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Can Bison wrestlers go 7-for-7 at district?
GERING, Neb.— Nobody’s coasting through the B-4 district wrestling meet to state in Omaha without one good bout Saturday.
Or two or three or even four really tough bouts considering the Class B powerhouses all colliding at Class B No. 1-ranked Gering.
“This is by far, the toughest and deepest of any district in Class B this year,” coach Nick Umscheid declared about what is often the case when schools like Broken Bow, Ogallala, Lexington, Gering and others are involved.
“There are some weight classes that have potentially two or three state medalists,” he added. “It could be harder to place at districts than next week at the state tournament.”
With all this being said, Umscheid’s confident about his Bison seven traveling into this ultimate state-qualifying showdown.
McCook’s own power-packed lineup features Class B No. 1 Alec Langan at 220 pounds along with six other Bison who have all piled up victories this winter.
There are five proven state tournament-tested seniors with Talyn Campbell (120 pounds), Tate Felber (152), Langan and Reid Steinbeck (285).
Sophomore Alex Anthony also reached state last year as a freshman. He’s excelled at 160 and freshman Canyon Hosick has shown no “jitters” when taking on 145 all season.
Freshman Cadde Beeby (113) completes the Bison B-4 contingent. All he did was dominate 34-match winner Wilson Cucul Tzin to earn his district spot.
“Our guys are training hard this week and we are still hungry for more competition,” Umscheid observed. “We are looking forward to Saturday, hoping our best wrestling is still to come. It’s all about peaking at the right time.”
The top four placers from each weight class on Saturday advance into Class B state at Omaha’s CHI Health Center.
Class B state matches start one week from today and concluded with finals on Saturday, Feb. 20.
“All seven of our wrestlers have a good chance of making it,” Umscheid concluded.
Some high-ranked foes who will likely challenge McCook on Saturday:
— Lexington’s Devin Naylor leads the 113-pound field where Beeby competes. Naylor is ranked Class B No. 2, according to the Nebraska Wrestling Coaches Association.
— Lexington’s Ivan Lazo is No. 4 at 120 but lost a medical forfeit to Campbell at subdistricts in Lex last weekend.
— Ogallala’s Gage Stokey is No. 4, Alliance’s Asa Johnson holds fifth and Broken Bow’s Conor Wells sixth where Hosick has climbed to No. 10 at 145.
— Felber’s now ranked No. 7 at 152 where Cozad’s Isaac White is sixth and Ogallala’s Cameron Zink holds No. 2
— Anthony’s also No. 7 at 160 and ranked highest among those at Gering. Alliance’s Phillip Halstead is No. 8.
— Langan’s best test may come from No. 5 Keifer Anderson of Bow, who has lost to Langan earlier this season.
— Steinbeck is another Class B No. 7 who would love to best nemesis Sawyer Bumgarner from Bow, who remains No. 4.
Bumgarner beat Steinbeck at subdistrict last week, but again the top four district players make state.
The B-4 district will be livestreamed Saturday on kneb.com. with matches starting at 11 a.m. CST.