PHOTO CUTLINE
Wrestlers representing Great Bend and Russell competed in the Pueblo (Colo.) West dual tournament.
Panther wrestlers compete in Colorado
BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
PUEBLO, COLO. — The Great Bend High wrestling program won seven of eight matches at the Pueblo West dual tournament this past weekend. Great Bend’s Drew Liles finished 9-0 and Kaden Spragis earned a 5-0 record.
“Drew has recovered from his elbow injury last year and wasn’t wearing his brace,” Great Bend coach Nathan Broeckelman. “He wrestled back to his normal self. He had tough matches. Kaden Spragis wrestled well. He’ll enter our lineup next year. Wyatt Weber looked really tough. He’s learning to control his emotions.”
Russell’s Stephen Baldwin and Jacob Windholz and Andover’s Ross Mills joined the Great Bend wrestlers on the trip. The team camped outdoors near Pueblo, Colo.
“It was a great experience and mat time,” said Broeckelman. “It’s good off-season training for next year. Our goal is to get as much mat time as possible. The extra mat time helps them fix different things, learn new technique and try different moves. Now, we can get ready for the 2nd Grapple on the Gridiron June 28-29.”
The Great Bend wrestling event Friday and Saturday features training from Division 1 All-American Preston Weigel from Oklahoma State and a session by Wrestling Mindset’s Beau Tillman, a multi-state champion from Pratt.
Twenty teams are registered, two New Mexico teams, including state runner-up Carlsbad, N.M. two Colorado teams and Geary, Okla. Fifteen Kansas teams will compete.
“It’s exciting to see other teams and see different styles of wrestling,” Broeckelman said.
Hays High graduate Preston Weigel (16-1) finished third in the NCAA 197-pound division with a 7-1 victory over Princeton’s Pat Brucki. Weigel will conduct a two-hour training session at 8 a.m. Tillman’s session will start at 3 p.m.
“I love what Beau does with his program,” Broeckelman said. “Anything we can get him in our wrestling room, it’s a good thing.”
Dual matches start at 10 a.m. Friday with sessions scheduled at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. indoors at the PAC and 8:30 p.m. under the Memorial Stadium lights.
PUEBLO WEST DUALS
Team record 7-1 (loss to Colo. state runner-up Pueblo East)
Panthers def. Pueblo West No. 2 80-6
Panthers def. Falcon 49-12
Panthers def. Pine Creek/Fowler 60-12
Panthers def. Denver North 69-0
Panthers def. Pueblo Central 45-22
Panthers def. Pueblo Centennial 48-9
Panthers def. Pueblo West No. 1 74-41
Pueblo East def. Panthers 36-27
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Drew Liles 9-0—7 pins
Kaden Spragis 5-0—2 pins
Quinn Hoffman 4-0—4 pins
Eli Witte 3-0—2 pins
Skylar McMullen 2-0—2 pins
Wyatt Weber 6-1—5 pins
Ross Mills 5-1—5 pins
Scott Heilman 4-1—4 pins
Gage Fritz 3-1—2 pins
Alex Randolph 3-1—3 pins
Cooper Liles 3-1—3 pins
Ever Chavez 3-1—2 pins
Owen Ridgeway 5-2—4 pin
Avery Wolf 5-2—5 pins
Jacob Windholz 4-2—3 pins
John Szot 3-2—3 pins
Stephen Baldwin 5-3—2 pins
Kaidence Sanchez 5-4—4 pins
Jesus Villegas 2-2—1 pin
Adiran Hurtado 2-3—2 pins
Overall Record—80-27—67 pins
