Junior Jay wrestlers are back on the mat and eager to dominate the competition. After a second-place finish in last year’s state tournament, the team is primed to capture its first-ever state championship.
The team is stacked with talent across every weight class.
Prep returns one individual state champion in senior Adonis Bonar. The California Baptist commit took the 190 lb weight class after winning the A-2 district. Bonar aims to build on his stellar 43-5 junior campaign and take home his second consecutive state title.
Bonar will also serve as a key leader for the Junior Jays.
“Adonis Bonar is our senior and returning state champion,” head coach Andrew Fisher said, “he’s definitely a leader there.”
This year’s sophomore class is poised to play a key role in the team’s push for a state championship. 7 of the 9 wrestlers who placed at last year’s state tournament are sophomores.
Cole Caniglia, Kobi Streeter, Kieran Akerson, and Myles Sanchez all look to fight for a state title in lighter-weight classes.
Caniglia is coming off a standout season, where he posted a 43-3 record and an A-2 district title in the 106 lb weight class before losing by fall in the state final. Streeter earned a fourth-place finish in the 113 lb weight class with a 22-9 record. Akerson and Sanchez finished sixth and fifth in the 126 and 132 lb weight classes, respectively.
Sophomores JT Smith, Michael Novero, and Roberto Macias-Sidzyik, along with Bonar, are Prep’s returning placers in the heavier weight classes.
Smith excelled in the 175 lb weight class with a 36-7 record and looked to avenge his narrow 3-2 decision loss in the state final. Novero placed fourth in the 215 lb weight class after posting a 12-5 record. Macias-Sidzyik placed 6th in the 285 lb weight class after posting a 26-14 record this past winter.
The freshmen class has two headliners: Cruzer Dominguez and Kam Green Jr.
Dominguez is an all-American in the 106 lb weight class, while Green Jr. wrestles in the 126 lb weight class. Fisher believes both can make an immediate impact in Nebraska wrestling.
“These two guys are already showing how elite they are. They’re varsity ready right now,” Fisher said, “I think they’re both, in my mind, title contenders.”
Dominguez placed third in the 106 lbs class at the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals this past October, while Green Jr. placed second in the 126 lb class.
The Junior Jays have few departures from last year’s team. The only departure who placed in the state tournament was Maryland wrestler Presden Sanchez. However, coach Fisher is confident that Green Jr. can grow into Sanchez’s role.
“Kam kind of filled that weight class spot anyway, so it’s actually going to be pretty seamless this year.”
With 8 returners who placed at state alongside Dominguez and Green Jr. the Junior Jays have state championship aspirations and look to finally capture their first state championship.
Fisher has high expectations for this team, saying, “We’re focused on getting everyone to the match potential they can be. If we get these guys where they need to be, the title will take care of itself.”
