OMAHA — Tony Palmer is halfway to a second straight title after the first day of the Nebraska State Wrestling Championships.
The South Sioux City 215-pound senior cruised to the final four in his bracket with a pair of easy wins. He needed just 48 seconds to finish of Daceson Morgan for his 50th win of the season and cruised to a 21-5 technical fall over Grant Schwerdtfeger of Lincoln East to get to Friday’s semifinals.
Palmer (51-1) was one of two Cardinals to win in the first round. Adrian Curiel earned a third-period fall over Caden Vancleave of Lincoln Southeast before losing a 10-8 heartbreaker in the quarterfinals to Hudson Oliver of Grand Island.
South Sioux City’s other three qualifier lost their first-round matches. Kenny Valavong (106), Erick Moreno (138) and DJ Helms (285) will need to win three matches on Friday to earn a spot on the medal stand.
In Class D action, both of Homer’s wrestlers qualified for Friday’s semifinals with a pair of wins.
Josue Munoz, who was a state medalist last year, dominated his way to the 138-pound semifinals. He pinned Drake Arensdorf of South Platte in the third period and came away with a 20-9 major decision over Cambridge’ Dierks Sayer to advance to the semifinals. Munoz is 39-6 on the season.
Austin Pelster battled his way to Friday’s semifinals with a pair of lose decisions. He outlasted Jason Kraus of Mullen 9-7 and worked his way to a 9-5 decision over Koltan Ideus of Southern.
Tri County Northeast had two wrestling in Class C action Thursday afternoon, and both came up short in their first matches of the tournament.
Landon Newton got in trouble early against Jaxon Kearns of Gordon-Rushville and was pinned late in the first period in the 120-pound bracket.
Returning qualifier Bryan Isom lost a heartbreaker in his 157-pound opener, giving up a late escape to Jaydn Thompson in a 4-3 decision.
Complete highlights in next week’s edition of the Dakota County Star.
First-Day Results
SOUTH SIOUX CITY
A106: Kenny Malavong (14-14)
— pinned by Isaiah Tuttle, Omaha Central, 2:27.
A138: Erick Moreno (24-19)
— pinned by Noah Ingwersen, Lincoln East, :52.
A190: Adrian Curiel (42-4)
— pinned Caden Vancleave, Lincoln Southeast, 4:31.
— dec. by Hudson Oliver, Grand Island, 10-8.
A215: Tony Palmer (50-1)
— pinned Daceson Morgan, Lincoln Northeast, :48.
— tech. fall Grant Schwerdtfger, Lincoln East, 21-5.
A285: DJ Helms (44-7)
— pinned by Bryce Luehring, Bellevue West, :52.
HOMER
D138: Josue Munoz (39-6)
— pinned Drake Arensdorf, South Platte, Fall 5:07.
— maj. dec. Dierks Sayer, Cambridge, 20-9).
D157: Austin Pelster (41-4)
— dec. Jason Kraus, Mullen, 9-7.
— dec. Koltan Ideus, Southern, 9-5.
TRI COUNTY NORTHEAST
C120: Landon Newton (21-11)
— pinned by Jaxon Kearns, Gordon-Rushville, 1:45.
C157: Bryan Isom (31-9)
— dec. by Jaydn Thompson, St. Paul, 4-3.
