loss. Instead of letting it get to him, he used it as motivation during the elimination match that followed against Johnson County Central's Logan Topp.
“After that tough loss, I was just ready to go and mentally ready to just destroy somebody,” the 120-pound AHS wrestler said.
Kyllo improved to 21-8 with his 38-second pin of Topp, who finished his 2022-23 season with a 40-15 record. The Eagle lost the third-place match that followed, but got the win that counted.
“It felt good to get that quick pin and get out of there,” he said.
Flesner, meanwhile, won his heartbreak match by pin, too. The freshman started his 106-pound bout with a 2-0 first period and scored the fall at the 2:20 mark.
The Arlington wrestler scored a quick reversal to start the second period, but had to work for the pin as Johnson County's Trevin Huskey squirmed.
“I kind of had bad technique for the first part,” Flesner admitted.
But the Eagle eventually earned the fall and moves onto the state tournament with a 26-17 record after a third-place match loss to Raymond Central's Elijah Ehlers.
Flesner's Class C state tourney debut is 3 p.m. Thursday. The competition goes through Feb. 18 inside the CHI Health Center.
5 Eagles fall short
Arlington 160-pounder Ben Flesner joined Jake Flesner, Hill and Kyllo in the heartbreak round, but fell short of a state qualification Saturday.
The Eagle went 3-2 during the district tournament overall, finishing with two pins and a 4-3 decision against Logan View's Wyatt Willnerd. He lost his consolation match to Jake Hunke of North Bend Central by pin.
Like Ben Flesner, AHS' Kolton Gilmore and Tate Johannes earned wins in Albion, but fell short of the state tourney. Gilmore was 2-2 at 152 pounds and finished the season 31-18 overall.
Johannes, meanwhile, went 2-2 at 182 and completes the year 24-17.
Eagles Aiden McDuffee and Daniel Cook-Krivohlavek competed Friday at Boone Central, too, but combined to go 0-4.
CLASS C DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Friday-Saturday at Albion Boone Central
Team standings: Fillmore Central 157, Boone Central 139, Raymond Central 121, Logan View 120, David City 115.5, Wilber-Clatonia 105, Boys Town 90, Oakland-Craig 71, Malcolm 64, North Bend Central 61, Arlington 60, Grand Island Central Catholic 38, Johnson County Central 38, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 27, Southern 24, Louisville 22.
Arlington Results
(Weight: Wrestler, district record(season record), place)
106 pounds: Jake Flesner, 2-2(26-17), fourth
113: Trey Hill, 3-1(40-6), third
120: Tanner Kyllo, 2-2(21-9), fourth
126: Aiden McDuffee, 0-2(5-6), NA
145: Daniel Cook-Krivohlavek, 0-2(1-18), NA
152: Kolton Gilmore, 2-2(31-18), NA
160: Ben Flesner, 3-2(15-19), NA
182: Tate Johannes, 2-2(24-17), NA
