Three Rams pick up wins in State matches

Ralston's seven-man contingent at the Nebraska State Wrestling Championships last week weathered a difficult storm but nonetheless finished in the middle third of teams in the competition.

Led by Nick McGrath's third-place finish at 126 pounds, two other Rams also took victories and some younger grapplers picked up invaluable experience.

"We're going to keep growing," RHS coach Jason Fink said. "All these kids showed us a lot. For the younger guys, they have a great group to learn from."

McGrath advanced through his first two matches on Thursday by decision (6-0 over Nathan Quandt of Millard South and 2-1 over David Kubik of Lincoln East) to Friday's semifinals, where he ran into Grand Island's Trey Trujillo, who took a 9-1 major decision over the Ram senior.

McGrath clawed his way back Saturday with a 2-1 decision over Jerred Fox of Lincoln Northeast and bested Papillion-La Vista's Sebastian Kelly in the consolation finals with a 4-3 comeback win.

McGrath (who finishes the season with a 37-6 record) said while he enjoyed the win on an individual level, he was glad he could get it as part of such a relatively large group of RHS wrestlers at State.

"We only had 11 kids wrestling all year," he said. "So to get seven of us here was great. For me, it just didn't feel as individualistic when you've got six teammates, six friends here who are cheering you on and you're cheering them on."

Joining McGrath with a first-round victory was 120-pound junior Shane Gray (28-11), who took a 3-2 decision from Blake Peterson of Millard West.

In the quarterfinals, Gray was pinned by Omaha Burke's Jacob Wilcoxen, the returning champion at 119 pounds in 2011 and the eventual champion in the new 120-pound division this year.

Gray then fell, 5-2, to Reid Fullner of Columbus in the consolation round.

"It was great to see Gray get a win down here," Fink said. "He's making steps he needs to make so that he'll be back here next year and ready to compete."

After a loss in the opening round, 195-pounder Brandon Nabity — making his first State appearance — also picked up a win via the consolation bracket.

Nabity (25-11) fell to Bellevue East's Tyler Broadway by pin in round one, but then picked up a major decision, 10-1, over Mitchell Wilbur of Millard North.

"Brandon Nabity getting a win was special," Fink said. "He's been a team leader, a smart kid for us all year round."

Nabity was ultimately felled by Papillion-La Vista's Zach Dawe, 10-3, in the second consolation round.

RHS's other big men, Trevor Limmer at 220 pounds and heavyweight Brian Farley, both received arguably two of the tournament's toughest draws as Limmer (29-13) faced down eventual runner-up James Jones of Omaha North and Papillion-La Vista South's Alex Cudney in his two losses.

Farley (16-15) was defeated by third-place winner Freeman Coleman of Millard South and Terrence Wright of Lincoln Northeast.

"Our big guys — Nabity, Limmer, Farley — have represented us so well on the mat and the football field and track," Fink said. "They've been doing their best for us all season. It's a good group of guys."

Rounding out RHS's senior representatives was 145-pounder Trevor Titus, also a first-timer at State.

Titus (10-27) was pinned in his first-round match against eventual fourth-place finisher Austin Leetch of Grand Island and lost in the first consolation round, 10-5, to Kaleb Neugin of Hastings.

Fink said Titus, a surprise third-place finisher at the District A-4 meet, had battled hard all year and to have the State experience was moving for wrestler and coach.

"I was glad he got to have this as a highlight for his high school career," Fink said.

Representing a bright future for the RHS program was an appearance by freshman Brandon Cswercko at 160 pounds.

Cswercko (12-17) was one of just two freshmen at that weight class and though pinned in his two matches, Fink said Cswercko's been picking up valuable experience all season and none more precious that what he saw at State.

In his opening match with Joe Contreras of Burke (Contreras eventually finished sixth), Cswercko did manage an early takedown and also held his own in a consolation match with Westside's Marcus Pierce.

"The kid's future is so bright," Fink said. "He took a State medalist right down on his butt. He's going to have a lot to show us in the years to come."

With the departure of McGrath, Titus, Nabity, Limmer and Farley, Gray and Cswercko will form the nucleus of next season's Ram wrestling squad.

"We had a great group of guys here this year," Fink said. "Losing all of them to graduation except Gray and Cswercko, it's going to be tough but as I say, the guys coming back have learned a lot. We should be bringing some more kids back next year."

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