Seniors Kaleb Carey and Keir Dane Harner and junior Jerad McLean wrapped up their 2008-09 seasons competing in the annual Nebraska State Wrestling Championships at Omaha’s Qwest Center Feb. 19-20.
Although the Cardinal competitors won just one of seven combined matches, they gave several of the top wrestlers in their respective weight classes their toughest tests of the tourney.
“All three of our guys wrestled very competitively,” acknowledged Boone Central Coach Dale Bonge. “Even though we did not have the kind of success we would have liked to have had, our young men conducted themselves well the entire trip and were a credit to our school and communities.”
McLean had the lone victory for Boone Central in the 2009 state meet.
After losing a hard-fought 5-1 decision to eventual 160-pound medalist Karl Lilley of Palmyra Thursday, McLean came back in Friday’s first consolation round to pin Ross Jensen of Wisner-Pilger. McLean was then eliminated by Ft. Calhoun’s Cole Hartline in an 8-4 decision.
“Jerad gained some valuable experience and showed a ton of improvement from the beginning of the season,” praised Bonge.
Carey gave eventual 135-pound Class C champion Caleb Hoyt of Ainsworth his closest match of the meet (3-0) in the opening round, then lost a 6-0 decision to Lance Laug of Johnson County Friday.
Harner came up just one point short (3-2) to eventual 189-pound 5th place finisher Adam Simpson of Hitchcock County Thursday and dropped a 13-4 decision to Plainview’s Nathan Wragge in the consolation round.
Carey finished the campaign 20-14. Harner concluded 2009 with a 22-15 mark and McLean ended with an 18-15 record.
BC Wrestlers Compete In State Meet
