Stephanie Croston

    Five Seward-area wrestlers are still in the hunt for state wrestling medals.
     Wrestlers who lost a match at the state tournament yesterday had the opportunity to wrestle back through the consolation brackets this morning.
     Thomas Bader of Centennial picked up a pair of wins in the 135-pound consolation bracket. He defeated Brady Wills of Plainview 5-0 and then downed Kyle Teel of Southwest 2-1 to earn a place in the third round of consolations tonight. He will face Kenny Points, a senior from Fort Calhoun.
     Gary Burruss of Malcolm also won two matches in the 160-pound consolation bracket. He beat Keaton Buchholtz of Norfolk Catholic 4-3 and then Matthew Hansen of Tekamah-Herman 4-2. Burruss will wrestle Anthony Belgum of Kimball in the third round of consolations.
     John Bader of Centennial couldn't continue his first-round success from yesterday in his 103-pound consolation round match. He lost to Heath Teel of Southwest 5-2 to finish his tournament.
     At 119 pounds, Shaey Kratochvil of Centennial lost his first-round consolation match to Grant Potadle of Tekamah-Herman 5-4. He allowed an escape with about 30 seconds to go in the match and was unable to get a takedown for the win.
     Centennial's David Egger was pinned by Logan Chesley of Ashland-Greenwood in 1:46 in the first round of the 171-pound consolation bracket.
     Malcolm freshman Tyler Guernsey lost his first consolation round match at 103 pounds by pin to Wyatt Chapman of North Bend Central in 2:35.
     Teammate Kris Jordan lost his match to Mike Rohwer of Logan View 9-6 to end his 135-pound competition.
     Tonight's semifinal rounds will feature Seward's Mark Fiala at 152 pounds, Kevin Pedersen of Milford at 140 pounds and and Breckin Coffey of Centennial at 145 pounds.
     Pedersen will wrestle Derek Rowe of Syracuse, Coffey will meet Kevin Barnard of Chase County and Fiala will take on Jacob Cardenas of Omaha Skutt Catholic.
     Matches tonight start at 6 p.m.