Dawgs, Cats And Falcons Qualify Seven For State Meet

The Minden Whippets, Axtell Wildcats and Wilcox-Hildreth Falcons will all be represented on Thursday at the 2013 Nebraska State Wrestling Championships held in Omaha at the CenturyLink Center.

The state meet will take place starting Thursday, Feb. 14 and run through Saturday, Feb. 16 with the six area athletes sprinkles across six weight classes in Classes C and D.

The Whippets will have three qualifiers for state. Sophomore Austin Olson is a two-time state qualifier after his runner-up finish in the C-3 district meet.

Olson will enter the Class C 106 pound division with a record of 24-14 and will face junior Tucker Hicks (28-11) on Thursday beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Olson/Hicks winner will take on the victor between Jackson Bates of Wilber-Clatonia (18-2) and Lucas Miller of Crofton (16-5) in the quarterfinals later on Thursday.

Quin Rutt, a junior, will also be making his first-ever state tournament field at 170 pounds after finishing as the C-3 district runner-up. Rutt (28-5) will face senior David Huismann of Madison (28-10) in a first round matchup. The Rutt/Huismann winner will advance to the quarterfinals to face either Thomas Connely of Kearney Catholic (35-2) or Evan Brandt of Tri County (24-19).

Senior Sam Fiest of Minden is the third and final Whippet qualifier making his state debut at 182 pounds after finishing third at districts. Fiest (33-4) will face senior James Buresh of Aquinas Catholic (25-8) in the C 182 pound opener on Thursday. The Fiest/Buresh winner will advance to the quarterfinals to take on either Trevor Jenner of North Bend Central (29-2) or Jake Fulton of Valentine (16-11).

The full article can be found in the February 13, 2013, edition of the Minden Courier.