Takedown Report

#1 Lopers Win Another Regional Title, Qualify Seven for NCAA’s

Kearney, Neb. – The top-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team won its seventh regional title in eight years and qualified seven individuals for the NCAA Championships Saturday in Golden, Colo.
The 13-team “Super Region VI Championships” were hosted by Colorado School of Mines. The top three finishers in each of 10 weight classes advance to the NCAA’s March 13-14 in Sioux Falls. Brackets will be released in the coming weeks.

UNK had three winners, three runners up and one third place finisher. Those not making the cut to nationals each scored team points with two finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. No. 15 Adams State (124) was the team runner up with No. 17 Chadron State (100) in third.
Winning their weight class was top-ranked Crew Howard (285 lbs.), sixth-ranked Trenton Munoz (165 lbs.) and sixth-ranked Otgonbayar Batsuuri (174 lbs.). Finishing second were fourth-ranked Jackson Kinsella (197 lbs.), fourth-ranked Kaden Hart (184 lbs.) and 12th-ranked Zach Ourada (133 lbs.). Finally, rallying for third place was second-ranked Joseph Airola (141 lbs.).
Howard (Clarinda, Ia.) ran his win streak to 18 as he recorded three falls and a 6-1 decision over 14th-ranked Tyler Doyle of Colorado Mesa. Munoz (Santa Clarita, Calif.) had a first period fall in the quarters and used second period reversal to edge eighth-ranked Ivan Smith Jr. of New Mexico Highlands in his first-place bout, 4-2. Next, Batsuuri (Mongolia) didn’t allow an offensive point among four wins with Hart (St. Peters, Mo.) falling to third-ranked Keegen Gehlhausen of CSC for the second time this year. Finally, the Eagles 14th-ranked Mason Villwok avenged a regular season setback to Kinsella (Creston, Ia) with Ourada (Omaha Skutt) falling to Jakob Romoer of Adams who pulled off several upsets in winning 133.
In the consoles, Airola (Ward, Colo.) lost to Colorado Mesa’s Apollo Cruz for the second time this winter in round one. He had a long road to reach nationals but won in sudden victory before besting Cruz … more at … https://lopers.com/news/2026/2/28/wrestling-1-lopers-win-another-regional-title-qualify-seven-for-ncaa-s.aspx

March 5, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports