Wrestlers busy last week, get this week off

Perkins County’s younger wrestlers got lots of mat time last week, which Coach Tanner Collins sees as a big benefit.

Chase Toner, Henry Taylor and Huntin Taylor each got a number of matches in the Plainsmen’s jayvee meet held Jan. 12.

That was followed up by the SPVA conference meet in Hershey Jan. 14. 

The team’s week wrapped up Saturday at the Chase County invite in Imperial.

Collins said the jayvee meet provided the trio with more time on the mat, which is what they need most in their development. 

Toner  and Henry Taylor each got three matches with Huntin Taylor getting four. 

Toner won two of three matches at 120 to finish second. Huntin Taylor went 1-3 while Henry Taylor was 0-3.

Conference champs double

Two Plainsmen captured conference championships at the SPVA meet and them backed it up with first place finishes at the Chase County invite. 

Senior Brandon Knoles improved to 19-3 at 220 and avenged one of those losses with a 1-0 decison over Chase County’s Jaret Peterson in the SPVA finals. 

Then, on Saturday, he met Peterson in the finals at Chase County again, bringing home a 4-3 decision for the championship medal.

Heavyweights Austin Meyer and Huntin Taylor were the only two in the class at SPVA, with Meyer taking the win over Taylor.

On Saturday, Meyer pinned his way through five opponents to take first at Chase County. 

Brient Wood finished fifth at 145 and Bryder Hickey took sixth at 152.

In the past, the SPVA and Western Trails Conference held a joint conference meet in Bridgeport. This year’s meet was set for Feb. 4.

However, the NSAA added a new wrestling subdistrict a week before districts. Perkins County’s sub is Feb. 5.

As a result, the joint meet was cancelled and the SPVA moved to Jan. 14 at Hershey.

Collins said putting both conferences together makes for more competitive matches and hopes they resume the format next year. 

Chadron cancelled their meet Jan. 23 due to COVID. As a result, the Plainsmen find themselves idle this weekend. 

However, the wrestlers will be assisting with the youth tournament here Saturday. 

Next week, the wrestlers travel to Kearney Friday for a dual with Kearney Catholic and then on to the Doniphan Invite Saturday. 

Subdistricts are set for Feb. 5 at North Platte St. Pat’s followed by the district finals on Feb. 13 in Sutherland.

Results of last week’s matches are as follows. 

Chase County Invite

120 Mason Toner (8-16)—Rd. 1: Kaleb Christofferson (Hitchcock County) 18-4 won by fall over Toner  (Fall 1:45); Rd. 2: Bronson Poppe (Ogallala) 12-8 won by decision over Toner  (Dec 7-0); Rd. 3: Chase McGrath (Bridgeport) 20-13 won by decision over Toner  (Dec 6-4).

145 Brient Wood (9-8) 5th Place—Champ. Rd. 1: Wood won by fall over Trey McCrumb (Wauneta-Palisade) 0-27 (Fall 0:18); Quarterfinal: Chase Wiese (Dundy County-Stratton) 12-15 won by fall over Wood (Fall 2:38).; Cons. Rd. 2: Wood received a bye; Cons. Rd. 3: Wood won by fall over Toby Ulander (Bayard) 2-6 (Fall 1:36).; Cons. Semi: Trey Schindler (Kimball) 10-6 won by fall over Wood (Fall 2:30); 5th Place Match: Wood won by fall over Chase Wiese (Dundy County-Stratton) 12-15 (Fall 2:39).

152 Bryder Hickey (12-13) 6th Place—Champ. Rd. 1: Brice Vitosh (Chase County) 12-15 won by fall over Hickey (Fall 3:13).; Cons. Rd. 1: Hickey received a bye; Cons. Rd. 2: Hickey won by fall over Cody Duffy (Chase County) 11-15 (Fall 0:37).; Cons. Rd. 3: Hickey won by fall over Kolby Houchin (Bayard) 3-7 (Fall 2:56).; Cons. Semi: Matthew Kohel (Morrill) 10-5 won by fall over Hickey (Fall 3:52); 5th Place Match: Tanner O`Brien (Hitchcock County) 13-9 won by fall over Hickey (Fall 2:08).

160 Henry Taylor (2-20)—Champ. Rd. 1: Dawson Mollendor (Chase County) 18-12 won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:24).; Cons. Rd. 1: Taylor received a bye; Cons. Rd. 2: Gunner Roberson (Garden County) 12-13 won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:27).

220 Brandon Knoles (19-3) 1st Place—Champ. Rd. 1: Knoles received a bye; Quarterfinal: Knoles won by tech fall over Anthony Staman (Bridgeport) 6-13 (TF-1.5 4:24 (15-0); Semifinal: Knoles won by fall over Devon McCreery (Hershey) 5-15 (Fall 1:24); 1st Place Match: Knoles won by decision over Jaret Peterson (Chase County) 20-7 (Dec 4-3).

285 Austin Meyer (24-6) 1st Place—Rd. 1: Meyer won by fall over Michael Rotherham (Bayard) 8-16 (Fall 0:34); Rd. 2: Meyer won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:21); Rd. 3: Meyer won by fall over Blake Messervy (Ogallala) 11-20 (Fall 0:17); Rd. 4: Meyer won by fall over Taylor Hubl (Hitchcock County) 6-4 (Fall 0:42); Rd. 5: Meyer won by fall over Reegan French (Morrill) 6-4 (Fall 1:35).

285 Huntin Taylor (8-11) 4th Place—Rd. 1: Taylor won by fall over Blake Messervy (Ogallala) 11-20 (Fall 1:37); Rd. 2: Meyer won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:21); Rd. 3: Taylor Hubl (Hitchcock County) 6-4 won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:28); Rd. 4: Reegan French (Morrill) 6-4 won by fall over Taylor (Fall 2:44); Rd. 5: Taylor won by fall over Michael Rotherham (Bayard) 8-16 (Fall 1:25).

SPVA Conference 

120 Mason Toner (8-15)—Rd. 1: Chase McGrath (Bridgeport) 19-11 won by decision over Toner  (Dec 3-0); Rd. 2: Cauy Morgan (Sutherland) 19-2 won by fall over Toner  (Fall 3:08).

145 Brient Wood (6-8)—Quarterfinal: Matthew Phelps (St. Pat’s) 13-13 won by fall over Wood (Fall 2:36).; Cons. Rd. 1: Edgar Perez (Bridgeport) 5-12 won by fall over Wood (Fall 2:07).

152 Bryder Hickey (10-12) —Quarterfinal: Brice Vitosh (Chase Co) 10-12 won by fall over Bryder Hickey (Perkins Co) 10-12 (Fall 3:36).; Cons. Rd. 1: Bryder Hickey (Perkins Co) 10-12 received a bye; Cons. Semi: Cody Duffy (Chase Co) 11-11 won by fall over Bryder Hickey (Perkins Co) 10-12 (Fall 3:30).

160 Henry Taylor (2-21)—Rd. 1: Steven Menke (Bridgeport) 7-1 won by fall over Taylor 2-21 (Fall 0:30); Rd. 2: Dawson Mollendor (Chase Co) 14-10 won by fall over Taylor 2-21 (Fall 0:39); Rd. 3: Martin Cruz (Bridgeport) 11-17 won by fall over Taylor 2-21 (Fall 1:16).

220 Brandon Knoles (19-3) 1st Place—Rd. 1: Knoles won by fall over Landon Nichols (St. Pat’s) 11-9 (Fall 5:11); Rd. 2: Knoles won by fall over Anthony Staman (Bridgeport) 4-11 (Fall 3:04); Rd. 3: Knoles won by decision over Jaret Peterson (Chase Co) 18-6 (Dec 1-0).

285 Austin Meyer (20-6) 1st Place—Rd. 2: Meyer received a bye; Rd. 3: Meyer won by fall over Taylor (Fall 0:12).

285 Huntin Taylor (6-9)—Rd. 1: Taylor received a bye; Rd. 3: Meyer won by fall over Taylor (Fall 0:12).

Perkins County JV Meet 

120 Mason Toner 2nd Place—Rd. 1: Toner  won by decision over Carson Stevens (Gothenburg) (Dec 9-8); Rd. 2: Toner  won by decision over Carson Songster (North Platte) (Dec 9-4); Rd. 3: Bronson Poppe (Ogallala) won by decision over Toner  (Dec 9-3).

152 Henry Taylor—Rd. 1: Eli Hernandez (North Platte) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:37); Rd. 2: Kole Walz (Hershey) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 2:38); Rd. 3: Layton Bortner (McCook) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 2:27).

285 Huntin Taylor 4th Place—Rd. 2: Taylor won by fall over Tyson Krab (North Platte) (Fall 0:16); Rd. 3: Carter Butterfield (North Platte) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 0:52); Rd. 4: Trysten Terry (North Platte) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 0:49); Rd. 5: DeAndre Berry (McCook) won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:57).