By Marisa Dawson
Photos By Tisa Kreikemeier
The Bennington High School wrestling team showcased its dominance in the Eastern Midlands Conference (EMC) Duals on Friday, January 9 at Waverly High School, sweeping through the tournament undefeated and capturing the championship with impressive performances against top competition.
The Badgers opened with a resounding 77-0 shutout over Elkhorn (their third shutout of the season), followed by decisive victories of 59-11 over Gretna East, 74-4 over Lincoln Standing Bear, 64-18 over Blair, and a championship-clinching 67-12 triumph over the host Waverly.
“The Badgers dominated from the beginning until the end,” said Coach Alan Pokorny. “A quote from one of the Waverly assistant coaches was, ‘Your guys beat us technically, physically, and mentally.’”
Bennington’s wrestlers delivered impressive individual efforts throughout the event. Eight grapplers finished with undefeated 5-0 records: Colton Archer, Brodee Scobee, Brayden Kreikemeier, Paxton Morgan, Ty Bouaphakeo, and Mason Mostek. Seven others went 4-1, ensuring every team member ended the tournament with a winning record.
A major highlight came from Brayden Kreikemeier (pictured below), who earned his 100th career win during the opening dual against Elkhorn. He continued his strong showing with three pins, a technical fall, and a major decision over the #4-ranked wrestler in the state.
“Reaching my 100th win was a huge goal of mine since sophomore year when I made varsity and getting it at our conference tournament was pretty cool,” Kreikemeier said. “Knowing that I was going to have some high ranked matches afterward helped give me the confidence I needed to win my next matches.”
Reflecting on the milestone match, he added: “During the match I was feeling the pressure of winning just because I’ve worked so hard for that moment but once I got to my shots and my moves I knew I could get an easy pin- the main difference between that match and another match was just the pressure of winning.”
Kreikemeier credited Coach Nick for his growth: “I would say Coach Nick has helped me improve my technique, my mindset, and my attitude on the mat and I plan to build on my momentum in the next few weeks in trying to win my upcoming tournaments and eventually make it to the state finals to accomplish my childhood dream of being a state champ.”
Other standouts included Dominic Gillett, who went 4-1 with all four wins by pin in one of his best tournaments of the year, and Ty Bouaphakeo (pictured below), who pinned every opponent in the first period (none lasting longer than 1:09), including two ranked wrestlers.
Coach Pokorny singled out Paxton Morgan as the most impressive performer: “The person that stood out the most according to us coaches was Paxton Morgan. He keeps getting better every week and really dominated his opponents this week with 3 pins and 2 technical falls.”
The Bennington team celebrates their strong performances, reflecting the grit and teamwork that powered their championship run in the tough Class B conference, home to multiple top-10 squads.
Coach Pokorny expressed pride in the team’s effort: “I was really proud of our team. This is the toughest conference in class B with multiple teams in the top 10 and our kids really came to wrestle. We scored 77, 74, 67, 64, and 59 points in our duals.”
The varsity squad’s success was complemented by strong showings from the JV wrestlers on Saturday, January 10. At the Aquinas Invitational, Nathan Strader placed 4th, while Jake Crawford went 3-2 and Jeremiah Phewmyang 2-2, with several others one match from medaling. At the Waverly JV Tournament, Bennington wrestlers earned multiple podium finishes, including 2nd for Marec Clerc and 3rd-place showings from Colton Dull, Nick Schulz, Jaiden Heywood, and Ayden Moore.
With this commanding performance in the EMC Duals, the Bennington Badgers appear poised for a strong push toward the postseason in what is shaping up to be an exciting season for Nebraska high school wrestling.
