Girls State Championships splits to two classes, breaks from boys amid rapid growth
By Sean Trampe – For the Nebraska School Activities Association
The NSAA Girls State Championship gets underway Tuesday, February 18th at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. For the first time, the girls will have a two-day standalone state tournament separate from the boys. Also new this season, there are two classifications of schools for girls wrestling.
Wrestling begins at 4:00 PM on Tuesday and concludes with the Championship Finals, broadcast live on Nebraska Public Media, scheduled for 6:30 PM Wednesday evening.
State Tournament information can be found at the following links:
NFHS Livestream | Live results | Class A Brackets | Class B Brackets
Class A: Norfolk Out Front, but Defending Champion Westside Won’t Go Quietly
Norfolk has passed every test they’ve faced this season with flying colors. They are champions of the Heartland Athletic Conference, the NSWCA State Duals champions, and most recently won the A4 District tournament by a wide margin. In Omaha, they’ll look to their ten state qualifiers to help cap off a historic season with a team title.
“We expect to win a State Championship, and I feel we have 10 state medalists in the tournament,” said Panther coach Andrew Stowe. “However we don’t focus on the big picture. We focus on one takedown at a time, one period at a time, one match at a time, and the rest will take care of itself.
“My goal is for all 10 girls that we are taking to Omaha to finish their seasons satisfied and proud of what they accomplish. Adversity will happen, it always does, just keep wrestling.”
Norfolk’s ten state qualifiers are two more than any other squad in Class A. Great team depth has helped the Panthers make their push for a state championship.
“We currently have 29 girls on roster and everyday girls are pushing each other to get better. Throughout the season we had JVs challenging for varsity spots each week, and having that competition in the room makes everyone better,” says Coach Stowe. “The other big factor is the leadership from our returners. We have a lot of girls in the room that have put in a lot of time in the off season, and understand the hard work it takes to have success. Having those examples in the room makes it easy for others to emulate that behavior.”
To win a team title, Norfolk will have to fend off several challengers. Perhaps the biggest push will come from the defending team champion, Omaha Westside. The Warriors return four state medalists from last season, but things have not come easy this year.
“We were hit with injuries early on. Losing key contributors Piper Zatechka and Makenzie Martin for the year, not having Mara Vanderpool until second semester, and having some others in and out of our lineup all year was extremely tough,” explains Westside coach Bob Mulligan. “But our girls never lost focus or hope and kept on working hard. We let our culture prevail and it helps guide us in the right direction. I’m so proud of how the girls have responded all year and so excited to see how we perform at state.”
To capture a second consecutive championship, Westside will need their wrestlers to step up; something the team has focused on all season long.
“Elevate has been our motto for the year and the girls have lived up to it,” said Mulligan. “They have wrestled extremely well and are still getting better every time we step out on the mat.”
Other teams to watch include last season’s runner-up, Grand Island, a pair of OPS powers in Omaha North and Omaha Westview, cross-town rivals Millard South and Millard West, and Capitol City contenders Lincoln East and Lincoln High.
Class A Notebook
Peacher Eyes Fourth Gold
Bennington senior will attempt to become the NSAA’s first ever four-time girls state champion. Two other wrestlers, Reagen Gallaway and Regan Rosseter, have accomplished this feat, but won at least one championship before the NSAA had sanctioned girls wrestling.
For Peacher to claim her fourth gold, she will need to navigate a tough A130 bracket and potentially avenge an earlier loss to nationally ranked Kalynn Lyons of Omaha Westview.
Westside’s Barber Tries for Three
Westside senior Zoey Barber will look to end her career on a high note in becoming a three-time state champion. She enters the tournament as the top seed, but nothing comes easy in Omaha. She holds a 2-1 season advantage over two other top contenders in this bracket and will likely see one of those two in the finals. Motivation should be no issue for Barber, but she should get an added boost of it competing alongside her sister, Macy, who will also challenge for a state title.
Super Six: Class A’s Nationally Ranked Wrestlers
The growth of girls wrestling in Nebraska has not been in sheer numbers only. Over the course of the past few seasons, the level of talent has also rapidly risen. Six Class A wrestlers were featured in the most recent set of USA Wrestling’s National Girls Rankings.
Morgan Maschmann of Beatrice is ranked No. 20 at 120, and Omaha Skutt Catholic’s Kaylyn Harrill checks in at No. 21 at that same weight. Westview’s Kalynn Lyons is No. 20 at 130. Westside teammates Zoey Barber and Addeline Graser are ranked No. 17 at 155 and No. 23 at 170, respectively. Also at 170 is Nebraska City sophomore Makayla Vasser, who comes in at No. 10.
Skutt Sophomore Seeks Second Straight
Only one freshman, Skutt’s Kaylyn Harrill, struck gold in Omaha last season. She’ll look to repeat the feat this season in the 120 pound bracket and keep her quest for four intact.
Bennington’s Anderson Dominant in Freshman Campaign
Another wrestler with four state titles in mind is Bennington freshman, Mia Anderson. She’s been a dominant force this season and enters the state tournament with an undefeated 40-0 record. She has pinned all but two opponents this season, including every Class A opponent she has faced.
Top ranked wrestlers Addisyn Darling (110), Alexis Pehrson (135), and Jordyn Campbell (130) look on as their teammate competes at the Millard West Invite in January. The Chieftains will look to win the first ever Class B Girls state championship. (Photo by AJKREATIONZ | Antonyo Johnson)
Class B: Trio of State Champions Power Yutan as Chieftains Seek First Title
Leading the charge in Class B are the Yutan Chieftains. Despite having only nine wrestlers compete this season, Yutan has asserted itself as the team title frontrunner largely on the strength of its three individual state champions. Aubrie and Alexis Pehrson have each won back-to-back state titles for Yutan in 2022 and 2023, and nationally ranked junior Jordyn Campbell (No. 19 at 130) won gold at 125 lbs last season. Three other Chieftains claimed district titles, including top-ranked Addisyn Darling at 110.
It takes more than just a few talented individuals to achieve the level of success that Yutan has this year, as coach Dan Krajicek explains: “All of our wrestlers are extremely competitive in the practice room, but they are also really good friends. So, they go hard but also will help each other out and focus on what they need to work on.”
Despite their successes this season, the Chieftains do not make winning their main priority. Instead, they focus on constant improvement and personal development. Says Krajicek, “My expectation for them is that they improve every day. If that is your focus, the rest will take care of itself. They know who they are having fun and enjoying themselves, so that helps. Plus, they are all really good young women which helps to keep everything in focus.”
As far as the state tournament is concerned, their goal is to just wrestle well and compete.
“If we wrestle well and compete, no matter what happens we can be proud of each and every one of them and they can hold their heads high,” the coach said. “They have had a fantastic season so far, and even if we didn’t have a state meet we had a lot of fun and a lot of success and that is something that we can’t take for granted.”
If anyone is capable of knocking off Yutan, Lakeview and Battle Creek appear best equipped to do so. Each of these teams possess a great balance of depth and top-end talent. Lakeview’s eight state qualifiers are the most of any team in Class B.
Several other teams should factor into the mix for a top-five finish, including Johnson County Central who has a trio of talented lightweights. Southwest boasts a pair of undefeated siblings seeking to end their season atop the podium. Crofton/Bloomfield, Conestoga and West Holt all send strong squads to Omaha as well.
Class B Notes
Three for Three: Trio of Seniors Aim to Cap Careers with Third State Title
Three Class B wrestlers will attempt to claim a third gold medal at the state tournament. Johnson County Central’s Jocelyn Prado will look to make her fourth consecutive state finals appearance at 100 lbs and cap an undefeated senior season with a third title. Yutan’s “Pin Twins” Aubrie and Alexis Pehrson each have two titles to their name with sights set on a third.
Sibling Success: Sisters Competing at State
Several sisters will take to the mats together in Omaha. The aforementioned Pehrson sisters are not the only set of twins in the Class B field. They’ll be joined by Scribner-Snyder twins, Nattlie and Emily Hull. Southwest sisters Rylan and Ambie Custard come to Omaha undefeated on the season and will attempt to win state titles together. Additional sibling competitors include Bailey and Dakota Gress (High Plains) and Peyton and Paige Owens (Chase County).
Instant Impact: Several First Year Programs Finding Immediate Success
A number of first year programs have hit the ground running this season and will send wrestlers to the state tournament. Broken Bow leads the pack here with three state qualifiers. Creighton and Cozad will each send two. In its first year as a solo squad, Centennial has a qualifier. Although Wisner-Pilger has qualified individuals in the past, their new co-op with Pender (NEN) is sending its first qualifier as well.
Youth Movement: Freshmen Title Contenders
Class B features several phenomenal freshmen who have positioned themselves as state title contenders early in their careers. Here are some of the most prominent names to be on the lookout for in Omaha: Hadley Mazzulla (100, Auburn); Keira Crane (105, Minden); Evelyn Freeman (110, Cedar Catholic); Rylan Custard (115, Southwest); Taylor Ahlman (140, Battle Creek); and Beckah Gossman (145, Fort Calhoun).
Sean Trampe was the 2007 Class C state champion at 103 pounds for Ord High School. He was a coach at Conestoga for 10 seasons and joined the team at NEWrestle last year. Since 2016, the website has become Nebraska’s most in-depth source for wrestling coverage in the state.
Editor Tony Chapman is a freelance writer based in Grand Island. He has written for multiple Nebraska daily and weekly newspapers. His weekly Harvest Sports Newsletter covers a wide variety of Nebraska prep sports.