OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The snow stopped falling Thursday afternoon, but that definitely wasn't the case when the state high school wrestling tournament started at 9:30 a.m.
The NSAA director of wrestling said they don't have the option to alter the schedule. He said the weather took no one by surprise and everyone was on time for weigh-ins.
“We knew there was a system coming through and we warned our schools starting last week that we're going to go as scheduled and on time, regardless of what the weather is,” said NSAA Wrestling Director Ron Higdon.
He points out this tournament turnout is always popular and, despite the snow, this year is no different.
“Our fans — they're fans. It's good. We knock it out of the park. It's a fun event to have.”
Just after noon on Thursday, nearly 70% of tickets for the first session that were sold were scanned at the doors. About 7,000 people attended the first session Thursday.
Some fans admit, though, that they weren't as well-prepared as the wrestlers.
“Normally, it's about three and a half hours, but today it took about five,” said Deb Slingsby, who came all the way from Ansley-Litchfield to watch her son coach.
She said the team came up yesterday though, if not for the weather, they could have come to Omaha in the morning because they don't wrestle until 3 p.m.
“I do wish I would have came yesterday,” she said. People coming from far-away towns staying in hotels near the arena said they didn't have trouble getting to the tournament, but there were challenges for locals.
“It looked like the, you know, the snowplows hadn't really got to it yet,” said Brock Murtaugh, who came to support his Millard South Patriot Classmates. A typical 20-minute drive downtown was double that.
“We're probably going 40 miles per hour max the whole way,” he said.
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