Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestlers wrap up outstanding season (2024)

Alex Eller

ASHLAND – The Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestling team had an outstanding 2021-22 season. The season began in December with around 80 wrestlers in grades K-6registered and wrapped up in March.

“Our wrestlers have completed in local tournaments as well as state and national competitions throughout the season,” said Coach Jeremy Beranek.“Many of the wrestlers compete every weekend from December through March.”

Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestling Tournament

Some of the highlights of the season included the Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestling Tournament where over 70 Bluejays competed in a very competitive field of over 360 wrestlers.

Results

PreK/K – Champions, Cade Welch, Gage Nienhueser, Knox Kerkman; Runners-up, Nash Schmidt, Austin Heflin, Cash Weston, Dawson Clancy, Wyatt Parker; Third Place, Maverick Meinke, Charlie Myers, Ruari Mencke, Hudson Woslager, Kennon Roeber; Fourth Place, Daxton Chase, Sydnee Meier, Rex Karl.

First/Second Grades – Champions Ryker Foutch, Abe Lofing; Runners-up, Jacob Richardson, Connor Beranek, Kamden Parker; Third Place, Owen Hansen, Karsen Christo, Easton Thies, Cruz Roberts, Crosby Laughlin, Reid Jencks; Fourth Place, Brecken Kush, Trig Roberts, Bronx Piehl, Brooks Loftus, Thomas Myers.

Third/Fourth Grades – Runners up, Radlee Meier, Bryton Darnell, Landon Stewart; Third Place, Keller Dostal, Andrew Hill, Sam Bottorff, Grayson McConnell; Fourth Place, Dylan Root, Addison Judy, Karson Lavagnino, Autumn Judy, Gabe Kennedy, Korey Mayer, Coraline Roberts, Ryker Howard.

Fifth/Sixth Grades – Champions, Archer Ferguson, Rocco Gambaiana, Grant Beranek, Bennett Kush, Kyler Roeber; Runners-up, Brayden Howard, Gabe Lichtas, Camden Welch, Levi Sobota; Third Place, Jake Cormier, Layton Brauckmuller, Cooper Piehl; Fourth Place, Justin Queen Jr., Bryson Loftus

Seventh/Eighth Grades – Champions, RJ Goff, Tavrin Vanlaningham; Runner-up, Isaac Christo; Third Place, Davis Brady, Tayvor Vanlaningham, Peyton Groteluschen, Coy Beetison, Braxton Schofield; Fourth Place, Matthew McConnell, Kyler Roebers.

NEUSA District 5 Tournament

In early March the Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestlers competed at the NEUSA District 5 Tournament in Fremont. Wrestlers that place in the top four of their weight class qualified for the USA State Tournament in Grand Island. The Bluejays finished at the District Runner-up team with 18 qualifiers for the USA State Tournament in Grand Island.

Results

PreK/K – Runner-p, Dawson Clancy

First/Second Grades – Fourth Place, Connor Beranek; Fifth Place, Brecken Kush

Third/Fourth Grades – Champion, Landon Stewart; Runner-up, Sam Bottorff; Third Place, Bryton Darnell; Fourth Place, Grayson McConnell

Fifth/Sixth Grades – Champions, Camden Welch, Bennett Kush, Kyler Roeber, Levi Sobota; Runners-up, Archer Ferguson, Rocco Gambaiana, Grant Beranek; Fifth Place, Jake Cormier, Cooper Piehl; Participated, JR Queen, Brayden Howard

Seventh/Eighth Grades – Champions, Tavrin VanLaningham, Cael Smith; Runners-up- RJ Goff, Coy Beetison; Third Place, Andrew Beranek; Sixth Place, Peyton Groteluschen; Participated, Davis Brady.

Aau Nebraska State Tournament

At the 2022 AAU Nebraska State Tournament in Kearney, the Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestling Team had seven wrestlers compete.

“(There were) over 1,300 K-12th grade wrestlers from all throughout Nebraska so it was a great experience for our wrestlers,” said Beranek.

Results

First/Second Grades – Third Place, Connor Beranek

Third-Fifth Grades – State Champion, Rocco Gambaiana; Participated, Maddox Ferguson, Grant Beranek, Landon Stewart.

Sixth-Eighth Grades – Sixth Place- Andrew Beranek; Participated, Archer Ferguson.

2022 Huskerland Duals

While the team was in Kearney, they were also able to compete in the 2022 Huskerland Duals. The Ashland-Greenwood Sixth-Eighth Grade Huskerland Dual team showed a lot of grit competing in six duals throughout the day. Some of the A-G third-fifthgraders also compete with wrestling teams from Nebraska City and MWC Wrestling Academy and they were able to compete in seven duals.

Team Members for the Sixth-Eighth Grade team were Jake Cormier, Archer Ferguson, Maddox Ferguson, RJ Goff, Tavrin VanLaningham, Cooper Piehl, Jack Glendy, Coy Beetison, Andrew Beranek and Levi Sobota. Competing in the third-fifthgrade division was Rocco Gambaiana, Maddux Ferguson, Grant Beranek, Bryton Darnell and Landon Stewart.

NE USA State Tournament

The finale to the 2021-2022 season was in mid-March where 2200 wrestlers from all over the state of Nebraska competed at the NE USA State Tournament in Grand Island. The 18 Bluejays that qualified for the tournament went toe-to-toe with the state’s best K-eighth grade wrestlers.

“Congratulations to our six wrestlers that were able to place in the top 8 of their weight class,” said Beranek. “We are extremely proud of the grit and fight that all of the wrestlers showed this weekend and throughout the season.”

Results

Kindergarten – Fifth Place, Dawson Clancy.

First/Second Grades – Competed, Connor Beranek.

Third/Fourth Grades – Sixth Place, Landon Stewart; Competed, Grayson McConnell, Sam Bottorff, Bryton Darnell.

Fifth/Sixth Grades – Fourth Place, Rocco Gambaiana, Bennett Kush; Fifth Place, Levi Sobota; Eighth Place, Camden Welch; Competed, Archer Ferguson, Grant Beranek, Kyler Roeber.

Seventh/Eighth Grades – Competed, RJ Goff, Tavrin VanLaningham, Coy Beetison, Cael Smith, Andrew Beranek.

Heartland National Elementary Duals

The last competition for the Ashland-Greenwood Junior Wrestlers was the 2022 Heartland National Elementary Duals in April. There were 30 teams competing from all over the nation with the best elementary wrestlers from each of their states. Three Bluejays were invited to compete on these teams after placing at the USA State Wrestling Tournament. All three wrestlers won multiple matches throughout the tournament and helped their teams win duals.

Bennett Kush and Levi Sobota competed for the Nebraska White Team. They qualified for the Platinum Bracket and finished in fifth place.

Rocco Gambaiana competed for the Nebraska Blue Team. They qualified for the Gold Bracket and finished in fifth place.