Girls Rankings
Top 10 Teams
1. Omaha Skutt – The perfect storm has befallen Skutt this year and should lead them to their first everteam championship in girls wrestling. The Pehrson twins, Alexis and Aubrey, with their combined 4 state titles will join incoming freshman phenom Kaylyn Harrill fresh off her U15 Pan Am gold medal performance. All three should be favored to win a state title. Plus, Skutt has a returning 4th-place medalist in Elizabeth Janecek who is dropping down a weight class this season. Throw in another good freshman prospect for the lighter weights in Drea Kruse and Skutt starts off the year as the preseason favorites.
2. Westside – Returning runner-up Westside has four of their five state point earners back from last year’s squad including 3x-state champion Regan Rosseter who will be looking for her 4 th title this year. Joining her will be fellow medalists Zoey Barber, Macy Barber and Piper Zatechka. In addition will be Millard North transfer and state qualifier, Makenzie Martin. Plus add to the mix a large freshmen class including elite freshman, Mara Vanderpool, and you have another team that could vie for the top spot in
February. If Martin or Vanderpool find their way to the podium too, Westside might just be the favorite this season.
3. Papillion-LaVista – They have all six qualifiers back this season and they are returning the 3 rd most points from last year’s state meet. Led by Emma Stice and Addeline Graser both runner-ups last year, they will look to be at the top of the podium this season. In addition, they have 3 rd place medalist, Jenna Second back in the line-up. They will need returning qualifiers Astorino, Taylor, and Hoaglund to take
the next step in February if this team is to take home a team trophy this season.
4. Grand Island – With 8 returning state qualifiers, GI will look to improve on its 5 th place team finish last season. They will be led by runner-up, Brythany Espino and fellow state medalists, Roberts and Edwards. Grand Island has a deep roster and will be one of the few teams capable of qualifying double digit numbers to state. Not only will GI be a tough tournament team in Omaha in February, they will also be a tough dual tournament team and will look to secure the first ever NSWCA dual championship
meet in January hosted at Pierce High School.
5. South Sioux City – The two-time defending champions graduated heavy last year but they still have plenty of fire power returning to keep them in the top five. They are led by returning runner-up, Madelynn Bohnet and 2022 state champion, Selena Zamora. In addition, they have Caitlyn Sohm who was one of the best 235 in the state last year but could not beat out teammate and eventual champion De La Torre. She will immediately factor into the equation this season. SSC will have a young team overall and will need some young wrestlers to step up to push them up the podium in Omaha.
6. Millard South – They have 5 returning qualifiers including 4 state medalists in Dannelly, Wiltgen, Hampton, and Jensen. They will have a large team with a good mix of youth and experience. The Lady Patriots will need some of the young wrestlers to develop quick and help push them into a possible top 5 finish this season.
7. Norfolk – The Lady Panthers will be looking for some redemption this season as they went into last year’s tournament with 8 state qualifiers and did not win a match on Day 1. Thankfully, all 8 qualifiers are back this season led by state medalist, Tierra Pollard. The pieces of the puzzle are in place, they just need to put it all together in February.
8. Omaha North – Led by returning medalists Meiman and Green, North has all 6 of their state qualifiers from a year ago back in the lineup this year. If a few more find the medal stand in February, the Lady Vikings should find their way into the top ten team standings.
9. Boone Central – There was not too many teams hotter in February than Boone Central. The first-year program finished with 4 state qualifiers and a top 15 team finish. They are all back including state medalists, Wood, Luna, and Slaymaker. This team will be looking to improve and finish inside the top 10 this year.
10. Scribner-Snyder – All 4 state qualifiers return including state medalists E. Hull, N. Hull, and K. Schellenberg. Their team may be few in number, but they have shown they are a big tournament team as all four can place in the biggest showcase meets. They will look to improve on a top 15 finish from a year ago.
Contenders: Pierce, Winnebago, Chadron, Louisville, Crofton-Bloomfield, Ralston, Northwest