Gage Peterson
OMAHA, Neb. — High school wrestlers across Nebraska gathered in Omaha last weekend for the individual state championships, but for two programs, success on the mat has become a yearly expectation.
Skutt Catholic and Creighton Prep have built reputations as two of the state’s premier wrestling programs, thanks in large part to leadership that emphasizes culture, community and consistency.
The Hildebrandt/ Nebe wrestling practice facility at Skutt Catholic High School on
Feb. 18th, 2026.
Skutt Catholic is one of the most storied wrestling programs in Nebraska. The Skyhawks have won 15 Class B state titles over the past 28 years. Head coach Chas DeVetter said the foundation of that success starts with the people around the program.
“We have a very supportive community who all want to be successful,” DeVetter said. “We have guys that come back and help coach that were on the team at one point, Brian Pesca and Nick Collins, so just the people and the support that we have, everybody with a similar goal.”
Coach DeVetter also attributed this current teams’ success to each of the seniors on the squad.
“A lot of that’s attributed to our senior leadership. We have five seniors that have been the lineup for a long time and just been around the program for a long time,” Coach DeVetter said, “Gavin Ourada, Isaac Christo, Niko Rotella, Tyler Harrill and Riley Johnson. Our theme this year was committed, and I think they did a fantastic job of leading the way being committed.”
Equipment inside Creighton Prep’s wrestling gym on Feb. 18th, 2026.
While Coach DeVetter continues a legacy that spans more than two decades, Creighton Prep coach Andrew Fisher is building a new, more recent legacy.
A former Junior Jays wrestler, Coach Fisher now leads the program at his alma mater. Creighton Prep won the Class A state dual championship in 2025 and repeated the feat this season.
Coach Fisher credits the team’s work ethic and coaching staff for the recent run of success.
“Their work ethic and this coaching staff is unlike anything I’ve seen,” Fisher said. “These guys compete every day. They’re very coachable. I have a coaching staff who wrestled in college at some of the highest levels, and they’re able to pass down that type of knowledge to these guys.”
When asked about what he tells his team before they go on the mat at tournaments, Coach Fisher said it’s just business as usual.
“We’ve had some big duels; we’ve had some exciting environments. The goal with doing all those things is to kind of help prepare them for a situation like this, where they’re excited to compete, but realistically, it’s just the same things, right?” Coach Fisher said, “Focus on the things you can control, your tie ups, your leg attacks, your defense, you know, focus on the things you can control. Then, and I guess, just go, let it rip”
Both programs saw that preparation pay off at the state championships. Skutt Catholic had six wrestlers win individual state titles, while Creighton Prep crowned four champions, including an athlete who became the 39th four-time state champion in Nebraska history.
With DeVetter and Fisher leading the way, both programs appear positioned to continue adding to their championship traditions for years to come.
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