Cedar wrestlers claim tourney title and three dual meet wins
PLAINVIEW — The Cedar Catholic wrestling team is moving forward like a locomotive without brakes as the season moves closer to the postseason.
Last week, the team beat Randolph 39-24 in a dual match and swept through its own triangular by crushing Winnebago 53-6 and Wakefield 57-0.
The boys then captured the Plainview Tournament title by holding off the hosts by 1.5 points.
In the match with Winnebago, Cedar wrestled five matches, winning all five. The Trojans also picked up four wins by forfeit.
All three Hochstein brothers, Brady, Bodie and Easton, all won their matches by pins. Hunter Kuchta also recorded a pin, while Braeden Kleinschmit got his win on a technical fall.
Cedar had nine contested matches against Wakefield and won eight of them by pin. Maverick Heine, Brody Kleinschmit, Bodie Hochstein, Easton Hochstein, Brady Hochstein, Castin Pinkelman, Cale Korth and Nicholas Coleman, all earned pins. Hunter Kuchta won with a 6-5 decision.
Winning titles at Plainview were Maverick Heine, Bodie Hochstein, Easton Hochstein and Braeden Kleinschmit.
Hunter Kuchta and Kale Korth won second-place medals, Brody Kleinschmit and Nicholas Coleman ended up third in their respective brackets and Tavious Pinkelman ended up with a sixth-place medal for his efforts.
Easton Hochstein said the team wrestled well despite continuing to battle with a short-handed roster.
“The snow days were kind of a relief just because I was kind of beat up from wrestling, but it’s also like I don’t like not doing anything. When we had to get back into the wrestling room, we just have to work a little bit harder to get back in shape.”
The girls also went to Plainview and Madison Kuchta and Morgan Kuchta brought back to Cedar first and second-place medals.
Morgan Kuchta also wrestled in the Norfolk Catholic event the next day and took third place.
“All in all, it was a great week,” Cedar head coach Justin Bartling said. “Braeden became only the third wrestler in school history to win 100 varsity matches. Kale broke the school record for pins in a single season. The boys continue to keep proving they are ready to compete week in and week out and it has become really fun and exciting to watch. This team continues to push each other week in and week out.
“The girls also continue to prove that they are improving each week and this week will get to show it as they start their postseason run for state this Friday for Subdistricts.”
The teams wrestled Monday in a triangular against West Holt and Lyons Decatur NE for Parent’s Night.
Easton Hochstein likes the youth and talent of the boys roster and he sees a team with the potential to make a run to state and especially make a mark over the next couple of years. “If we just keep working hard and just keep making ourselves better, I think we’ll probably be one of the better teams in Nebraska,” he said. “We need to take these next weeks seriously and work hard in the practice room and get prepared for state. We can do a lot of damage when that time comes around.
“Our team has tons of talent we just need more bodies out there. If we get that we will be spectacular.”
Plainview Invitational
1. Cedar Catholic, 184. 2. Plainview, 182.5; 3. Randolph, 142; 4. West Holt, 117.5; 5. East Butler, 112; 6. Palmer, 87; 7. Creighton, 77; 8. Wakefield, 75; 9. Osmond, 67; 10. Homer 66.5; 11. Tri County Northeast, 45; 12. Lutheran High NE, 38; 13. Winnebago, 35; 14. Niobrara-Verdigre, 25; 15. Ponca, 13.