Minden’s Bryce Lewis Is State Champion

This time the bright lights and big stage were right where Minden’s Bryce Lewis wanted to be as he was putting a indelible stamp on his Minden Whippet wrestling career.
Lewis was attempting to become Minden’s first state champion in more than 21 years on Saturday at the 2011 Nebraska State Wrestling Champions held at the Qwest Center in Omaha.
Lewis make all his hard work pay off. Standing in Lewis’ way was Easton Nelson of Schuyler in the Class B 160 pound championship match.
Lewis and Nelson had met in the district finals a week ago in Aurora with Lewis coming out on top 3-1 for the district championship.
Lewis came out aggressive in the title match getting an early takedown to hold a 2-0 lead until Nelson got a single point on an escape late in the first period to make the score 2-1 entering the second.
The second period had neither wrestler being able to score and Lewis led 2-1 going into the third period and the final three minutes of his high school career.
Lewis worked out from the bottom to score a point for an escape to increase his lead to 3-1. Lewis wasn’t finished as he scored again on a reversal to go ahead 5-1. Nelson got his final point on an escape and Lewis rode the remaining time off the clock to become the Class B 160 pound champion.
“This is amazing being a state champion,” stated Lewis. “Not everyone from Minden can say they are a state champion. I learned a lot from last year being in the title match, not to be intimidated and concentrate on the circle, your opponent and do your stuff on the mat.”
Lewis was a finalist in 2010, losing the B 160 pound title to Kevin Humphreys of Boy Town and received runner-up honors.

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