Three Huskers Take Home Titles at Doane Open

Crete, Neb. – 11 of the 14 Huskers who competed at the Doane Open on Saturday, Dec. 5 placed in the top six of their weight class. Boo Dryden (133), Blake Cushing (141) and Nathan Haas (184) took home the title in their respective brackets.

Boo Dryden (133) is a Minnesota transfer who came into the weekend with a 5-0 record and a first-place finish at the Grand View Open. A native of Wichita, Kan., Dryden went a perfect 4-0 with all four wins coming by decision to take home the title.

Dominick Serrano (133), a freshman from Windsor, Colo., has placed in all three tournaments he’s competed in this year. Serrano won four of his five matches at the Doane Open to finish third.

Freshman Blake Cushing (141), who has competed in three tournaments this year, took home a first-place finish at the Doane Open. He posted a 5-0 record with three of those wins coming by bonus points (one tech. fall, one pin, one major decision). 

Kevon Davenport (149) competed in his second tournament of the year this weekend. He received a bye, then recorded two-straight wins by decision before medically forfeiting his remaining matches. He finished sixth. 

Nic Stoltenberg (157), a freshman from Omaha, entered competition Saturday with a 6-4 record and a recent fifth-place finish at the Grand View Open. He went 5-1 with two wins by decision, one by fall, one by tech. fall and one medical forfeit to claim the third-place finish.

Freshman Tahjae Jenkins-Harris (165), who has competed in two duals for NU this year (1-1 record), took home a fourth-place finish at the Doane Open. He won four of his six bouts on Saturday, with three wins by decision and one by fall. He lost 4-3 in sudden victory to Grand View’s Tyson Dowler in the 165-pound third-place match. 

Texas native Elise Brown Ton (174) came into the weekend with a 5-3 record. He dropped the first match before winning the next five to find himself in the consolation semifinals. He did not compete in his last two matches, thus finishing sixth. 

Norwalk, Calif., native Nathan Haas (184) took his second tournament title of the year at the Doane Open. He followed up his Grand View Open title with a perfect 4-0 record, winning two matches by decision, one by tech. fall and one by major decision. 

Joining Haas at 184 was freshman Brandyn Van Tassell. He won his first three matches by bonus points (tech. fall, fall, major decision) before dropping the semifinal match and medically forfeiting the final two to finish sixth. 

Zak Taylor (197), a freshman from Lakewood, Ohio, finished sixth in his weight class, going 3-3 on the day.

Sophomore Austin Emerson (285), who has competed in one dual for the NU this year, took home a sixth-place finish at the Doane Open. He won his first two bouts before dropping his semifinals match and not competing in his last two consolation matches. 

Quinton Chavez (125), Daniel Monahan (141) and Joshua Licking (157) did not place. 

#9 Nebraska continues its season in two weeks as it hosts South Dakota State at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. 

Doane Open – Dec. 4, 2021 

Crete, Neb. – Fuhrer Field House

125: Quinton Chavez (unattached) – DNP (3-2)

133: Boo Dryden (unattached) – 1st (4-0)

133: Dominick Serrano (unattached) – 3rd (4-1)

141: Blake Cushing (unattached) – 1st (5-0)

141: Daniel Monahan – DNP (0-2)

149: Kevon Davenport – 6th (2-3)

157: Joshua Licking (unattached) – DNP (0-2)

157: Nic Stoltenberg (unattached) – 3rd (5-1)

165: Tahjae Jenkins-Harris – 4th (4-2)

174: Elise Brown Ton (unattached) – 6th (5-3)

184: Brandyn Van Tassell (unattached) – 6th (3-3)

184: Nathan Haas (unattached) – 1st (4-0)

197: Zak Taylor (unattached) – 6th (3-3)

HWT: Austin Emerson – 6th (2-3)