shari friedel | grant tribune-sentinel
The 2022 Perkins County Punishers wrestling team wrapped up its season with districts Friday, March 4 at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney. The team includes (Front row, l-r): Lucas Perez, Daxton Fryzek, Walker Gertsch, Wells Mayer, Jett Lorimer, Cole Turner, Weston Sauder. Second row: Judson Sauder, Andrew Gonzales, Rieken Lee, Russell Johnson, Lane Cornelius, AJ Korpan, Callum Mayer, Tannen McCloskey, Rhett Miller, Charlea Knoles. Third row: Kipton Sauder, Leighton Fryzek, Grayson McCormick, Parker Tjaden, Andrew Goodell, Jaxon Schwanebeck, Drake Fryzek, Huck Apolius, Axel Vapenik. Back: Ethan Dickinson, Carson Green, Elijah Goodell, Christian Fryzek, Cyler Mecham, Brantlee Fay, Magnus Long, Orion Knoles, Victor Dunn, Austin Kraus. Coaches are (not pictured) Edward Dunn, Tanner Collins, John Goodell, Cody Miller, and Austin Thelander, and support from the high school wrestling team.
Punishers wrap up season at state
The Perkins County Punishers wrestling team finished its season with 11 members qualifying to compete at the state meet in Grand Island March 19-20. Four of the 11 qualifiers were state placers.
The team was led by coaches Edward Dunn, Tanner Collins, John Goodell, Cody Miller and Austin Thelander, with support from the high school wrestling team.
“This season was a monumental success, from individual progression to just sheer numbers,” said Coach Edward Dunn. “We have not been in the running for team placing at tournaments since I’ve been with the program (four years), but this year we were at several tournaments.”
Nearly 50 wrestlers in pre-K-eighth grade participated, with high practice attendance and and average weekend tournament attendance of 23, an unprecedented number for the program.
“The help of the high school wrestling team is the main reason we are continuing to grow each year,” Dunn said. “Juan Perez Jr. was a significant asset this year as he traveled to each youth tournament and helped with stretching and warmups.”
Results
Results from the state meet are as follows:
Rieken Lee, in his first state appearance, went 2-2 and placed fourth; Callum Meyer, a two-time state qualifier, went 2-2; Lucas Perez, first time qualifier, went 3-2; Charlea Knoles was 1-1 and placed second; Jaxon Schwanebeck, two time state qualifier, was 1-2 at state; Brantlee Fay, first state appearance, was 3-3, placing sixth; Christian Fryzek, first-time qualifier went 2-2; in his third year of qualifying for state, Victor Dunn went 2-2; Leighton Fryzek went 0-2 in his first state appearance; first-time state qualifier Carson Green went 3-2; Elijah Goodell placed fifth at AAU middle school state, going 4-2.