York Invitational:
Only 19.5 points separated team champion Fairbury from 5th place Schuyler. The Jeffs had 3 finalists, 3 third place finishers and 1 fourth place finisher while team runner-up David City had 3 champions, 1 runner-up and 4 fourth place finishers. Jacob Johnson at 170 was Fairbury’s lone champion, while Noah Styskal (120), Melvin Hernandez (138) and Ryan Worm (182) won their brackets for the Scouts.
Twin brothers Shawn and Tom Buchanan of Crete took home the 106 and 113 championships, and both won matches over ranked wrestlers along the way. Both freshmen have traveled and trained all over the state for years, and made themselves known on opening weekend.
York finished fourth in the team standings behind 220 champion Garrett Rediger and runner-ups Harrison Gocke (120), Scott Fulsos (138), and Noah Stafursky (285).
Blair Invitational:
Blair dominated their home tournament outscoring runner-ups Tekamah-Herman by 99 points. They had 6 champions in Jackson Nielsen (106), Walker Moore (120), Zach Orton (126), Dalton Lewis (145), Carter Anderson (195), and Cory Harper (285). Finishing as runner-ups for the Bears were Sam Brayman (113), Brody Karls (120), and Tristyn McClanahan (220).
Correction:
Scottsbluff left the Windsor High School gym thinking they were the 2016 Wizard Duals Champions on Saturday. But a rule that prevents wrestlers from bumping up two weight classes changed a win by Mario Ybarra at 138 into a disqualification loss, which gave Windsor the win. Although Ybarra wrestled 132 in his previous matches of the tournament, he is competing at 126 for the Walsh Ironman this weekend. By following his weight descent plan for that tournament, the rule about bumping up two weight classes came into effect. Rules are rules, but if the winner was decided the way it is in a back-alley brawl, the Bearcats would’ve been victorious.
Notable Matches:
106-unranked Shawn Buchanan won 4-2 over 106C #2 Seth Styskal
113-unranked Tom Buchanan won 4-1 over #5 Grayson Fries
138- #3 Scott Fulsos won 6-2 over #5 Mario Venzor
145-unranked Dalton Quandt won 15-4 over 138 #4 Lane Eggen
285- #5 Paul Mach won by fall 4:21 over 285A #4 Brandon Eastlack
285-unranked Noah Stafursky won 3-1 over 285A #4 Brandon Eastlack