Grebin, Thiele qualify for state meet

It was a meet of firsts.

First districts competing as Summerland Bobcats.

And for the first time in Summerland history, two wrestlers will don the blue and silver singlets at the Nebraska School Activities Association State Wrestling Championships.

Colton Thiele and Rafe Grebin finished second and fourth, respectively, in their weight classes, to advance to this week's state party at the CHI Health Arena in Omaha.

The Bobcats ended 11th in a field of 20 teams in Class D District one competition, Friday and Saturday, in Plainview.

The host team dominated the meet, scoring 230.5 points. Neligh-Oakdale took home the runner-up trophy, with 147.5 points.

Burwell, Twin Loup, Thayer Central, Elkhorn Valley, Meridian, Arapahoe, Pender and Cambridge rounded out the top 10.

Grebin entered district competition with a 34-14 record in the 126 class. Following a bye, he lost, by fall, in 3:13, to Lane Barton, Meridian.

Grebin earned a bye in the consolation bracket before earning a 10-2 decision over Norman Grothe, Elgin Public/Pope John.

He earned a hard-fought, 10-5 win over Tanner Frahm, of Plainview in the heartbreak round and had a rematch against Barton in the match for third.

Barton won, by fall, in 1:52.

Thiele, who boasted a 36-11 record entering districts, downed EV's Gavyn Clause, by fall, in 3:12 to open competition in the 195 class. Thiele faced Wyatt Haverluck, Meridian, in the semifinal, picking up a win, by fall, in 5:07.

In the match for first, NO's Kaleb Pofahl defeated Thiele, by pin, in :57.

Four more Bobcats survived Friday's matches and returned to work their way through Saturday's bracket.

After a bye in round one in the 113 division, Alex Thiele lost, by fall, in :33 to Zack Hartl of EV. Thiele pinned Twin Loup's Keegan Strohl, in 3:36 and downed Jacob Corbett, Cambridge, 4-2.

That pitted Thiele against Ethan Kipp, Twin Loup, who earned a 16-0 technical fall, eliminating Thiele.

Wrestling at 132, Eli Thiele earned a 5-3 decision over Ashton Downey, Araphoe, in the first round. Thiele fell, in 1:51, to Jeremy Larson, of Brady.

Thiele earned a win by pin, in 2:53, over Isaias Juarez, of NO, before Shawn Quandt, TL, won a 10-0 major decision.

James Kester earned a first-round bye in the 138 class. He met Cooper Stout, Burwell, in round two. Stout claimed a win, by fall, in 1:14.

Alex Arroyo earned a bye in the first round of 145 competition before meeting Bode Wortman, Plainview, who earned a 15-0 technical fall.

Arroyo earned a bye in the second round of the consolation bracket and defeated Leyton Mumm, Thayer Central, 15-7.

In the fight to make the finals, Arroyo lost by technical fall, 20-4, to Cooper Coons, TL.

Other Bobcat competitors were eliminated Friday.

Kirby Smith, Fullerton, pinned Spencer Kester in 2:33, sending the Bobcat junior to a 120-class consolation match against Twin Loup's Dean Schroeder. Kester dropped a 7-2 decision.

Kendrick Schroeder dropped a first-round match in the 152 division to Aiden Kuester, NO, by fall, in :49. Schroeder met Arapahoe's Wyatt Jenkins, who eliminated Schroeder with a :29 pin.

David Arroyo faced Matt Christiansen, Plainview, in the first round of 160 competition, losing by fall, in 1:30.

Arroyo earned two consolation byes and met Sam Vortherms, Creighton, who downed Arroyo, by fall, in :50.

Wyatt Chipps met Kaden Dady, of Brady, in the first round of 220 competition, losing by fall, in 3:34.

Chipps faced Terrance Burrell, Creighton, in the second consolation round and lost, by fall, in 4:31.