Wrestlers open season at invitational in Akron

The Sedgwick County/Fleming srestlers started their season off on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Chuck Annand Invitational in Akron. The team finished fourth out of 17 teams with 102.5 points behind Highland with 103 points, Fort Morgan with 125.5 points and Eaton with 181.0 points. Twelve SC/F wrestlers participated in the invitational.

Junior Kaiden Schelling took the mat at 120 pounds. His day didn't end like he would have liked finishing 2-1 and placing second. Schelling defeated Matt Dabbs of Fort Morgan with a fall in 1:07. He then defeated Dayspring Christian's Drew Sandstrom by tech fall, 15-0. This win advanced him to the championship match against Louden Kindsfather of Eaton. Schelling lost this match with a 6-3 decision.

Junior Scotty Engle competed in the 132-pound weight bracket and finished his day at 3-1 in second place. Engle defeated Carlos Munoz of Eaton with a fall in 2:37 in round one. He then defeated Kai Polk of Dayspring Christian with a 15-0 tech fall. Engle then defeated Jon Yapoujian of Byers in a close 4-2 decision to advance to the finals. He was defeated in the finals by Tripp Duvall of Holly to end his day in second place.

144-pound senior Jack Bornhoft finished his day 4-2 and in fourth place. Bornhoft defeated Hayden Sailer of Resurrection Christian with a fall in 1:02 in the first round. He was then defeated by John Mall's Giovonni Aldretti by fall. Bornhoft then defeated Dante Pino of John Mall with a fall in 1:22 and Tyler Frank of Merino with a fall in 2:01. This put him in for third place where his opponent was once again Giovonni Aldretti of John Mall. Bornhoft would be forced to take the fourth place finish by default due to reaching his match limit for the day.

Sophomore Ryan Davis wrestled at 190 pounds. He finished his day at 3-2. Davis defeated Riley Thomas of Wiggins with a fall in 2:41. He then lost his second match to Ira Sittner of Highland by fall. He went on to defeat his next two opponents by fall; Sam Schmidt of Highland in 2:02 and Donovan Juarez of Highland in 2:16. Davis then lost his consolation semifinal match to Andrew Kaus of Merino by fall to end his hopes of placing.

Competing in the 150-pound junior varsity bracket was junior Trent Wernsman who ended his day 1-2 and in fourth place. Wernsman was defeated by Resurrection Christian's Pierson St. James by fall. He then defeated William Beverly of John Mall with a fall in 3:37 to advance to the third place match. Wernsman was defeated by Hudson Bost of Strasburg with a fall. The event marked Wernsman's first ever high school wrestling tournament.

Sophomore Gage Helgoth competed at 132 pounds. Helgoth wrestled in the junior varsity bracket and ended his day 1-2 and in fourth place. He was defeated by Logan Hurley of Eaton by fall in his first match. He then defeated Abram Zwiep of Resurrection Christian with a fall in 2:06. This win put him in for third place. Helgoth lost this match to Merino's Degan Buchtel with a 5-2 decision.

The team is scheduled to travel to Oxford, Neb., to participate in the Southern Valley Invitational on Friday, Dec. 9.