“We always get stuck in the toughest district,” Seward/Milford girls’ wrestling coach Andy Sistek said.
Despite that, all seven Seward/Milford wrestlers competing at districts Feb. 8 had a chance to qualify for state. Lauren Frihauf was the top finisher, earning the district championship at 100 pounds and pinning all three of her opponents.
Evelyn Theobald (130) and JennaRae Hallsted (155) finished third in their weights. Theobald was 4-1 with two pins, and Hallsted was 3-1 with two pins.
Hallsted lost a tough first-round match, Sistek said, but showed her resilience by wrestling all the way back to a medal. Pinning her third-place opponent “was a good way to finish out the day,” Sistek said.
The other wrestlers – Savannah Leiting, Annaliese Sistek, Ava Rediger and Katelyn Jones – wrestled back to the consolation semifinals, also known as the heartbreak round. Win that match, you go to state. Lose it and your season is over.
Leiting lost 9-7, Sistek was pinned in 4:03, Rediger lost 10-3 and Jones was pinned in 2:52.
The three qualifiers will start state tournament competition Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. Frihauf and Theobald qualified last year.
“They learned from their disappointments last year,” Sistek said. “Both are having fun. They’re peaking at the right time.”
Frihauf (40-2) will wrestle Valeria Orozco (17-10) of Omaha Bryan in the opening round. Theobald (26-10) will face Karlie Stutzka (18-16) of Ralston. Hallsted (41-10) will wrestle Lola Voss (24-12) of Millard West.
