Raymond Central wrestlers both win
OMAHA — If they ever let loose, Ethan Studebaker and Ryan Pohlman might set the town of Davey on its ear.
But nothing like that will happen soon.
The two quiet, humble and almost subdued Raymond Central wrestlers won state championships Saturday — Studebaker at 160 pounds and Pohlman at 125 — with a business-like approach.
“We don’t get too crazy or too loud,” said Studebaker, a senior who finished fifth and fourth in previous state tournament appearances. “I think it’s because we work really hard and we respect everybody in this sport. We don’t want to show anybody up.”
Pohlman, a sophomore, said: “Just another day at the office. Relax, the way we prepared and the way we wrestled and that’s the way we stayed.”
Pohlman said he thought about doing a back flip on the mat after he beat Tanner Wemhoff of David City by technical fall 17-1, but rejected the idea. “Nah. That would have been too much,” he said.
Studebaker had a much more dramatic match in his 3-2 victory over Jacob Gonzales of Morrill.
Gonzales scored an early takedown and took a 2-1 lead into the third period. Studebaker, 42-1 this year, tied the match with an escape point when he broke the hold of Gonzales with just more than a minute left in the match. He grabbed Gonzales for what appeared to be a takedown with 18 seconds left. The referee didn’t give the two-point takedown but did award a point to Studebaker because Gonzales was fleeing the mat.
“I could tell he (Gonzales) was running out of gas and Ryan and I have prided ourselves in being in condition to go all-out for three periods in every match,” Studebaker said. “I was calm and just did what I’ve learned.
“Then, we tried not to overcelebrate.”
But nothing like that will happen soon.
The two quiet, humble and almost subdued Raymond Central wrestlers won state championships Saturday — Studebaker at 160 pounds and Pohlman at 125 — with a business-like approach.
“We don’t get too crazy or too loud,” said Studebaker, a senior who finished fifth and fourth in previous state tournament appearances. “I think it’s because we work really hard and we respect everybody in this sport. We don’t want to show anybody up.”
Pohlman, a sophomore, said: “Just another day at the office. Relax, the way we prepared and the way we wrestled and that’s the way we stayed.”
Pohlman said he thought about doing a back flip on the mat after he beat Tanner Wemhoff of David City by technical fall 17-1, but rejected the idea. “Nah. That would have been too much,” he said.
Studebaker had a much more dramatic match in his 3-2 victory over Jacob Gonzales of Morrill.
Gonzales scored an early takedown and took a 2-1 lead into the third period. Studebaker, 42-1 this year, tied the match with an escape point when he broke the hold of Gonzales with just more than a minute left in the match. He grabbed Gonzales for what appeared to be a takedown with 18 seconds left. The referee didn’t give the two-point takedown but did award a point to Studebaker because Gonzales was fleeing the mat.
“I could tell he (Gonzales) was running out of gas and Ryan and I have prided ourselves in being in condition to go all-out for three periods in every match,” Studebaker said. “I was calm and just did what I’ve learned.
“Then, we tried not to overcelebrate.”
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