Bobcats greeted by tough competition at Warrior Invite

Bobcat wrestlers gained valuable experience against some of the top wrestlers in the state, Saturday, at the Neligh-Oakdale Invite.

Anselmo-Merna topped the 24-team field, scoring 178 points. Elkhorn Valley took home the runner-up trophy. The Falcons finished with 156 points.

Summerland scored 29 points, finishing 18th.

Ethan Kester placed sixth in the 126-pound class. In the quarterfinal Gage Friesen won a 6-4 decision over Kester. He rebounded, picking up two wins in the consolation round, pinning Braydon Olson, West Holt, in 1:31 and by a 3-0 decision over Ethan Hoback, Fullerton. Kester forfeited the consolation semifinal and fifth-place match, due to injury.

Jesse Thiele earned the sixth-place medal in the 132-pound division. Thiele pinned Gabe Liermann, Wisner-Pilger, in 1:07, but lost, by fall, in 4:57, to Jarrett Wells, AM, in the quarterfinal. Thiele pinned two opponents in the consolation round, Mason Painter, Ainsworth, in 1:53 and Nebraska Christian's Jonah Green, in :45. In the consolation semi-final, Thiele dropped a 5-1 decision to Corbin Hoefer, Neligh-Oakdale. He was scheduled to face Trevor Carraher, Riverside, in the fifth-place match, but since he had already competed in five matches, forfeited.

Shayne Jenkins finished fourth in the 145B-pound class. In round one, Jenkins pinned Jacob Wingebach, Mullen, in 1:32. Jenkins was pinned, in 2:28, by Chase Kaczor, North Central, in round two and by EV's Brandon Mutum in the third round. Myles Smith pinned Jenkins in 2:45 in round five.

In the 160-pound class, AJ Hobbs placed sixth. He pinned teammate, Matt Umphress in the opening round, in 3:03. Wyatt Urkoski, High Plains Community, pinned Hobbs, in :16, in the quarterfinal. In the consolation rounds, Hobbs pinned Cash Wickersham, Niobrara/Verdigre, in 1:39 and won by medical forfeit over NC's Zach Huenefeld. Trevis Halsey won by medical forfeit in the consolation semifinal and in the fifth-place match, Hobbs forfeited due to injury.

Alex Thiele went 2-2 in the 120-pound division. He pinned Brenyn Ames, Lutheran High Northeast, in 1:14 before dropping an 11-4 decision to Elgin Public/Pope John's Carter Beckman in the quarterfinal. Thiele pinned Ky Cargill, Central Valley, in 1:32, in the second consolation round and, in round three, lost, 7-4, to Franklin's Grant Haussermann.

Caden Mendoza lost two matches in the 120-pound class. Gatlin Krepela, Pleasanton, won, by fall, in 1:06 and Cargill, CV, pinned Mendoza in :24.

Connor Thomson competed in the 132-pound division and finished 1-2. He started with a 7-3 win over Tyler Archer, Lyons-Decatur Northeast. In the quarterfinal, Nickolas Kuehn, Kenesaw, pinned Thomson in 1:24. Thomson was eliminated after he was pinned, in 1:51, by Jonah Green, NC.

Logan Kester competed in the 138-pound class. He lost, by tech fall, 21-5, to Dylan Higby, Clarkson/Leigh. He was eliminated after Waylon Warneke won, 9-5, in the consolation round.

Matt Umphress opened competition in the 160-pound class with a loss by fall, in 3:03, to Hobbs. Following a bye, Umphress defeated Caden Coufal, AM, 7-6. In the third round, he lost by fall, in 1:36, to Keegan Poppe, Wisner-Pilger.