Broken Bow’s Cyrus Wells claimed the state wrestling championship at 132 lbs. in Class B. Wells faced Connor Whitely of Scottsbluff in the championship match. The two had met earlier this season at the state duals with Whitely winning the match. In the first period of the match, Wells was able to shoot in and secure a takedown to take a 2-0 lead. During the action in the first period, Whitely suffered an injury which would not allow him to continue the match. Wells would win the match by injury default. Wells concludes the season with a 43-3 overall record.
It was an all area championship final in Class D at 195 lbs. Reece Zutavern repeated as a state champion as he held off Sid Miller of Anselmo-Merna winning by major decision 13-4. Zutavern finishes the season with an undefeated record at 40-0. Sid Miller, a junior, concludes the season as the state runner-up with a 35-8 overall record for the season.
Mullen’s Eli Paxton won the state title in Class D at 120 lbs. Paxton wrestled Braxton Siebrandt of Wisner-Pilger in the championship. Paxton secured the championship with a 4-3 decision. Paxton, a junior, finishes the season at 40-3.
Isaac White of Cozad won the gold medal at 170 lbs. White finishes the season undefeated at 37-0. Kolby Larson of Burwell claimed the Class D title at 182 lbs. Larson handed Jestin Bayer of Howells Dodge his only loss of the season winning by a 4-3 decision.
The Mullen Broncos claimed the team runner-up trophy in Class D. Mullen finished 1 point ahead of Winside for 2nd place behind Sutherland who won the Class D team championship. Broken Bow finished 6th in the final Class B team standings. The Indians were just 2.5 points behind Beatrice for fifth. The Class B team title was won by Bennington.
For the first time a girls tournament was a part of the NSAA state wrestling championships. Lila Bloomer of South Loup finished third in the 185 lb. division winning by fall over Darian Earth of Winnebago in the third place match.
Others from the KCNI/KBBN coverage area who medaled at the state championships included:
Class B
Max Denson (Broken Bow) 5th at 182
Sawyer Bumgarner (Broken Bow) 3rd at 285
Eli Boryca 4th (Cozad) 4th at 195
Class C
Chase Stieb (Arcadia/Loup City) 4th at 170
Class D
Jeffrey Forsen (Mullen) 4th at 106
Tristan Olson (Anselmo-Merna) 5th at 106
Nolan Osborn (Twin Loup) 4th at 113
Dayton Gipe (Sandhills Valley) 5th at 120
Kyle Durfee (Mullen) 5th at 132
Slate Micheel (Twin Loup) 4th at 170
Sean Simonson (Mullen) 6th at 170
Alex Gideon (Burwell) 3rd at 195
Rio Remund (South Loup) 5th at 195
Cale Buss (Burwell) 6th at 220
Isaac Welch (Mullen) 3rd at 285
