Kirt Manion
kmanion@cherryroad.com

Five members of the Nebraska City girls’ wrestling team earned qualifying positions for the Nebraska School Activities Association State Wrestling Tournament with three of those Pioneer grapplers taking home gold medals during action at the Class A-3 District Tournament at Plattsmouth High School on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Rylee Stracke won the 125-pound championship, earned her way to the state event for the second time and pinned three opponents to take her career pin total over 100 after having secured her 100th win earlier this season. She now has 101 pins and 131 wins, both school records. Stracke takes a 34-5 record to state with the goal of ending her senior season as a medalist.

Jocelyn Davis won the 130-pound championship with three pins, including one pin in just 13 seconds. She also won a match by major decision and advanced her record to 30-10. She figures to be in the mix for a state medal in her second trip to the NSAA tournament.

Makayla Vasser won the 190-pound championship with three pins. The victories have Vasser, a sophomore, ready to make a run at a state championship. She enters the state tourney unbeaten at 38-0. Her only career defeat came in last season’s state tourney finals. She reached the championship with an unblemished record as a freshman despite missing the early portion of last season’s schedule while rehabbing a knee injury.

Nebraska City was the only school at the Class A-3 District Tournament to finish with three individual champions.

Jenesis Mendes-Valquier qualified for state with a third place finish in the 170-pound weight class. She won three of four district matches and advanced her record to 32-9. Mendes-Valquier goes to state after a strong second half of the season and looks to cap it off with a medal.

Karlee Peterson, a freshman 115-pound wrestler, went 3-2 on the day and scored a state spot with a fourth-place medal. Her two pins helped Peterson move to 32-20 on the season.

Other Pioneers wrestled well but missed state.

Leah Clark, 105 pounds, lost a close match in the quarterfinals and then fell in the consolation round, also known as the heartbreak round as the winners of that round go to state while the losers see their season come to an end. Clark was 2-2 for the day with the wins by pin and looks to be a future state contender for the Pioneer team. She finished 27-11.

Addisyon Walters, 110 pounds, picked up a win at districts and finished 12-12 for the season. She was hampered by an injury this season and was never 100 percent. Improved health next season should mean more success.

Adi Bittner 120 pounds, got a win, raised her season record to 23-18, continued a season of progress and figures to be a wrestler to watch for next season.

Senior Lextyn Harker 135 pounds, won a match and took her final season record to 23-17 at the district meet. Coach Ron Schaulis said the Pioneers will miss Harker’s leadership and the positive attitude she brought to the wrestling room each day.

“We believe all five girls will win matches and hope to bring home some state medals,” said Coach Ron Schaulis. “The team goal is a top 10 finish.”