A trio of Sandy Creek wrestlers came away from the 2026 Southern Nebraska Conference wrestling championships with medals around their necks, as the Cougars finished the 11-team meet with 38 total points.
Josh Spray led the way for Sandy Creek with a thirdplace finish in the 190-pound weight class, winning three of four matches, all by pin.
In the opening match, Spray pinned Carter Johnson of Fairbury in 3:27, before a tough 12-4 major decision loss came at the hands of Kyler Boyles of Superior to send the Cougar junior into the consolation bracket.
Once in the consolation pairings, Spray earned a pair of pinfall victories, the first over Elisha Klabenes of Wilber-Clatonia, coming in 2:20, and claiming third place with a 1:48 pin over Johnson of Fairbury.
Spray scored seven team points with his third-place finish.
Owen Spray and Jackson Gerdes both placed fourth in their respective weight classes, Spray in the 138-pound class, and Gerdes in the 175-pound class.
Spray’s run began with a 40-second pinfall loss to Fairbury’s Gavin Gerths, before he claimed a 2:21 pinfall win over Tri County’s Henry Holtmeier.
In the match for third and fourth place, Spray fell in 2:08 to Gerths of Fairbury to place fourth and tally four team points.
Gerdes’ run in the 175-pound weight class began with a 1:36 pin over Garrett Gregory of Thayer Central, before Fairbury’s Kinrad Kuzelka pinned Gerdes in round two in 3:23.
Once in the consolation bracket, Gerdes gained a 2:37 pinfall win over Justin Schwisow of Tri County, before Milford’s Boen Schweitzer gained a 49-second pin over the Cougar junior.
Falling short of medal contention, but gaining one win for Sandy Creek was Caden Trollope in the 132-pound class, and Jonas Amos in the 285-pound class.
Trollope’s lone win was a 10-6 win over Tri County’s Dalton Ambrose, while Amos’ lone win was a 44-second pin over Am Anaya of Wilber-Clatonia.
TEAMSCORES: Milford 131, David City 100,Thayer Central 95, Sutton 93.5, Tri County 85, Fairbury 83.5, Centennial 77, Fillmore Central 76, Superior 73,Wilber-Clatonia 56, Sandy Creek 38.
Sandy Creek junior Jackson Gerdes controls Tri County’s Justin Schwisow in the consolation semifinal round at the 2026 SNC meet. Gerdes gained an eventual 2:37 pinfall win over Schwisow and finished fourth overall in the 175-pound weight class. LILY GRIESS | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
