Wrestlers getting in their work
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By KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star
There is no soft landing when you take the leap from football to wrestling.
“I was dying after the first week of wrestling,” said Lincoln Northeast senior Porter Groves. “The conditioning, the flexibility from football to wrestling is completely different.”
Now, after a couple of weeks of practice, the two-time All-City defensive back, is ready to make a charge in the wrestling season.
Coach: Tim Negley
Last year: 21st in Class C at state.
Returning lettermen: Dan Prendes, 152-160, so.; Richard Coryell, 125, so.; Logan Williams, 145, sr.; Wes Negley, 119-125, sr.
Newcomers: Gunner Wiebusch, Grant Hitchkock.
This year: With the addition of 10 newcomers from Lincoln Lutheran, the new Class B Christian-Lutheran team should fill all the weight classes. Strong leadership from returners and addition of Wes Negley in January, after knee injury in football, should make the team a contender.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 4-at Boys Town; 6-at Conestoga Invite; 12-Weeping Water; 13-at North Bend Central Tourney; 20-at Auburn Invite.
JANUARY: 6-at North Bend Central; 10-at Aquinas; 15-Triangular with Sutton and York at York; 16-at Syracuse Tourney; 20-Bishop Neumann; 24-Centennial Conference at Grand Island Central Catholic; 31-at Raymond Central Tourney.
FEBRUARY: 3-Conestoga; 5-at Norris; 7-at Grand Island Central Catholic tourney; 14-District at Beatrice.
East
Coach: Marty McCurdy. 10th at state last year.
Returning lettermen: Cody Moreno, 103, sr.; Andrew Peterson, 112, so.; Cody Helzer, 125, jr.; Ben Peterson, 130, sr.; Mike Weitz, 135, sr.; Garrett Bowmaster, 140, sr.; Derek Schave, 145, sr.; Kevin Hagemann, 152, sr.; Dylon Larsen, 171, sr.; Josh Aldridge, 285, sr.
Newcomers: John Taylor.
This year: Large number of experienced wrestlers and many of them at the same weights. But complete team will contend.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 6-at Kearney Invite; 13-East-West Duals at Omaha Burke; 20-Royal Valley (Kan.) Invite; 30-North Star and Southwest.
JANUARY: 8-Northeast; 10-at Millard West Invite; 16—Southeast; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24-Sioux City (Iowa) Heelan Duals; 27-at Lincoln High; 30-31-at Liberty (Mo.) Invite.
FEBRUARY: 7-Heartland Conference; 14-District at Omaha North.
Lincoln High
Coach: Andy Genrich, 23rd at state last year.
Returning lettermen: Whit Dawkins, 125, jr., Chase White, 140 so; Nate Tromblee, 160, sr.; Travis Roepke, 215, sr.
Newcomers: Zac Spence, Jonathon Garza, J.C. Lott, Bangi Manakdan, Mac Madison, Derrick Pearson.
This year: With the return of medalist Chase White and qualifiers Whit Dawkins and Nate Tromblee, Links appear to have a solid team.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 5-at Fremont Invite; 9-at Southeast, 13-at Bellevue East Invite; 20-at South Sioux City Invite.
JANUARY: 3-at Creighton Prep Invite; 8—at Southwest; 9—at North Star Invite; 15-at Northeast; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 20-North Star; 24-at Plattsmouth Invite; 27-East.
FEBRUARY: 3-at Pius X; 7-at Heartland Conference at East; 14-District at Papillion-La Vista South.
North Star
Coach: Jake Froscheiser.
Last year: 27th at state.
Returning lettermen: Geoffrey Ware, 140, so; Davin Brown, 135, so.; Dominque Cherry, 160, jr.; Shawn Schneider, 125-130, jr.; Karen Silverstrand, 135, jr.; Casey Crom, 135-140, sr.; Alex Nutter, 145, jr.; Austin Lenhoff, 119, sr; Alex Pudenz, 125, sr; Luke Mattison, 152, sr.; Jordan Spale, 215, sr.; Mateo Molifua, 189, sr.; Deangelo Martinez, 125-130, sr.
Newcomers: Cody Keck, Tyler Silverstrand.
This year: Returning 14 letterwinners, four state qualifiers and with plenty of varsity experience, Gators look for a strong season.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 4-Auburn, Plattsmouth; 8-Columbus; 13-at Holdrege Invite; 18-Fremont; 20-at Bellevue West Invite; 30-Southeast, East duals at East.
JANUARY: 9-Gator Invite; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24-Northeast Midwest Classic; 28—at Omaha Bryan; 31—Norfolk Invite.
FEBRUARY: 3-Southeast; 7-Heartland Conference at East; 14-District at Omaha North.
Northeast
Coach: Dwain Borchers
Last year: 14th in Class A at state.
Returning lettermen: Porter Groves, 130, sr.; Logan Molina, 145, so.; Cody Pfeifer, 152, sr.; Ethan Steiger, 215, sr.; Marcus Brees, 103, so.; Chase Drews, 160, so.; Ashton Henderson, 130, jr.
Newcomers: Steve Burns, Nick Schneider, James Diaz, Jarin Keller, Clayton Paulson, Savontae Brown, Mitch Parker.
This year: Even without state medalist Cole Pensick back, the Rockets boast a strong lineup with top leadership from Groves and Molina.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 4-5—-t Omaha North Invite; 13-at Chieftain Duals at Bellevue East; 17at Lincoln Southwest; 20-at Ralston Invite.
JANUARY: 3-at Creighton Prep Invite; 8-at Lincoln East; 15-at Lincoln High; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24-Northeast Midwest Classic; 29-at Millard South; 31-at Norfolk Invite.
FEBRUARY: 7-at Heartland Conference at East; 14-Districts.
Pius X
Coach: Jerry Clinch
Last year: 26th at state.
Returning lettermen: Brendan Frey, 160, sr.; D.J. Dubas, 171-189, sr.; Adam Kerr, 189-215, sr.; Matt Graeve, 171-189, sr.; Kyle Minchow, 152, sr.; Brian Minchow, 145, so.
Newcomers: Ben Goodwin, Jared Nickman.
This year: With five strong seniors, a large freshman class and a trickle of newcomers from football, Pius X could be a complete team this year.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 6-Pius X Invite; 12-at Omaha South Invite; 16-at Papillion La Vista; 20—at Wahoo Invite.
JANUARY: 3-Creighton Prep Invite; 6-at Millard North; 9-North Star; 17-at LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24—at Aurora Invite; 29-at Millard West; 31-at Omaha Roncalli Invite.
FEBRUARY: 3-at Lincoln High; 6-at Omaha Burke; 14-Districts.
Southeast
Coach: David Medina.
Returning lettermen: Jordan Fitzgerald, 119-125, so.; Sean Wehling, 125-130, jr.; Bret LaBudda, 119-125, so.; Josh Maher, 130-135, so; Chuck Lutz-Priefert, 135-140, so.; Louie LaBudda, 152-160, sr.; Landon Johnson, 152-160, jr.; Henry Ems, 160-171, sr.; Levi Weiss, 189-215, sr.; Chris Killingsworth, 285, sr.
Newcomers: Logan Tenopir, Jacob Ledgerwood, Jake Henjes, Ethan Radenslaben, Christian Boehm, Tyler Anderson.
This year: Large freshman class, several prospects and a large group of returning lettermen.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 4-Southwest; 6-York Invite; 9-Lincoln High; 12-Omaha South Invite; 20-South Sioux City Invite.
JANUARY: 8—Grand Island; 10—Beatrice Invite; 16—East; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24-Northeast Midwest Classic; 29-Wilber-Clatonia; 31-Norfolk Invite.
FEBRUARY: 3-North Star; 7-Heartland Conference at East; 14-District at Grand Island.
Southwest
Coach: Aaron Finley.
Last year: 11th at state.
Returning lettermen: Josh Wells, 119, sr., Rudy Fiedler, 125, sr., Jordan Brooks, 140, sr.; Sam Schmidt, 145, sr.; Ben Samani, 185, sr.; Roberto Teniente, 285, sr.
Newcomers: Jon Goodrich, 112, sr (transfer from Beatrice); Connor Carstens, Ricky Skillett, Ty Riegelbein, Pat Lowrey, Eric Hinz, Trev Bushhousen, Grant Peterson.
This season: Addition of Goodrich makes for a solid lineup that could finally put Silver Hawks in the Top 10.
Schedule
DECEMBER: 4-Southeast; 6-Kearney Invite; 17-Northeast; 19-20—Flatwater Fracas at Grand Island; 30-East, North Star duals at East.
JANUARY: 8-Lincoln High; 10-at Millard West Invite; 13-at Fremont; 17-LPS Classic at Lincoln High; 24-at Lexington Invite; 22-at Crete; 31-at Omaha Skutt Invite.
FEBRUARY: 3-at Columbus; 7-at Heartland Conference at East; 14-District at Grand Island.
Preseason rankings by the Nebraska scholastic wrestling coaches Association
Class A
1. Grand Island
2. Creighton Prep
3. Omaha North
4. Omaha Burke
5. Millard South
6. Omaha Central
7. Kearney
8. Lincoln Northeast
9. Lincoln East
10. Elkhorn
Class B
1. Omaha Skutt
2. Auburn
3. Beatrice
4. Syracuse
5. Gretna
6. Schuyler
7. Boys Town
8. McCook
9. Alliance
10. Aurora
Class C
1. Central City
2. David City
3. Mitchell
4. Kearney Catholic
5. Grand Island CC
6. Sargent/Burwell
7. Madison
8. St. Paul
9. Fort Calhoun
10. Plainview
Class D
1. Howells
2. Palmer
3. Amherst
4. Neligh-Oakdale
5. East Butler
6. Elm Creek
7. Aquinas
8. High Plains
9. Stanton
10. Franklin
After finishing a surprising fourth at the state meet last year, Groves is one of the top contenders in the 130-pound class this year.
“Three years of commitment to high school wrestling tells me, I can do something more this year,” he said.
Northeast coach Dwain Borchers said Groves is one of the team leaders as well as an individual standout.
“He’s an all-city football player, a long jump medalist, a wrestling medalist and an excellent student,” Borchers said. “Pound for pound, Porter is one of the strongest and most explosive athletes I’ve coached.”
Groves gets plenty of hard work in practice with Northeast sophomore Logan Molina, who proved to be one of the stronger wrestlers in the city last year.
“We push each other and even get mad at each other in practices, but I think it makes us better,” Groves said.
Lincoln Christian coach Tim Negley took on a new team this season.
The Christian team, always competitive despite a lack of numbers, has absorbed 10 wrestlers from Lincoln Lutheran this season.
“There’s not a lot of wrestling experience with the kids from Lutheran, but with our veterans to help guide the way, I think we’ll have a lot of fun,” he said.
“We’re going a little slower than usual to get everybody going, but I think from the teaching going on and the work the kids are putting in, we’ll finally have a full lineup,” he said. “You can never have too many reps in practice.”
Logan Williams and Wes Negley, two of the standouts for Christian in the past, are among the team leaders. “Wes can’t wrestle for a while since he tore a knee ligament in football, but he’s done a lot for our team and he’s helping with all the new kids.”
Negley, who finished fifth last year, will be able to wrestle by January.
The wrestling season can’t start soon enough for D.J. Dubas and the Lincoln Pius X wrestling team.
Dubas was 9-0 and considered one of the top wrestlers in the state last year when he suffered a broken arm in a meet in Grand Island. A broken arm and a spiral fracture that ran all the way to his shoulder kept him out of competition the rest of the season.
“I finally got to wrestle again last summer in the Nebraska-Maine exchange and I felt pretty good getting back on the mat,” he said. He played fullback, linebacker, defensive end for Pius X this fall and is excited about wrestling again.
“I think I’m going harder than ever before,” Dubas said. “I get a lot of work from my teammates Adam Kerr and Matt Graeve. I think I give them a lot of work, too.”
Dubas qualified for the state meet in 2006 and 2007. Kerr qualified the last three years and Graeve qualified last year.
After this year, Dubas may go to college, but he may also choose to go to a culinary school.
“I love to cook,” he said. “It might sound strange for a wrestler. But I don’t have to cut weight so I get to eat what I cook. After this season, maybe I’ll cook something up for the whole team.”
Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.
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