WP’s Bryner picks up win in Omaha

Not only had it been several years since Wauneta-Palisade had sent a wrestler to the state championship meet, it had been longer since one had won a match.
Conner Bryner changed all that, going 1-2 at last week’s state meet.
Bryner’s weight bracket was an experienced one. Bryner (37-18) was the only freshman in the field of 16 and there were only three sophomores; the rest were juniors and seniors.
Coach Danny Schluckebier said Bryner wrestled well and all three of his opponents were great wrestlers.
Bryner was winning 5-4 over 33-13 RJ Wilmes of Creighton before being pinned in his opening match.
In his second match, Bryner held a 12-0 lead in the first period, but had to go the distance and advance with a 13-8 win over Isaac Pistulza, 25-19, of West Holt.
Neligh-Oakdale’s Austin Rudolf, 28-7, was a man on a mission Wednesday night, and pinned Bryner in the first round. Rudolf finished fifth overall.
With teammates there to see Bryner raise his hand, Schluckebier said Bryner’s performance is good for other WP’s wrestlers to see and help them realize that they could do it as well.
The support Bryner received from his teammates, Schluckebier added, were a help and made everyone feel like a well grounded and supportive team.
From the RPAC at 152 pounds, Southwest’s Matt VanPelt was second and Alma’s Ayden Molzahn was third. Hitchcock County’s Tanner O’Brien and Southern Valley’s Trevor Brown each won one match.
Bryner also lost this season to state champion Colton Holthus of Garden County and Mullen’s Spencer DeNaeyer, the sixth place finisher.
From across the region, Perkins County’s Brandon Knoles won Class D 220 lbs. Ogallala’s Cameron Zink won Class B 152 lbs. and McCook’s Alec Langan won Class B 220 lbs.
Southwest finished as Class D runners up. Besides VanPelt, Brett Tryon was third in 160 lbs, Jacob Kerns at 126 lbs and Garrett Latimer at 138 lbs were fifth and Clayton Hardy was sixth at 220 lbs.