A fourth-place team finish and six state qualifiers highlighted the District D1 tournament for Centennial Feb. 9-10.
“Seed-wise, it went the way it was seeded,” Coach Phil Payne said.
Trayton Stewart was the highlight of the day, Payne said. The senior 106-pounder finished second, going 3-1 with three pins.
Stewart has been coming on since the Adams Central tournament, Payne said. He pinned Tyson Blakeman of Neligh-Oakdale in 48 seconds in the semifinals to earn a spot at state.
In the championship match, Stewart lost by pin to Josiah Coleman of South Loup. He was leading 9-6, Payne said, and got out of position.
“He has put in the work and earned it,” Payne said. “He’s playing with house money now.”
Jarrett Dodson won the team’s only gold, topping the bracket at 150 pounds. He’s wrestled at 144 all season, but Payne said he chose to move up because he thinks he has a better chance at state at 150.
“He does things the right way,” Payne said.
Dodson was 4-0 with two pins, including one of teammate Cael Payne in the quarterfinals.
Dodson beat Rowan Jarosik of Sandy Creek in the semifinals 6-2 and Gatlin Reimers of Palmer 6-3 in the final.
Centennial put seven wrestlers in what it calls the opportunity round and others call the consolation semifinals or heartbreak round.
Five – Kasten Ruether (113), Garrison Schernikua (126), Cyrus Songster (157) and Paul Fehlhafer (285) – made it through to the third-place match and qualified for state.
Ruether pinned Korey Poppe of Sutton in the consolation semis. Poppe is a returning state qualifier and a familiar opponent, Payne said. Ruether locked up what former CHS assistant Wayne Heine calls the Texas death grip, tossed Poppe and pinned him, he said.
Schernikau’s only loss came to Uriel Guzman of Palmer in the semifinals. He beat Caelen Wipf of Weeping Water 10-2 in the third-place match.
“I’m elated for him,” Payne said.
Songster is wrestling well and has beaten some of the best wrestlers in his class, Payne said. In the semifinals, he gave up five quick points and had to battle back.
Fehlhafer’s only loss came to Clay Hedges of Archbishop Bergan, a wrestler who’s beaten him before. Both wrestlers came out guns blazing, Payne said. Both were on their backs twice in the minute-long match, he said.
The Broncos will wrestle Thursday, Feb. 15, starting at 3 p.m. Stewart (24-12) will wrestle Guy Wortman of Plainview (17-12). Ruether (41-8) will see Blane Stutzman of Howells-Dodge (38-6). Schernikau (34-11) will meet Landon Hansen of Plainview (33-12).
Dodson (48-2) will meet Cooper Walker of Mullen (30-17). Songster (33-14) will see Owen Heessel of Maxwell (28-10). Fehlhafer (38-14) will wrestle Juan Perez of Perkins County (26-3).
