Both coaches approached the head table to discuss with officials the outcome of Wednesday’s dual at Kearney High School.
Platte County senior EmmaLyn Burnett takes a shot during the 125-pound match of a dual with Kearney on Wednesday at Kearney High School.
Going through the tiebreaking criteria, Platte County’s Reggie Burress walked away with a slight pump of the fist knowing Platte County came away with a victory after the 42-42 tie over the defending Class 1 state champions. The Pirates prevailed on the No. 4 consideration — fewest forfeits given up.
Burress, Platte County’s longtime head coach, continues to mostly fill a lineup in the program’s sixth season, and that paid dividends in this matchup, even without sophomore Gabriella Ciccarelli in the lower weights due to injury. The Pirates only gave up two forfeits as the team’s every split 14 matches with maximum points scored in all of them.
Platte County only one four head-to-head matchups but that included pins for sophomores Nicole Fernandez (190 pounds), Karrington Friddell (105 pounds) and Charley Sims (120 pounds), a first-year wrestler better known as a speedy member of the track team. Sims dominated Kearney’s Isabelle Cornejo, who trailed 7-0 after the first and went to her back after a takedown in the second.
Sims finished the pin after missing multiple chances to do the same in a strong first period, but she didn’t necessarily know the stakes when she took the mat.
Platte County sophomore Karrington Friddell wrestles in the 105-pound match of a dual with Kearney on Wednesday at Kearney High School.
“I just was kind of nervous, but I just went out there and tried my best and got a win in,” Sims said.
Kearney led 36-18 going into the 120 match, but the numbers worked against them from there.
Platte County senior EmmaLyn Burnett, the only returning Class 2 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships qualifier on the active roster, pinned Ella Herndon in the second period of the 125 match to close the gap to six, and even after the Bulldogs scored a pin at 130, the path to a tiebreaker was set.
Kearney gave up forfeits to junior Annabel Beeman (135) — a cross country runner and soccer player also in her first season — and freshman Mila Cucchiara (140).
Platte County continues to meld unique parts into a fuller lineup than at any point in previous seasons. The Pirates continue to celebrate the forfeit victories the same as any other, finally having a chance to more regularly compete for dual wins that were limited in past seasons due to low numbers.
“We’re a really close team. We have a lot of chemistry,” Sims said.
Platte County sophomore Gwen Duncan wrestles in the 115-pound match of a dual with Kearney on Wednesday at Kearney High School.
Platte County trailed 18-0 to Kearney, which made a surprise run to last year’s team state title in the first year the postseason was separated into two classifications. Fernandez scored the first points for the Pirates with her first-period pin, and junior Madeleine Stone — a state qualifier in swimming also making a transition to a new sport — took a forfeit at 235.
Kearney also won both matches after Friddell’s second-period pin at 105, but part of the key ended up being sophomore Gwen Duncan taking the mat at 115, even in a loss to avoid a forfeit, while junior Gabriella Ciccarelli dropped down from her normal spot at that weight to 110 to fill in for her sister.
Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic
Platte County’s youthful and mostly inexperienced roster entered off of the first big tournament test of the season, having placed 25th out of 32 teams over the weekend in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Burnett medaled seventh at 125, while junior Alivia Juarez (ninth, 170), Fernandez (11th, 190) and Gabriella Ciccarelli (12th, 110) also finished in the top 12. Burnett reached the quarterfinals before dropping to the consolation side of the bracket.
Burnett went 5-2 overall and came back from her quarterfinal defeat to Brynn Lowe of Blue Valley Southwest (Kansas) with a win before a decision loss in sudden-victory overtime that dropped her to the seventh-place match. She had led Lowe 8-3 in the quarterfinal and gave up a tying escape with three seconds left in the consolation third round against Lacey Middleton of Washburn Rural (Kansas). Middleton then secured the winning takedown with 17 seconds left in the 1-minute sudden victory period.
Juarez also made the gold bracket at 170 but lost int he first round to the eventual runnerup. She came back to go 3-1 in consolation matches, closing with a 6-1 decision and third period pin in her last two.
