Three JCC Boys Wrestlers Punch Their Tickets to State

Johnson County Boys competed in the NSAA Class C District 3 wrestling tournament Saturday, Feb. 14 at Cairo, Nebraska. Of the twelve wrestlers who traveled out for the event, three took home medals and a chance to win it all in Omaha, Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 19-21. 
Returning to the state tournament for a second time is junior Erik Prado. Earning a gold medal at districts came through a first-round bye, followed by three quick pins, all in the first period of the match. His first opponent, Victor Wagoner of Superior, fell in 21 seconds. His second, Jack Connick of Grand Island Central Catholic, fell in 11. James Wells of Battle Creek was Prado’s final opponent, and he was pinned in 1:26. Prado, weighing in at 113 pounds, will enter the tournament with a 43-1 record, and face off first against Bow Brandenburg of Central City.
Senior Caden McDonald, the team’s 106 pounder, also received a bye in his first round, then beat Charlie Tegeler of Elkhorn Valley 18-5 to progress to the semifinals.  There, he won by a pin in the second period against Graidy Tusha of West Point-Beemer. In the finals, McDonald lost by a fall in the first period to Kael Stusse, but second place is more than enough to send the JCC senior to Omaha to wrestle at state. McDonald enters the tournament with a 36-6 record and will face off against Eli Thompson of Yutan in the first round. 
At 120 pounds, Juan Aguilar, a freshman at Johnson County Central, received a bye in his first round, then won 2-1 against Luke Kester of Summerland. Aguilar lost to Ryan Hoehne of Battle Creek in the semifinals, but wrestled back against Brody Walker of Cross County/Osceola, winning again by one point, to make it into the third and fourth place match. There he faced Abe Johnsen of Elkhorn Valley, and while he lost that match, he took home fourth place and a trip to Omaha. Aguilar enters the state tournament with a 28-18 record and will wrestle against Cody Barton of Malcolm in the first round. 
Johnson County Central placed 8th as a team at the district tournament with 73 team points, tying West Point-Beemer. Ahead of them were Battle Creek, 1st, 218 points; Logan View, 2nd, 148 points; St. Paul, 3rd, 135.5 points; Crofton/Bloomfield, 4th, 127.5 points; Scotus Central Catholic, 5th, 121.5 points; Elkhorn Valley, 6th, 86.5 points. 

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