WAUKEE — The expectations for Perry’s outstanding wrestling trio of seniors Zachary Thompson and Zach Stewart and sophomore Kaleb Olejniczak were perfectly clear from the minute the 2017 season: Barring injury or illness, nothing should stop the Bluejay trio from returning to the state tournament.
Recognizing expectations and then meeting them are not as easy as it may sometimes appear, but the Perry threesome has stormed through their seasons and, as anticipated, will wrestle on the mats at the Wells Fargo Arena beginning Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
Perry moved up to Class 3A this season, and competed with a full lineup Saturday at their District Tourney, where the winner and runner-up from each weight class would secure a spot on the big stage.
Thompson (40-5) is an old hand at preparing for the spotlight. He was sixth as a freshman at 106 pounds, sixth as a sophomore at 120 and third last year at 120. Now having joined the proud company of four-time qualifiers, he enters his final state tourney rated fourth at 120 and with Perry’s all-time win record in hand with a career mark of 170-28.
Olejniczak (45-5) is three-for-three in reaching Des Moines. He was stopped shy of the podium as a freshman and finished fourth at 113 last year. Ranked fifth at 126, he is 130-18 in an already stellar career.
Stewart (51-5) will take to the mats as the top-rated matman at 138. The senior has come on strong in his final two prep campaigns, and although stopped short of a medal last season is a solid bet to reverse that outcome later this week. He is 120-36 overall.
Thompson received a first-round bye Saturday, then posted a 3-2 decision over sixth-ranked Derek Anderson of Ankeny. He lost by fall, in 5 minutes, 38 seconds, to top-ranked Kyle Biscoglia (47-0) of Waukee, who was the 3A 113-pound champion at 46-2 last season.
The Bluejay senior was dropped into a second-place match, but, as Anderson had won his consolation match and Thompson had already beaten Anderson, the Perry standout qualified automatically via “prior.”
Olejniczak also received an opening bye. He pinned Landon Card of Norwalk in 4:13 in the semifinals, then posted a 3-0 decision over eighth-ranked Cody Anderson of Waukee to advance as district champion.
Stewart was forced to compete three times. He opened with a pin, in 2:53, of Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson’s Seneca Calhoun. A 17-2 technical fall, in 4:21, over Abraham Dirkx of Carroll followed, with a 3-0 decision against Norwalk’s Carter Schmidt crowning Stewart as district champ.
Jacob Nelson (132) was 1-2 for Perry with a pin in placing sixth, with Justin Stammer (145) 1-2 with a pin to finish fourth while Erick Funez was 1-2 with a pin to place sixth at 160.
Daniel Brinton had a pin against two losses in finishing sixth at 170, with Alex Tapia 1-1 with a pin to place fifth at 220.
Riece Graham (106), Jered Narber (152) and Jonathan Silva (182) were also in action, with the trio unable to secure a victory. Perry left the 113, 195 and 285-pound weight classes open.
To earn a spot on the podium, a wrestler must record his second win before being handed his second loss. Thursday’s action begins at 1:30 p.m., with those winning their first match competing only once, while those dropping their opening bout can stay alive with a win in the consolation round before the session ends at 4:30 p.m.
