2025 NSAA Boys State Wrestling Championships Preview

(Omaha, NE) - The NSAA Boys State Wrestling Championship begins its three-day run on Thursday, February 20th at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. Historic storylines abound for the weekend as two wrestlers attempt to become four-time champions.

Wrestling begins at 9:30 AM on Thursday and concludes with the Championship Finals, broadcast live on Nebraska Public Media, scheduled for 3:00 PM on Saturday afternoon. 

State Tournament information can be found at the following links. NFHS Livestream | Live results | Class A Brackets | Class B Brackets | Class C Brackets | Class D Brackets

Class A: Creighton Prep Eyeing First State Wrestling Title in School History

The Junior Jays of Creighton Prep have seen success in athletics in many sports throughout the years. One thing missing from their trophy case is a team title in wrestling. That could all change this weekend as Prep is heavily favored to be hoisting the trophy Saturday evening at the CHI Center in Omaha. 

Prep Head Coach Andrew Fisher said the coaching staff is working hard to have his team prepped and ready. 

“The goal for our staff is to get each guy individually in the best possible position to have a great state tournament weekend and get to the top of that podium,” Fisher said. “This is a young team and I am super excited to see them all continue to grow and achieve great things to finish this season.” 

It isn’t lost on Coach Fisher what a state team title would mean to the kids and the school.  

“It would mean a lot to Prep and all the Prep wrestling alumni to bring home that first championship,” the coach said. “There have been so many great wrestlers and coaches before this team and we all are excited for this team.”

The Prep crew will have to fend off the likes of state dual champions Lincoln East, six-time defending champion Millard South, Grand Island, Columbus and Kearney. Kearney is the only team in Class A to qualify all 14 weight classes for the state tournament. 

When the dust settles expect Creighton Prep to improve upon their second place finish from last season, and begin a new dynasty in Class A that could last for several seasons. 

Coach Fisher sees the potential in this group of kids. 

“I have no doubt they will continue to add little things to their wrestling and grow,” Fisher added. “They also continue to do great in the classroom and in other activities in the school. I love seeing them grow and lead in lots of different areas at Prep.”

Class A Notes

Tyson Terry of Omaha North Looking for Fourth Gold Medal

Tyson Terry has a chance to do what has never been done in the state of Nebraska. Win four gold medals in the heaviest weight class. The future Husker footballer has been nothing short of dominant this season. Every contested match he’s wrestled has resulted in a pin in the first period. 

Millard South’s Logan Glynn Tries for Three 

Logan Glynn is looking to make it three in a row for Millard South to cap his high school career. Glynn is committed to wrestle at the NCAA Division I level for the Northern Colorado Bears. 

Cruzer Dominguez Dominant in Freshman Campaign

Creighton Prep’s Cruzer Dominguez has tech falled or pinned everyone from Nebraska he has faced this season, including No. 2 Mohamed Mohamed of Omaha Bryan. 

 Bennington’s Kyler Laurdisen looks to become a four-time champion this weekend in Class B at 157 pounds. 

Class B: Omaha Skutt in the Driver’s Seat for 22nd State Title in School History

The Omaha Skutt Skyhawks and state team titles in wrestling are synonymous. 

They won 20 titles in 21 years between 1998 and 2018. Since then, however, they’ve brought home the team title just once (2023). The Skyhawks have won the past three dual team titles and the pieces are in place for them to bring home the team trophy but they haven’t forgotten past seasons. 

Coach Chas DeVetter mentions that “the guys that were on the team remember getting second last year, but every year is a new year and that is in the past.” 

Skutt will need to fend off powerhouse schools such as Bennington, Waverly, York and Central City. 

Waverly is the returning team state champion and should be in the mix for another trophy. Last year they were the underdog as well and are ready for a solid state tournament again this season, says head coach Eric Dolezal. 

“I think the group of boys had a great district and set themselves up well for this week,” Dolezal said. “They are wrestling loose and ready to go.”

Bennington seems to be right in the thick of the team race every season. This year is no different as they’ve been in the top-three all season. They have the second most qualifiers at 11, just one less than Skutt. 

It will take a lot to keep pace with Omaha Skutt however, as Skyhawks have eight wrestlers ranked in the top four this season. 

“This group is just a highly motivated group in general and I think that we have a lot of guys with lofty individual and team goals,” DeVetter said. “Team success at the state tournament comes from individuals taking care of business one match at a time and focusing on the things that we can control.”

Class B Notes

Kyler Lauridsen Going for Four

Kyler Lauridsen has had success on the football field, soccer field and the wrestling mat. He has three state football titles to go with his three individual golds in wrestling. Laurdisen has defeated most of the top competition in his weight this season. Just one thing left to do and that’s to go out and earn that fourth gold. Enjoy the talent on display as this will likely be his last time on the wrestling mat as he’s committed to UNK Football. 

Cade Ziola: Most Decorated Nebraska High Schooler in History?

Cade Ziola will be looking to become a four-time state finalist and three-time state champion this season. The future Husker wrestler is the only prep from Nebraska to ever make the Ironman finals in Ohio. He was the champion of that event in 2023 and runner-up this season. He is also a Fargo freestyle finalist and All-American and Super 32 third place finisher. He also won the Flowrestling Who’s Number One event that is held to determine the top wrestler in the country at their weight class. These events are widely considered the toughest the country has to offer.  

Skutt’s Ben Ziola and Tyler Harrill On Track for Four 

Skutt has a few potential four-timers who will continue their quest this weekend at the CHI. Junior Tyler Harrill will be going for his third gold, while Ben Ziola is the top seed at 126 going for his second as sophomore. 

Youth Movement: Class B 106 and 113

Class B features several phenomenal freshmen who have positioned themselves as state title contenders early in their careers. At 106, Ace Schweitzer of Central City is the top seed and at 113 Waverly’s Dominic Olson is the top seed. In the 106 pound class, 14 of the 16 are freshmen. 

Other freshmen to keep an eye on include district champions Noah Boyer (106, Nebraska City); John White (106, McCook); Oscar Brown (113, Scottsbluff); Brody Schmitt (126, Ralston); Allen Diaz (144, Lexington); Kaleb Griffith (150, Mount Michael) and Cayson Boltjes (215,Sidney). Others such as Coy Childers (113, Alliance) and Cayson Schlotfeld (215, Gretna) have their sights set on a spot in the state finals. 

 Chadron’s Quinn Bailey will seek a third gold medal at this weekend’s NSAA State Wrestling Championships. 

Class C: Can Battle Creek Fend Off Minden and Cedar Catholic for Second Consecutive Title?

After breaking through for their first Class C dual title two weeks ago, the Braves of Battle Creek are looking to go back-to-back in Class C. The favorites qualified 10 wrestlers, which is the most in Class C. 

Coach Cody Wintz’s squad is ready for a good week in Omaha. 

“​​We have put ourselves in position for a fun weekend,” he said. “We have had a very successful season, but we’ve got one more goal to attain.”  

Battle Creek will have to fend off a number of deep teams. 

“It’s going to be a great state tournament, as a number of teams have put themselves in position to chase down a trophy,” Wintz said. “We know that Minden and Cedar Catholic certainly have big aspirations, and you’ve got a handful of other teams, including David City, who can contend if they put together a great tournament.” 

Minden has the second most qualifiers in Class C with nine. The Whippets are led by an experienced group of six seniors, including top-ranked Orrin Kuehn (150) and Robert Nelson (165). 

Cedar Catholic has a squad that is built for the state tournament. With six qualifiers in the lineup, they have five potential finalists that have a combined record of 198-8 in the Hochstein brothers (Bodie, Easton and Brady) as well as Maverick Heine and Braeden Kleinschmit. 

Battle Creek will focus on what’s in front of them. 

“The only thing we can control is the matches that we wrestle in, and I think we have 10 guys competing down there who are going to work hard to score points for us,” Winztz added. “It will be crucial to get great efforts out of each of them, even if they do drop a match and have to wrestle through the backside. We are looking forward to competing one more time this season.”

Class C Notes

Quinn Bailey Eyeing Third Gold

Chadron’s Quinn Bailey was the Class B Champion in 2023, Class C in 2024 and is looking to cap his incredible career as a four-time medalist and three time state champion. He’s the #1 seed at 157lbs in Class C.

Ornelas Looking to go Three for Three

Wilber-Clatonia’s Zaiyahn Ornelas is on track for four titles, having yet to lose a match in his high school career. He’s had great success at the national level and will continue his quest to become a four-time undefeated champion. 

Aquinas senior Kelby Coufal will go for his third gold medal this weekend. 

Class D: Five Teams Have Title Hopes in Exciting Class D Race

Plainview, Burwell, Central Valley, Aquinas, Shelby-Rising City. These teams have earned the right to be in the state title conversation in Class D this season. The question is, how will it all shake out?

When things are this close everything is analyzed and every point counts. From bracket draws and securing bonus points, the littlest shift can make a huge overall impact. An upset that doesn’t even involve the top teams can shift the pendulum in the later rounds.

Plainview Head Coach Dean Boyer’s squad won three titles from 2019-2021. He had this to say about the team race. 

“I think it will be very tight,” he said. “Shelby has to be considered the frontrunner, but I don’t think it will be by very much. They have some guys that can get big points, but will they have enough points from their other wrestlers?”  

This isn’t an unfamiliar position for Boyer, as his 2019 squad was similar to his team this season. 

“We have set ourselves up well and will have to nickel and dime our way to the title,” he said. “I told the kids that this is shaping up like the first state title that we won by 3.5 points. We need to get some bonus points and everyone needs to score.”

Shelby Rising City Head Coach Tanner Kuhn knows this is going to be a war as well. 

“The Class D team race is shaping up to be a competitive battle, and we know it’s going to come down to every point earned across all weight classes,” Kuhn said. “For us, the key to success is focusing on what we can control — wrestling with intensity, composure, and a team-first mentality.”

The Huskies qualified six wrestlers for the state tournament. 

“There are eight weight classes we have no control over, so we’re focusing on wrestling our best and making the most of every opportunity,” Kuhn said. “If we wrestle hard, score bonus points when possible, and fight for every position, the team standings will take care of themselves.” 

Burwell won the state dual title just a few weeks ago and they’ll look to ride the momentum to another one in Omaha. The Longhorns have seven state qualifiers. Aquinas has won the last two team titles in Class D, following the 2022 title in Class C. The Monarchs have six wrestlers competing. 

Central Valley defeated Plainview in the opening round of the State Duals this season. They also have eight state qualifiers and could be the deepest team in D alongside Plainview. 

Class D Notes

Kelby Coufal Going for Third Title

Aquinas senior Kelby Coufal will be going for his third gold in Omaha. He is the top seed in Class D at 157 lbs.

Guzman, Jensen and Larsen on track for four

Three wrestlers in Class D won state titles as freshmen. We can already tell you that when all is said and done Saturday, that number will be down to at least two. Palmer’s Uriel Guzman and Garden County’s Cable Larsen are both at the same weight – 126. They are likely to meet in the state quarterfinals. Guzman has been dominant this season as the number one seed at the weight, sitting at a perfect 50-0. 

Burwell’s Brody Jensen is the top seed at 113. His only two losses are bumping up to 120 to take on Class C two-time undefeated champion Ornelas. You have to love someone who chases competition and Jensen does just that. 

Freshmen Adryck Stewart and Drake Troxel Top Seeds

Will we see more freshmen bring home gold from Omaha? Plainview’s Adryck Stewart (106) and Southern’s Drake Troxel (144) are both the top seeds at their weight classes. 

Dru Kastler was a two-time state champion wrestler for Ord High School in 2004 and 2005.  He was part of a group that founded NEWrestle in 2016. It has since become Nebraska’s most in-depth source for wrestling coverage in the state.