This past Saturday, the Cardinal wrestling team traveled to Kearney for a history-making competition. For the first time, the wrestling team qualified for the Nebraska state duals. These duals have taken place since 2013, and the top teams in the state compete for the title. Alma is ranked amongst the top 8 teams in Nebraska, qualifying for the state championship. Our team had 11 wrestlers compete, and out of those wrestlers two went undefeated on the day. Those wrestlers were freshman Jeremy Felix and senior Andrew Graf.
For the first dual of the night, the #8 ranked Alma faced off against the #1 ranked Mullen. The dual started at the 182 lbs. weight class. The Cardinals fought hard, but fell short to Mullen with a score of 30-51. In the second dual, Alma faced off against the # 4 ranked Arapahoe. The Arapahoe dual started at the 195 lbs. weight class, where Jeremy Felix had a forfeit. Alma fell short once again, with a score of 30-54 versus Arapahoe.
While the boys had some tough competition, their accomplishments and hard work throughout the season helped them earn their title of eighth in the state duals. During the duals the following wrestlers had pins: Carter Brandyberry, Tucker Brandyberry, Gavin Dunse, and Andrew Graf. The cardinals success is not over however. They have come out on top multiple times with a duals record of 7-1 before the state duals, and multiple first place finishes at tournaments. This Friday, they travel to Maxwell for a two-day tournament
By Sydney Mitchell