Bennington Wrestling Among The Best In Class B

BENNINGTON — Having a returning state champion in a team’s wrestling practice room can be very beneficial for any program. Their experience of winning on the biggest stage, the work ethic it took to get to the top of the podium and the level of wrestling needed to win a state title can be priceless for their teammates and coaches. For Bennington High School, not only do they have four defending state champions in their practice room, but three of the four are veteran seniors that took different paths to the top of the podium.

A year ago, the Badgers swept the Class B State championships after winning the dual team title and the tournament team crown. Five Bennington grapplers captured state individual championships to fuel the Badgers’ tournament title win.

Out of the five state champions in 2022 for Bennington, four of them came back in 2023. Luke MacDonald was the lone state champ to graduate. Bennington brought back Kael Lauridsen, Connor Ritonya, AJ Parrish and Kyler Lauridsen to defend their individual and the team’s state crowns.

“Last year was big for us,” Ritonya stated. “Everyone had to make a big weight drop and no one saw it coming. We were not supposed to win state duals, and we won state duals, then won the individual tournament. We came out on top last year and look to do the same this year.”

Bennington’s tough schedule has prepared them for a final team run at the state individual tournament, beginning on Thursday at CHI Arena in Omaha. Along with the tough schedule and stellar opponents, the Badgers will be fueled by their shortcomings at this year’s state duals. Bennington, the defending dual champions, fell in the semifinals to Eastern Midlands Conference rivals Blair after dropping the last bout of the dual. Bennington finished third as a team and the Badgers — especially the seniors — want to make sure they end 2023 with a bang.

“It is not always easy to be a leader and try to set an example, but we show the guys how we do things in the (practice) room and what a good work ethic looks like,” Kael Lauridsen commented. “We talk to them and motivate them. We take pride in our leadership and want to show them how to win.”

Along with Kyler Lauridsen, the blue and white will be led by its three senior champions; Ritonya, Kael Lauridsen and Parrish.

“So far we have two state teams titles and many individual state championships during their career,” Bennington coach Alan Pokorny said. “The success is great, but beyond that; the example they have set on what it takes to be successful with their work ethic, putting in extra time in the offseason has been even bigger for our program. They work with the younger guys quite a bit and help them out. They have been great leaders and have meant a lot to our program.”

The three senior champions have been interwoven throughout their Bennington careers. Ritonya and Kael Lauridsen were in the same weight class as freshmen at 106 pounds, while Parrish wrestled at 113. Going against some of the best wrestlers in the state, day in and day out, in practice; only benefited the three classmates.

“We have been able to wrestle up and down in our lineup to help us where we need it,” Parrish remarked. “If I needed to work on my strength, I practiced with bigger guys to work on my strength, and then worked with Kael and Connor to work on my speed. It helps you to be able to deal with any opponent because each partner gives you a different look. It helps out a lot.”

Although the three have stayed within a couple of weight classes of each other throughout their career, there are several differences between the Badger seniors.

First, their styles of grappling are not at all alike. Lauridsen is a smooth and calculated wrestler, Ritonya is aggressive and sometimes wrestles like a bull in a china shop and Parrish is an intelligent and defensive specialist that makes his opponents pay for their mistakes. All three styles have meshed extremely well when they compete against each other in the practice room.

“When they wrestle each other, and their teammates, it helps because they see different styles at a high level,” Pokorny noted. “Seeing those different styles in the (practice) room helps prepare our kids for their opponents. They have seen them and are ready for any style.”

Along with their different styles, their paths to state championships have been very different.

As a freshman, Ritonya did not wrestle varsity, having to sit behind Lauridsen for his rookie campaign. Ritonya became a staple on the varsity squad as a sophomore, wrestling at 120. The future University of Nebraska-Kearney Loper qualified for state in his first year as a full-time varsity wrestler. After dropping his opening bout of the tournament, Ritonya won his next three matches to earn his first medal. Ritonya finished sixth at the 2021 state tourney.

“It motivated me and gave me the confidence to compete against the best,” Ritonya recalled. “120 that year was a really hard weight class. I had to defeat guys that I had lost to earlier in the season and I was able to make it happen.”

The momentum from his sixth-place finish propelled him into the 2022 season. Ritonya 31-18 as a sophomore to 57-3 as a junior. Ritonya cruised to the 120 crown last year with a 7-1 triumph in the state finals.

“Extra work played a huge part in my improvement,” Ritonya continued. “Showing up to practice during the season is not enough. Going to offseason training, staying after practice and doing extra work were key. I don’t stop practicing or lifting in the offseason. It is the extra stuff that makes you better.”

Along with Ritonya, Parrish celebrated his first state championship last year after capturing the 138 title.

Parrish had to deal with a pair of setbacks in his first two trips to the state tournament. Parrish — a Cornell College commit — lost in the quarterfinals as a freshman and sophomore at state.

“Freshman year I lost in the quarterfinals to a kid I had previously defeated,” Parrish stated. “It hurt because I knew I could have made it to the finals. I battled back and I met the kid I lost to in the quarters later on and I pinned him. It felt good. Sophomore year I had a lot of motivation to make the finals, but I lost in the quarters again and that bugged me. I did the same thing I did freshman; I came back, forgot about the loss and continued wrestling.:

Parrish went on to battle back and finish third both seasons, which made last year’s gold medal that much sweeter.

“It helped watching three of my teammates win a state title before I went out,” Parrish added. “It motivated me and gave me a lot of energy. I wanted to win and to get my name on the (champions) wall.”

While last year’s state tournament was the first time Ritonya and Parrish took centerstage, it was a familiar setting for Kael Lauridsen. The elder Lauridsen enters this year as a three-time state champion and can become only the third Badger and 88th grappler in Nebraska wrestling history to win four state championships.

After going 46-0 as a freshman, Lauridsen has had the target on his back every time he has stepped on the mat.

“I have always thrived under pressure,” Lauridsen said. “I go out there and wrestle my match and this is what I love to do. I am grateful for every opportunity I get to complete and to train.”

The future Husker grappler has gone 186-6 entering his final state tournament. As sweet as a No. 4 state title would be, Lauridsen wants to end his illustrious high school wrestling career with a team title.

“A perfect ending to my high school career would be a state championship for myself and a state title for the team,” Lauridsen commented. “The state dual loss was really bitter and emotional for me. We are motivated more than ever to work hard and I think we can get it down. We’re going to have to wrestle really well and get those bonus points to repeat.”

Although their high school wrestling careers come to an end this weekend at the state tournament, there is still plenty of mat time left for the three Badger seniors. All three signed their national letters of intent this past school year to continue their grappling careers at the next level. To have three athletes continuing their wrestling careers in college is a special accomplishment for any class and any program.

“It is really cool to see that,” Pokorny noted. “I think they can be really successful where they are going. I am excited to follow them but it’s going to be tough keeping up with them when one is in Division !, one is in Division II and the other is in Division III. If they all make it to nationals, I’ll have to go to a bunch of national tournaments. At least they are on different weekends.”

As tough as it will be to replace Lauridsen’s, Parrish’s and Ritonya’s points and wins; it will be even tougher to replace their character and leadership in the wrestling room.

“The one legacy they left is they have done things no one else has done,” Pokorny concluded. “Last year, we won five state titles, which is the most in school history and only two teams since the 1950s have exceeded that. It is a major accomplishment. Not only have they helped develop our kids (on the mats), they have shown the character it takes to be successful. They treat everyone with respect, make them feel welcomed and a part of the team. Hopefully the younger kids see that so when they get older, they can treat younger kids the same way.”

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