WINTER SPORTS
D4
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019
Derek Noehren / The North Platte Telegraph
The North Platte wrestling team poses for a team photo during the NPHS winter sports media day on Dec. 3 at North Platte High School. Bulldogs look to build on success With five returning state
qualifiers, NP wrestling looks to make another run to Omaha
ley, Blake Vaughn, Sky- ler Geier-Dodson, Logan Miles, Kole Weigel, Drue Huntsman and Peyton Dimmitt. Those are all guys that are going to be battling throughout the season and will hopefully get some varsity spots and give themselves a chance to get to the state tourna- ment.” This offseason, Hall and the Bulldogs not only worked on their tactical abilities, but also focused on team building. “We went to a team camp in Dubuque, Iowa, called Iron Sharpens Iron. We did some team bond- ing activities and it was just great,” Hall said. “I think that helped us get closer and hopefully that carries into the rest of the season. We want this to be a brotherhood where everybody is trying to do well for each other.” A longtime wrestling coach, Hall understands that each new season and each new group of wres- tlers presents different challenges. With the goal to be wrestling their best around district tie in Feb- ruary, Hall is observing the early season results closely. “The kids have been working hard (in prac- tice),” Hall said. “I don’t know if I’ve thrown too much at them or not enough. We’ll find out. We want to take it one match at a time and be better on day 100 than we were on day one.”
By DEREK NOEHREN dnoehren@nptelegraph.com Five returning state qualifiers and a sixth- place Class B state tour- ney finish a season ago has this year’s North Platte wrestling team hungry for more. Last season, a talented group of five sophomores all punched their ticket to Omaha, site of the Ne- braska State Wrestling Tournament. That group was led by Darian Diaz, who won a state title at 126 pounds by defeating Omaha Skutt Catholic’s Caleb Lazure in convinc- ing fashion with a 10-2 vic- tory. Meanwhile, Jaylan Ruf- fin finished fourth at 113 pounds, Gavyn Brauer was also fourth at 170, while Cash Arensdorf (160) and Brock Little (120) came away with sixth- place finishes. This year, the Bulldogs jump back up to Class A, but with the returning tal- ent and an influx of other skilled wrestlers, Bulldog head coach Dale Hall is confident. He also wants you to know his team is deeper than the five re- turning state-qualifying juniors. “I’d say the guys that medaled at the state tour- nament last year have a good chance at doing well again this year, but we have some other guys,” Hall said. “I think Gus Kreber will sneak up on some people. And then, Luke Rathjen, Ray Ri-
BH News Service North Platte’s Darian Diaz poses for a photo after winning a Class B state title at 126 pounds last season in Omaha.
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