HOWELLS — Opening day for the Wolfpack boys wrestling team came Saturday.
EPPJ’s four-man team all earned victories at the tournament featuring many of the best wrestlers in northeast Nebraska.
The core of the Wolfpack team is seniors Landyn Veik and Grady Drueke and they didn’t disappoint.
Veik, competing at 175 pounds, brought home a third place medal. Veik won three of his five matches, recording two pins and a major decision.
Drueke, competing at 157 pounds, finished fifth in his weight class. Drueke had two pins, and a major decision in his four wins on the mat.
John Zwingman picked up his first varsity victory, pinning Bergan’s Kelton Faulkner in 1:17.
Ethan Hansen, wrestling at 138 pounds gained valuable experience in his four matches. That experience should help him when the team heads to Sargent Friday for their second tournament of the season.
Individual results were:
138 — Maverick Heine, HCC, 3 to 0 (pin 1:01) over Ethan Hansen; Luke Belilna over Hansen (pin 3:59); Caleb Popken, CB, 4 to 3 (pin 1:49) over Hansen; Luis Popoca, O-C, 3 to 0 (pin 1:28) over Hansen
157 — Grady Drueke, EPPJ, 20 to 4 (TF) over Keegan Fischer, WPB; Drueke 3 to 0 (DEC) over Joseph Findlay, L-D; Cade Pribnow (BRGN) 18 to 0 (TF) over Drueke; Drueke won 12-4 (pin 3:47) over G. Flores, WPB; Drueke 7 to 0 (pin 2:17) over Braden Swan, T-H
165 — Landon Burt, T-H, 3 to 0 (pin 1:05) over John Zwingman, EPPJ; Jayden Meier, ELCR, 3 to 0 (pin 0:50) over Zwingman; Zwingman 3 to 0 (pin 1:17) over Kelton Faulkner, BRGN;
175 — Landyn Veik, EPPJ, 3 to 0 (pin 1:38) over Michael Lytle, TH; Veik 11 to 0 (MD) over Evan Hegemann, HD; Veik 3 to 0 (pin 1:47) over Charlie Watkins, PON; Ruben Vega, WAK, 8 to 3 over Veik; Broderick Kleinschmit, HCC, 7 to 0 (pin 4:46) over Veik
