Slow start, but area wrestlers win at state

OMAHA, Neb. -- Class D foes delivered a tough start for McCook area qualifiers during Thursday's Nebraska State Wrestling Tournament.

Cambridge senior Konner Banzhaf avenged a recent defeat, edging Hitchcock County's Wyatt Standiford 4-3 in their 152-pound match. Heayvweights delivered the other best success to close this first round.

Southwest sophomore Logan Kircher pinned Morrill's John Hill at the 3:48 mark.

Dundy County-Stratton junior Dakota Ehart was even faster. He only needed 51 seconds to finish Tri County's Benton Gustafson. They both advance into quarterfinal matches tonight.

However, heavyweight Noah Wadleigh from Arapahoe was pinned in 30 seconds against Axtell's A.J. Skaggs.

More success arrived at 220 where Southwest junior Anthony Starr scored a 1:11 pin of West Holt's Seth Wentworth. He will face powerful Robert Muench of Sutherland next, since Muench pinned Arapahoe senior Robert Gardner in 1:51.

Cambridge senior Trace Doyle took another win for the area when he pinned Maxwell's Matt Walker at 3:53.

He could be facing Southwest neihor Tanner Brooks, but that junior suffered a 2:58 defeat to St Mary's senior Will Atkeson.

How about 182 pounds where Arapahoe senior Dalton Shimmin pinned Stapleton's Payton Frey (5:39) and Southwest's Cody Downey finished Dietric Kenning from Thayer Central with 11 seconds left in their first period.