By Marisa Dawson, Photos by Tisa Kreikemeier
The Eastern Midlands Conference (EMC) Individual Wrestling Tournament, held Saturday, January 31, at Lincoln Northwest High School, delivered standout performances across both the boys’ and girls’ divisions, showcasing the depth and talent in Nebraska high school wrestling.
In the boys’ competition, Bennington dominated the field, claiming the team championship with an impressive 256.5 points, more than 100 points ahead of runner-up Blair (151.5). Bennington’s wrestlers advanced 11 to the finals and crowned five individual champions: Lane Welchert, Brodee Scobee, Brayden Kreikemeier, Ty Bouaphakeo, and Mason Mostek. Coach Alan Pokorny praised the team’s overall effort, noting, “As a team I felt that our wrestlers did an outstanding job overall. We put 11 wrestlers in the finals and had 5 champions.” He highlighted the strength of the conference, with four teams ranked in the top 10 statewide, yet Bennington secured a decisive victory.
Several Bennington wrestlers shone brightly. Dominic Gillett, entering unseeded, upset the #5 and #6 ranked wrestlers in the state en route to the finals. Mason Mostek, returning from injury, pinned his way to the title in a strong comeback performance. Ty Bouaphakeo dominated with a 15-0 technical fall in the semifinals before pinning the #4-ranked wrestler in the championship bout. Other standouts included Easton Anderson, Colton Archer, Elijah McCrery, Evan Warner, Ty Thomsen (all finishing second), Kellen Mann (third), and Knox Naughton (fourth).
On the girls’ side, Bennington secured a solid third place standing with several medalists. Their three individual champions included Sophia Crumly, Mia Anderson, and Maren McIlnay. Coach Craig Pokorny commended their resilience, especially given injuries sidelining several starters. “Overall, I was pleased with how our girls wrestled. They all came out and fought hard, and are improving week over week,” he said. “3rd place and 8 medalists matched our performance last year. Considering we have a number of starters out for the season, this is an accomplishment our team should be proud of.”
Key highlights included Sophia Crumly earning her first conference title by defeating Blair’s A#10-ranked wrestler in the finals, a rematch where she wrestled smartly to neutralize a dangerous move that had tripped her up earlier in the season. Mia Anderson captured her second conference championship with quick pins in both matches, each under a minute. Maren McIlnay also pinned her way to her second title. Additional medalists for Bennington were Katelynn Kinsella (second), Addi Shippen and Alice Hofer (third), and Sabhana Thapa and Eliza Flores (fourth).
The week capped off on a community note for the Bennington program. On Sunday, February 1, the school hosted its annual youth club tournament—the largest ever—with high school wrestlers from both the boys’ and girls’ teams assisting. Coach Craig Pokorny reflected on the event’s value: “It’s always great to see our high schoolers supporting the club kids, and it makes me proud to see the way they all interact with the kids, of whom many aspire to be like them soon.”
With the EMC tournament in the books, teams now turn toward postseason action. The girls’ squad heads to the A2 District tournament this Saturday at Lincoln Northeast. The strong showings across the conference signal promising momentum heading into districts and beyond.
