(Independent/Josh Salmon) Central City’s Cole Kunz celebrates his second state title after pinning Aquinas’ Jakob Kavan during the Class C 120-pound title match at the state wrestling tournament at the CHI Health Center Omaha.
(Independent/Josh Salmon) Central City's Drew Garfield and Cole Kunz hug after both won second consecutive state titles during the Nebraska state wrestling meet Saturday in Omaha.
Central City’s Drew Garfield tries to escape Valentine’s William Sprenger during the Class C 113-pound title match at the state wrestling tournament Saturday at the CHI Health Center Omaha. Garfield won 2-0 in overtime for his second title. (Independent/Josh Salmon)
Ord's Ryan Gabriel battles with HTRS's Aiden Worthey for the Class C 195-pound championship Saturday during the state wrestling tournament. Gabriel won the title. (Independent/Josh Salmon)
Ord's Ryan Gabriel celebrates winning the Class C 195-pound title during the state wrestling meet Saturday in Omaha. (Independent/Josh Salmon)
St. Paul's Quade Peterson celebrates with his fans after he winning the Class C, 285-pound title during the Nebraska state wrestling meet Saturday in Omaha. (Independent/Josh Salmon)
St. Paul's Quade Peterson battles with Superior's Payton Christiancy during Saturday's Class C, 285-pound title during the state wrestling tournament at the CHI Health Center Omaha. Peterson won the title with a pin. (Independent/Josh Salmon)
By Terry DouglassOMAHA — Central City may not have had the horsepower to repeat as state team champions, but the Bison still managed to exceed expectations with a runner-up finish in Class C.
Coach Darin Garfield’s squad produced five state medalists to score 104.5 points and place second behind Aquinas Catholic (141) on Saturday at the CHI Health Center. Central City advanced three wrestlers into the finals with both No. 1-rated Drew Garfield (49-0 at 113 pounds) and top-rated Cole Kunz (49-0 at 120) wrapping up undefeated senior seasons by winning their second consecutive state titles.
“We lost a lot of guys off of last year’s state championship team and, bluntly, I don’t know how many people thought we’d even be in position to be in that top two this year, but our guys believed it,” Darin Garfield said. “All week long during state practices, we talked about it. We knew what we had in our room was capable of getting a trophy back to Central City.
