The boy’s wrestling team took to the mats at Bellevue East High School for the highly anticipated Metro wrestling tournament, a pivotal event in the season. Competing against tough teams from across the area, the Warriors earned 13th place out of 19 teams, finishing with 53.5 points. Every match carried high stakes, and the wrestlers gave it their all, showing the determination and effort needed to succeed at this level. Districts marked a crucial test of the team’s progress and highlighted their hard work throughout the season.
This placement shows a major improvement from the beginning of the season, as they finished near the middle of the placings. The placement might not mean much at first, but when you consider the fact that they were still without wrestlers for multiple weight classes, the placement becomes a lot more impressive. Head coach Michael Jernigan has stated that he is still working wrestlers into the lineup, as injured and inexperienced wrestlers prepare to take the mat.
At the beginning of the season, the Warriors had many wrestlers missing, due to injuries and younger wrestlers simply not being ready. But as the season goes on, the team continues to fill the gaps that they were missing. The team is beginning to fill out nicely at the right time in a hope to make a push for the upcoming district meet, and have many wrestlers qualify for the state championship.
Jernigan went into detail about how he felt the team performed at Metros, despite the challenges they have faced due to inexperience, injuries, and other reasons that wrestlers have been missing from the lineup.
“Our philosophy has always been to get better, so to see how we’ve been improving these past weeks, and how we’ve been physically dominating a lot of our matches really showed in this meet.” Jernigan said. “I was super proud of how our guys performed, with lots of them finishing above their seed. So we’re really happy with the results we are starting to get.”
Jernigan also discussed the team’s progress as they work towards filling a full lineup.
“We’re filling positions with a lot of freshmen, so it’ll be an experience for them, but it’s also a great opportunity as a coach to be able to get freshmen in the varsity lineup, to experience the second hardest tournament of the year at districts,” Jernigan said. “Going into these last three weeks of the season, we’re really excited to see how we finish, because that’s what you want to do. You know where you started, and you want to see how you finish. And then we go out to Grand Island, qualify for the state tournament, and then it’s anyone’s game from there.”
It’s been a challenge all year for the Warriors to get a full, healthy lineup. But as they continue to fill spots, they find themselves having an almost full varsity lineup after this meet, and Jernigan is excited to see how they compete in the final weeks of the season.
With that in mind, Jernigan addressed areas where the team can improve and how they can continue to grow in the final stretch of the season.
“Two of the biggest things are doing the little things, and using our mindset tools that we have been taught, and that we are going to continue to learn,” Jernigan said. “We need to make sure we’re getting in the right place mentally, in meets and before matches. Are we doing the little things that can cause big things for us in the future? Everyone needs to stay disciplined, and make good choices heading into these final weeks of the season.”
With districts coming up in February, Jernigan is focused on keeping the team locked in and maintaining the routine they’ve built throughout the season. He knows how easy it can be for athletes to get distracted or lose sight of their goals as the pressure builds, so he’s emphasizing the importance of staying consistent. Jernigan believes that it’s crucial the team doesn’t let up now. They’ve established a rhythm, and sticking to that routine is key, especially with districts right around the corner. Every practice, every mental rep, and every decision counts more than ever. He stresses the need for discipline, hunger, and continued improvement from everyone. Jernigan also understands that success at districts isn’t just about physical preparation; it’s about staying mentally sharp and not allowing the weight of the upcoming competition to derail the team’s focus. With the final weeks of the season ahead, keeping everyone grounded and focused will be critical as they prepare for the challenge.