Because of Covid restrictions, this year’s version of the NSAA State Wrestling Championships looked considerably different than previous years.
In an effort to keep crowds at a size small enough to allow for social distancing, the usual three-day, all-class format was changed to a pair of two-day, two-class events. For wrestlers who make it past the heartbreak round, that meant cramming three days worth of matches into two. It was exhausting.
For the second consecutive year, Gavin Zoucha of Malcolm earned a fourth-place medal. The 160-pound junior did it by going 4-2 in the Feb. 19-20 event in Omaha.
“It’s one thing to wrestle five matches in a day at a regular season invite and know you’re going to have some quick, easy matches,” Malcolm head coach Matt Coufal said. “At state, everyone you wrestle is good. It’s grueling both physically and mentally.”
Zoucha – one of four No. 1 seeds in his 16-man bracket – opened the tournament with a third-period pin over Dawson Schram of Tekamah-Herman before getting upset by Payton Reisbeck. The No. 3 seed from Ravenna is known for his headlocks.
“Gavin went to shoot and didn’t protect himself from that headlock and he got us,” Coufal said. “It’s one of those things you know can happen. You try to avoid it, but sometimes you get caught.”
Zoucha bounced back in his third match of the day and eliminated Boone Central’s Ashton Schafer with a 6-0 decision.
“Gavin made a gold medal his goal for this year so I wasn’t sure where he’d be mentally after that loss,” Coufal said. “He was fine. He shook it off and came back out and took care of business.”
Zoucha opened day two in the heartbreak round and wasted no time getting a first period pin of Drake Janssen from Valentine. The win guaranteed him a spot on the medal stand.
A third-period pin of Steven Menke from Bridgeport placed Zoucha in the third-place match.
“That match was tough for the Bridgeport kid,” Coufal said. “He had just been knocked out of the semifinals and had to turn around and wrestle again right away.
“In a normal year, that match is the next day. That’s tough on your psyche. But, I credit Gavin for taking care of his business in the match.”
Zoucha met a familiar foe in his final match as he was paired against Nolan Eller. The Aquinas Catholic senior lost to Zoucha in the district final just a week after beating him at subdistricts. It was the fourth time the two had faced each other this season, and for the third time it was Eller’s hand that was raised in victory after a third-period pin.
“Those are two evenly matched wrestlers,” Coufal said. “Gavin put some pressure in the wrong place, and Eller was able to get the reversal and get him on his back.
“Gavin is one of just a few multi-year state medalists for our program. He’s got one more year to fulfill his goals. I have no doubt he’ll put in the work in the summer that’s needed to give him a chance to get on top of that medal stand next year.”
Zoucha finished the season with a 39-5 record.
The Clippers’ other state qualifiers failed to win any matches. Caleb Courter’s season came to an end after two pins. The 182-pound junior battled illness late in the season and gutted out some tough matches to make it to state.
“I don’t think Caleb realizes how good he actually is,” Coufal said. “There are guys wearing state medals that he beat earlier in the year. It’s up to him how good he can be next year.”
In his third trip to state, Kale Nordmeyer opened by getting pinned by one of the state’s top heavyweights in Jake Ingwersen of David City. Thomas Psota of Ravenna eliminated the Malcolm junior in a 5-0 decision.
“Kale has some work to do in the offseason,” Coufal said. “We may see if we can drop him down a weight class next year to where he can have more success.”
James Watts, wrestling at 113 pounds, was 0-2 in his first trip to the state tournament.
