Franklin, NE — The Kearney High wrestling teams displayed their strength and determination at the Franklin Boys Wrestling Invite this past weekend. Competing across weight classes, both Kearney GOLD and Kearney BLUE teams brought home impressive placements and scored valuable team points.
Top Performers
Jesvin Verduzco (Kearney GOLD) was a standout at 113 pounds, claiming the championship title. Verduzco dominated his bracket, winning all three matches by fall or technical fall, including a decisive victory in the final over Carter Trambly (Franklin) with a pin at 1:36.
Cooper Ritz (Kearney GOLD) earned a second-place finish at 132 pounds, highlighted by his semifinal tech fall win over Cohen Lewis (Red Cloud/Blue Hill). Ritz fell short in the championship match against Hudson Deeds (North Platte St. Patrick’s).
Sam Lungrin (Kearney GOLD) finished in second place at 175 pounds. Picking up a Major Decision and a Decision before falling in the finals to JD Adam (Meridian).
Drake Hasselquist (Kearney GOLD) and Jace Smith (Kearney GOLD) secured third-place finishes in the 165-pound and 120-pound brackets, respectively. Hasselquist defeated teammate Peyton Meier (Kearney GOLD) in an exciting rematch for third place. Peyton earned four pins on the day with his lone losses coming from Hasselquist.
Other Notable Results
Noah Schmit (Kearney BLUE) took third at 113 pounds, bouncing back from a semifinal loss with two consecutive pins, including a fall over Bryson Shriver (Alma) in the bronze match.
Victor Reyes (Kearney GOLD) and Gavin Kassing (Kearney BLUE) showcased resilience in the 106-pound division, placing fourth and fifth, respectively.
For Kearney Blue Logan Reagan (Kearney BLUE) finished in 5th place at 120 pounds.
Andrew Solomon (Kearney BLUE) and Moses Sutton (Kearney GOLD) both made strong runs in the 126-pound bracket, with Sutton defeating Solomon in the third-place match by technical fall.
Evan Folck (Kearney GOLD) finished in 4th place at 138
At 144 pounds Preston Eilers (Kearney BLUE) and Brody Rouse (Kearney GOLD) finished in 4th & 6th respectively.
Max VanHorn (Kearney BLUE) and Elijah Holl (Kearney GOLD) battled in the 150-pound division, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Thatcher Whiting (Kearney GOLD) finished in 6th place at 190 pounds.
At 215 pounds Adam Perez (Kearney GOLD) finished in 5th, while Dylan Johnson (Kearney GOLD) finished in 4th at HWT.
Team Effort Kearney’s wrestlers brought home 20 medals, combining for numerous pins and bonus-point victories. Kearney Gold finished as tournament champions scoring 215 points over North Platte St. Patrick`s 173. Kearney Blue earned a top 5 finish with 129.5 points.
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