DES MOINES — For the first time since 1971 two Perry wrestlers will compete for state championships in the same season, as senior 138-pounder Zach Stewart and junior Kaleb Olejniczak (126) are now one win from standing atop the podium.
Senior Zachary Thompson (120) fell in the semifinals, but rebounded with a consolation bracket win. He will wrestle in the 10 a.m. session Saturday and will finish no worse than sixth.
Stuart Newman (119) and Randy Moore (126) won state titles in 1971, and it was 40 years before another Bluejay reigned as champion, with Kane Seeley winning at 215 in 2011 and at 220 in 2012.
Stewart (54-5) is top-ranked at 138 in Class 3A. He won twice Friday, scoring an 8-4 decision over Southeast Polk junior Nathan Marchand (35-10) in the quarterfinals before pinning Fort Dodge junior Drevon Ross (42-11) in 5 minutes, 4 seconds in the semifinals. Marchand is ranked seventh and Ross fifth.
Awaiting Stewart in Saturday evening’s championship round is third-ranked Des Moines East junior Deville Dentis (44-3). The two have not met this season.
Olejniczak (48-5) is ranked fifth at 126. He scored a 6-0 decision against Bettendorf senior T.J. Cole (23-8) in the quarterfinals, then had complete control in scoring a 10-5 win over third-ranked junior Caleb McCabe (36-5) of North Scott, a bout in which the score was closer than the action appeared to be.
The talented Bluejay now faces the strongest challenge he is likely to face in his prep career, as Fort Dodge senior Brody Teske (38-1) awaits in the title bout. Teske, a Penn State recruit, will be seeking to become a four-time state champion.
“That just means it is a great opportunity for Kaleb,” Perry head coach Mark Weber said. “He has to hit his singles and wrestle smart. For all three of our guys the message is the same: If we wait for the other guy to do what he wants to do we are going to be in trouble.”
“With Zach (Stewart) the key will be to take his shots and score first,” Weber continued. “What we want to do is neutralize what the other guy is trying to do, to make sure we are wrestling our match, not his.”
Weber said while he knew Thompson was disappointed not to reach the finals, he expected the senior to bounce back strongly, as he did later Friday in the consolation round.
“If he can stay on his feet and wrestle from there he is extremely tough to beat,” Weber said. “I expect him to be ready to go mentally.”
The fourth-ranked Thompson (43-6) was stopped, 7-5, by sixth-rated Ben Monroe of Ankeny Centennial (39-6, So.) in the semifinals. Thompson came back to score late and capture a 3-2 decision over Cedar Rapids Prairie junior Conrad Braswell (43-8) in the consolation bracket.
He will face Johnston sophomore Thomas Edwards (35-14), ranked eighth, in the consolation semifinals. A win would mean a shot at third place, a loss a battle for fifth. Second-ranked Southeast Polk senior Kobey Pritchard (34-7) faces Carlisle junior Carter Logue (34-13) in the other semi.
