Gretna Wrestling Season Finale: State Tournament Recap

NSAA State Championships – Class B
18th Place out of 45 Teams | 38.5 Points | 5 State Qualifiers | 3 State Medalists

The 2026 state tournament marked a major step forward for the Gretna wrestling program, as the Dragons finished 18th out of 45 teams with 38.5 team points and brought home three state medals — the most team medals since 2018. Even more impressive, this performance came with five state qualifiers and without the team’s returning state medalist, Cayson Schlotfeld, who was sidelined due to injury.

From top to bottom, the weekend showcased resilience, growth, and a glimpse into a very bright future for the program.

B113 – Gage Rupiper (40-13)

5th Place | 11 Team Points | State Medalist (Freshman)

Gage delivered one of the most impressive performances of the entire tournament and solidified himself as one of the rising young wrestlers in Class B.

He opened the tournament in dominant fashion with an 18-4 major decision over Kannen Kopetzky of Gretna East (38-16), setting the tone with offensive pressure and confidence. In the quarterfinals, he ran into one of the toughest competitors in the bracket, Noah Boyer of Nebraska City (46-3), and battled before falling by pin.

Where Gage’s tournament truly stood out was on the backside.

He defeated Cole Stueck of Norris (24-17) by a strong 9-3 decision before wrestling one of the biggest matches of the tournament in the heartbreak round. In a high-pressure, medal-clinching bout, Gage secured an 11-8 sudden victory win over Skyler Springer of Lincoln Lutheran (30-19). As a freshman, winning that type of match on the state stage speaks volumes about his composure and competitiveness.

Although he fell to  Oscar Brown of Scottsbluff (46-5) in the consolation semifinals, Gage closed his tournament with authority, defeating Kopetzky again by major decision (14-0) in the 5th place match.

B120 – Jackson Grebe (42-12)

6th Place | 8 Team Points | State Medalist

Jackson battled through one of the deepest brackets in Class B and proved he belongs among the state’s elite.

He opened with an 18-7 major decision over Wyatt Stabnow of Alliance (32-23), wrestling with pace and control. In the quarterfinals, Jackson secured a huge 7-6 decision over Colton Archer of Bennington (34-14), a win that guaranteed a state medal and came against a top-6 ranked opponent. That match showed toughness, discipline, and the ability to win close, high-stakes matches.

In the semifinals, he faced Gavin Ourada of Omaha Skutt Catholic (34-7), a top-tier wrestler, and gained valuable experience against elite competition. On the backside, he battled Brock Goebel of Syracuse (23-2), a returning state champion, in a hard-fought 4-0 decision loss before finishing 6th in the state.

B132 – Bryce Lawler (38-17)

State Qualifier

Bryce’s state tournament path was one of the toughest draws in the bracket. He opened against Logan Svoboda of Aurora (51-2), one of the top wrestlers in the state, and battled before falling. On the backside, he faced Evan Warner of Bennington (21-9), another quality opponent.

While the results did not fall his way, qualifying for state in a competitive district and finishing the season with 38 wins highlights the growth and leadership Bryce provided throughout the year.

B175 – Jaden Peters (29-7)

4th Place | 13.5 Team Points | State Medalist

Jaden had one of the most impressive tournaments on the entire team and showed championship-level resilience.

He opened with a tough 8-6 decision over Max Erickson of York (41-11), then delivered one of the biggest wins of the tournament by tech falling Konrad Kuzelka of Fairbury (43-3) — a wrestler who entered the match with zero losses. That performance alone demonstrated Jaden’s ability to rise to the moment on the biggest stage.

After facing a highly ranked Skutt opponent in the semifinals, Jaden bounced back with one of the most meaningful wins of his career. In the consolation semifinals, he defeated Zane Thomsen of Hastings (37-7) in sudden victory (4-1), avenging three previous losses to the same opponent and beating the #4 ranked wrestler when it mattered most.

He ultimately placed 4th after a razor-thin 1-0 decision loss to Grady Meyer of Wahoo (33-2).

B190 – Brody Sliva (35-18)

State Points Scorer | 6 Team Points

Brody’s tournament began with one of the biggest upsets of the weekend. He pinned Zayden Londene of York (37-17), a wrestler he had previously lost to twice, showing clear improvement and belief in high-pressure situations.

After running into a tough quarterfinal opponent in Owen Jacobsen of Aurora (23-4), Brody responded the right way on the backside. He earned a strong 11-2 major decision over Gabe Roberts of McCook (35-9), continuing to score valuable team points at the state tournament.

Program Perspective: A Season of Growth and a Bright Future

Finishing 18th out of 45 teams with 38.5 points is a major step forward for Gretna Wrestling, especially when compared to recent seasons and the fact that the team competed without its only returning state medalist due to injury.

Key Milestones:

• 5 State Qualifiers
  
  

• 3 State Medalists (Most since 2018)
  
  

• Major wins over ranked and previously undefeated opponents
  
  

• Significant improvement from districts to state
  
  

Perhaps the most encouraging sign is the youth impact. With a freshman state medalist in Gage Rupiper/ Jackson Grebe and multiple underclassmen gaining high-level state experience, the foundation of the program is clearly trending upward.