Girls' wrestling team wins first title

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As 2023 drew to a close, the Seward County girls’ wrestling team was able to check off a first – its first tournament win.

The team won the Fillmore Central Invite Dec. 30, besting second-place Wood River by 20 points.

“We wrestled really well. It was a total team effort,” Coach Doug Theobald said.

Going into the final round, Seward County trailed by three points.

“We threw the hammer down,” he said. “We were down three and won by 20.”

The team brought home 15 top-six finishes, led by JennaRae Hallsted’s gold medal at 145 pounds. Hallsted was 5-0 with three pins on the day.

“That was big for her,” Theobald said. “She’s been steady the whole year.”

He said she has grown in confidence and improved in technique through the season, which will make her hard to beat.

Lauren Frihauf (105) and Lainey Abell (190) each finished second. Frihauf’s three wins were all by pin, as were Abell’s.

Third places went to Mia Cobian (120), Ava Rediger (130) and Sarah Payne (235). Earning fourth were Kobie Kosek (100), Savannah Leiting (110), Ava Slechta (170) and Maryn Johnson (190).

Theobald said a couple wrestlers moved weights to help the team.

“This was the first time we filled all 14 weights, and that contributed to the title,” he said.

He said the moratorium came at a good time for the wrestlers to heal and rest. Getting the tournament win was also big for the team.

“They really wanted Kearney,” Theobald said. “We’ve been third and second. This is the first team title.”

The girls will wrestle at Columbus Thursday, Jan. 4, starting at 8 a.m. Theobald said the girls’ division of the Norm Manstedt Invite will include more than 300 wrestlers.

On Saturday, Jan. 6, the team will compete at Malcolm starting at 9 a.m.

“We will see some good competition there,” Theobald said.