ELGIN — Wrestling in their own gymnasium for the first time this season, the Wolfpack wrestling team claimed two medals Saturday at the Pope John Invitational.
A large field of wrestlers gathered at St. Boniface gymnasium Saturday for the annual tournament, one of the best in northeast Nebraska.
Fans weren’t disappointed during the day as there was plenty of wrestling action from the start until the finish hours later.
Competing in the fourth meet of the season the Wolfpack quartet of Andrew Fangman, Brett Kinney, Geoffrey Carr and Brody Hupp were cheered on every time they took to the mat.
Fangman placed fourth in the 145-pound class while Kinney placed fourth in the 152-pound class. Fangman had one pin and won two major decisions in his five matches. His first match pitted him against Wyatt Bader of Palmer. In an ironic twist of fate, Fangman’s father, Bill Fangman, wrestled Bader’s father years ago when they were in high school.
Kinney posted two pins in his four matches.
Both Hupp and Carr gained valuable experience in their matches which should bode well later in the season.
After the Christmas break, the Wolfpack will return to the mats on Saturday, Jan. 11 for the Elgin Invitational to be held at Elgin High School.
Individual results for Wolfpack wrestlers at the PJ Invite were:
113 pounds — Geoffrey Carr (EPPJ) was pinned by Christian Miller (Plainview) in 33 seconds; Carr was pinned by Clayton Darby (Pleasanton) in 55 seconds
145 — Andrew Fangman (EPPJ) pinned Wyatt Bader (Palmer) in 21 seconds; Fangman won 17 to 4 over Sam Wortmann (Hartington CC); Colton Lammers (Pleasanton) defeated Fangman 15 to 3; Fangman defeated Will Meyer (Fullerton) 6 to 5; consolation finals, Ryley Dugan (Cedar Valley) defeated Fangman 7 to 2
152 — Brett Kinney (EPPJ) pinned Jordan Sterns (O’Neill JV) in 2:57; Garrett Sonderup (Fullerton) pinned Kinney in 1:42; Kinney pinned Parker Belgium (O’Neill JV) in 59 seconds; consolation finals, Erik Oquist (Cross County/Osceola) pinned Kinney in 1:41
170 — Brody Hupp (EPPJ) was pinned by Victor Jonseth (West Holt) in 1:10; Austin Koch (Hartington CC) pinned Hupp in 1:31