Four Bobcat wrestlers qualify for state meet

Four Bobcat wrestlers will advance to the Nebraska School Activities Association Class D State Championships Meet, scheduled to begin Wednesday, Feb. 17 and continue Feb. 18, at the CHI Center, in Omaha.

Colton Thiele will make a return trip to Omaha after finishing second in the 195 class.

Thiele began with a bye and downed Bryson Warner, Southern Valley, by an 8-4 decision. That set up a run for first place, where he met Bobby Evans, of Cambridge.

Thiele dropped a 7-3 decision, bringing home a silver medal.

Rafe Grebin will also compete in his second state meet after finishing third in the 126 class.

Grebin pinned Ethan Atkins, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller in the opening round and faced Thayer Central's Brenner McLaughlin in the semifinal. Grebin lost, by fall, in 1:39.

The Summerland senior worked his way through the consolation bracket earning a 4-0 decision over Austen Forney, of Southern and in the third-place match, Grebin pinned Michael Polivka, of East Butler, in 2:13.

Eli Thiele qualifies in the 132 class. Thiele downed Treyton Waldmeier, TC, 5-2. In the quarterfinal, Neligh-Oakdale's Brock Kester pinned Thiele in 5:04.

In the consolation bracket, Thiele earned a 10-2 major decision over Gage Stutzman, Howells-Dodge. In the match for third place, Maddox Maguire defeated Thiele, 5-2.

Summerland junior Logan Mueller will make the trip to Omaha after finishing third in the 285 class.

Mueller opened the tournament with a win, by fall, over Dahrran Cast, TC, in 1:32.

In the next match, Brayton Branic, Sandhills/Thedford, pinned Mueller in 2:19.

Working through the consolation bracket, Mueller pinned Carson Reiners, Hi-Line, in 1:31, and defeated Caleb Klein, Hastings St. Cecilia, by fall, in 2:30 to finish third.

Three other Bobcats competed but lost earlier in the competition.

Daley Bearinger, wrestling at 106, lost, by fall, in :54, to Triston Wells, TC, in the first round. After earning a 6-0 decision in the first consolation round over Navarre Plagmann, SEM, Dierks Nekoliczak eliminated the Summerland freshman with a pin, in :54.

In the 160 class, Alex Arryo lost, by fall, to Buchannen Tietjen, TC, in 4:23. Following a bye, Arroyo dropped a 6-2 decision to Trevin Brecka, EB.

At 220, Wyatt Chipps opened with a loss, by fall, in 2:56, to Julien Grindle, of Cambridge. After a bye, Chipps lost a 7-3 decision to Aaron Herhandez, SEM.