Thelander highlights PC wrestling success
By Emmalee Parsely Stevens
Grant Tribune Correspondent
According to head coach Austin Thelander, the Perkins County Wrestlers have had some great success so far this season!
On December 14, they traveled to the Anselmo Merna meet. There, freshman Carson Green fought to earn second place in the the 132 lb weight class, and sophomore Ernesto Perez won first place in the 215 lb weight class.
Next, the Plainsmen traveled to Wauneta- Palisade to compete in the “quad” meet on December 19. PC earned their first place title by defeating Paxton 30-11, Dundy County 36-18, and Wauneta Palisade 31-24.
On December 20, the Plainsmen traveled to Sutherland. Green won the 4th place title in the 138 lb weight class. Junior, Preston Schwanebeck, won 1st place in the 190 lb weight class and Senior, Brecken Uehling, placed 4th in the 285 lb weight class.
The Lady Plainsmen traveled to Cambridge to compete on December 21. There, junior Haley Dunn won 4th place in the 190 lb weight class.
On January 4, Plainsmen traveled to Kearney to compete at the Pleasanton meet. Medalists there include Sophomore Dylan Bruce placing 2nd in the 165 lb weight class, and Senior Eli Gaston placing second in the 285 lb weight class.
“Overall, I am pretty happy with how the season has kicked off. However, we have to find another gear after Christmas Break in order to get more kids to Omaha in February. We have battled a fair share of injuries and illness early in the season which is unfortunate but a part of the sport. Kids have taken some hits to their record against some district opponents and it is important after break to get some of those head to head match-ups back, Coach Thelander said.
Following the holiday break, coach Thelander says he is ready to get the team back to work. “We look to really increase the physicality and intensity up in the wrestling room after break. Getting these young kids with little wrestling experience some mat time will be very important in developing them and preparing them for districts and potentially state,” Thelander said.
Coach Thelander said he is proud of the hard work the entire team has put in.
“Some notables so far this season are 190lbs Jr. Preston Schwanebeck (12-0), 215lbs So. Ernie Perez (14-2), 285lbs Sr. Eli Gaston (4-1), 285lbs Sr. Brecken Uehling (6-3), 138lbs Fr. Carson Green (10-9), and G190lbs Jr. Haley Dunn (9-6).
Eli and Brecken have both battled back quickly from lingering injuries. Carson has been wrestling hard through injury in a very tough weight class for a freshman,” Thelander said.
NEXT ACTION
Perkins County will host a quad today, January 9 at 5:30 p.m. for the boys.
The Lady Plainsmen wrestlers will compete on Friday January 10 at Sidney with competitions starting at 2 p.m.
Both the boys and the girls will travel to Garden County this Saturday and hit the mats at 9 a.m.
On January 14, the J/V boys and the Varsity girls will host an invite at PC at 2 p.m.