Capital City Clash
December 15, 2014
Launch the media gallery 1 playerIt was $1 Pack the House Night at the Devaney Center in Lincoln, NE as the Huskers were set to do battle with the Wisconsin Badgers. In an event that was clearly worth the price of admission, and may only come once in a lifetime, the Class C #2 O’Neill Eagles squared off against the 5 time defending champions and this year's Class D #1 Amherst Broncos in the undercard of night’s match. Over the past 3 years the UNL wrestling team has offered 2-3 of their Big 10 dual events during the season to Nebraska High Schools that have finished in the top 2 in state in the previous year. The first event occurred 3 years ago when the Madison Dragons took on Omaha Skutt Catholic. In the years since each successive dual has featured only Class A and B powers of the sport. For O’Neill and Amherst this marked for both a unique opportunity to showcase their programs on a big stage early in the season and matched up 2 programs with a rich wrestling tradition and fan following. Billed the "Capital City Clash” Amherst brought in nine returning state medalists to O’Neill’s four and featured at least one ranked wrestler at every weight class.
Traditionally the starting weight is determined by the flip of a coin before the start of the dual, but with key match-ups at 145 between Cory Rowse of O’Neill and Logan Dibbern of Amherst and at 152 Blake Walters of O’Neill and Devin Dibbern of Amherst, both teams agreed to start the dual at 160 lbs. placing those key matches as the final bouts of the afternoon.
“We knew we had some tough match-ups at some of the weights where they had returning state medalists and we had guys with very limited varsity experience. It put us in a tough spot where we were going to have to pick-up pins and major decisions for bonus points in bouts where both teams had proven quality guys. That really did put the pressure on us, but our kids understood what they had to do, and made it happen,” said Curtis Childers, in his first year as assistant coach with the Eagles.
One of those match-ups was at 220 lbs. where Jason Hahlbeck was matched up against returning state medalist Payton Schake. “We put it on Jason in this match. We felt like Hahlbeck was going to fly under the radar a little coming into this, he’s very difficult to score on and had really made some progress on his offense in the week after the O’Neill Invite. We were confident he could deliver.” said assistant coach Tyler Cole. Hahlbeck dominated the match scoring the first takedown after a good scramble in the first period before recording an escape, takedown and near-fall in route to a pin halfway through the second period.
At 120 lbs. freshman Caden Moore found himself matched up against returning state medalist Peyton Cumpston from Amherst. Moore who suffered a meniscal tear in his knee late in the week of preparation for the dual and underwent a procedure to repair on Monday after the Saturday dual was locked in a 3-3 tie match in the third period with Moore in the top position. “He had been working hard to turn him and had almost got it done a couple times, but at that point we were really thinking Caden just needed to ride him out and get a takedown in overtime to win it.” commented Coach Cole. Moore had other ideas. With time winding down, Moore turned Cumpston and recorded a fall bringing O’Neill back into the match.
After an O’Neill win by major decision at 132 for Jon Marvin and losses at 126 and 138. The dual score was Amherst 34 - O’Neill 26. Cory Rowse stepped on the mat to square off against returning state runner-up Logan Dibbern. In a wildly entertaining bout with scoring from both wrestlers Rowse was able to throw Dibbern to his back and record a fall in the second period. This brought the O’Neill crowd to their feet for the final match between two undefeated wrestlers at 152 lbs.
With the dual on the line Walters and Devin Dibbern battled for 3 periods with no scoring. Both wrestlers rode very well in the second and third period with each taking a turn from the referees’ position. Walters appeared to score near-fall in the third period with a tilt, but the official didn’t call it that way, which brought the match to overtime tied 0-0. Dibbern attempted a snap-shuck half way through the sudden death extra period with Walters catching Dibbern’s leg in his attempt to move behind and score. Working up to the leg the Eagle wrestler was able to advance forward and secure the 2 point takedown for the win 2-0, final dual score, Eagles 35 - Amherst 34.
“I’ve been doing this for 11 years now, and this ranks right up there with anything I’ve ever experienced in this sport.” commented Head Coach Bryan Corkle. “Our kids came in here to win this thing. They understood the plan. Even those matches we took losses in, our guys battled and fought off pins. Every point mattered in this thing and I couldn’t be more proud.”
