Wrestlers Fair Well At State
Alden Brings Home Runner-Up

O'Neill wrestling Coach Bryan Corkle and Nick Arlt watch John Alden wrestle at the final match at the CHI Center on Saturday, Feb. 18 in Omaha.

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John Alden took second place in the 126 lb. division at the Nebraska State Wrestling Meet this past weekend.

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John Alden wrestles an opponent at the Nebraska State Wrestling Meet this past weekend. Photo courtesy Jeremy Buss

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Eagle Joe Yates rolls his opponent over in action at the state tourney. Joseph Yates took fifth place by defeating Jordan Shirley of Gering by Major Decision 15-4.

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Eagle Tucker Shabram gets a top hold on his opponent .

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Eagle Maddie Jakubowski goes for a take down at the state wrestling tourney held this past week in Omaha.

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Eagle Paola Vergara First round defeated Chloe Mader of GI Northwest Girls by fall 3:54.

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Eagle Salvador Rodriguez tries to flip his opponent at the state tourney this past weekend in Omaha.

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Cardinal Jace Rosenkrans forces his opponent Logan Nelson of Wisner-Pilger into the mat at the state tourney this past weekend in Omaha. Rosenkrans was defeated in the consolation quarterfinal by Alek Molzahn of Alma.

The O'Neill Wrestling team again competed at the state tourney in Omaha this year. The Eagles competing in the event were: 126 – John Alden; 132 – Joseph Yates; 138  – Pryor Mathews; 195 – Salvador Rodriguez; and 285 Tucker Shabram. Alden brought home a second place medal while Yates and Mathews came home with fifth place rankings.

"Bouncing around on the yo-yo from Class C to Class B these last couple of years has been a challenge, but wrestling is still wrestling, even if your opponents change on the big stage.  For our kids to come in and compete the way we did…every athlete on our team won at least one match in Omaha, and then to have Joe and Pryor fight their way to the medal stand and keep our team in the top 10 was really special," said Coach Bryan Corkle

"John Alden has wrestled the match of the whole state tournament for the last two years now. How special is that? Last year, it came down to the Ultimate Tie Breaker in the semis. This year he pushed a potential four-timer to the brink in the finals. John has earned the respect of the wrestling community through his drive and determination and as much as he is still chasing that state gold medal, for sure he has picked up something worth so much more.  

This was the last trip to Omaha as competitors for Sal Rodriguez and Joe Yates.  We are grateful for all they have done for the program, champions through and through.  We will have a good group returning next season and we are looking forward to continued success," said Corkle.

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