The C1 district wrestling tournament started out as expected for the Centennial Broncos.
CHS wrestled well up until the consolation semifinals, Coach Phil Payne said. While some call that the heartbreak round, the Broncos prefer to think of it as the opportunity round, he said.
The Broncos had seven in the round, all wrestling for a chance to compete at state. Only two won, however.
“It’s weird how, if you win two or three more of those, your whole perception changes,” Payne said.
After losing in his semifinal, Jarrett Dodson came back with a win in the opportunity round to secure a place in the 145-pound bracket at state.
In the third-place match, Dodson wrestled Connor Gerths of Fairbury and lost 2-1 after giving up a late reversal.
Teammate Cyrus Songster also finished fourth at 170 pounds.
“Cyrus was the story of the tournament,” Payne said. “He looked different in practice. You could see it.”
The junior was out to wreck the bracket, Payne said, and came close to doing so. Songster led the top seed by three but got cradled and then ran out of time, Payne said.
He lost by pin in the third-place match, but Payne said it was good to get a second wrestler to state. He said Songster and Dodson are good friends, and Songster commented after the tournament that he didn’t want Dodson to be by himself at state.
Kasten Ruether, Garrison Schernikau, Keenan Kosek, Breckin Schoepf and Paul Fehlhafer all lost in the opportunity round to end their seasons just short of the state tournament.
Payne described Kosek as the “heartbreak kid.”
“The last two week’s it’s really clicked,” he said. “We knew he had a tough matchup in the quarterfinals, but he wrestled tough.
“It sucks when your best ain’t good enough that day.”
Payne said Kosek’s loss broke his heart because he knows how much time and effort Kosek has given to the sport.
It was the same with Schoepf, he said. Schoepf fought through a shoulder injury all season and battled every time out.
“Both had excellent careers,” Payne said.
Dodson and Songster will wrestle in the afternoon session at state, with matches starting at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.
Dodson (45-9) will wrestle Brendan Boyce of Ord (39-9), and Songster (27-18) will wrestle Cayden Lamb of Valentine (35-4).
