The Ellis junior high wrestling team kicked off the 2024 season with matches at Oakley. This was a large event with 12 teams in attendance. Th these were the first matches of many of the wrestlers’ careers.
“ I thought as a team we competed well for our first time out on the mat.” The team won 27 out of the 59 matches wrestled. Four out of the seven girls went 2-0 at the event.
The team traveled to Larned on Saturday and competed in the Ted Mertens Invitational. The team had 21 wrestlers at the event and 14 were able to place in the top four of their weight class. Korbyn Kroeger, Kalen Smith, Asher Haag, Jack Reed, Lyla Richards, and Haylee Comer went undefeated on the day and brought home the gold medal. Westin Vine, Carter Jimenez, and Hunter Honas wrestled tough, but had to settle for second place. Maggie Downing and Grant Wieland placed third at the tournament, while Coltan Mader, Carter Redetzke, and Keilah Heit placed fourth.
The team will be busy again this week with matches in Hill City on Thursday and a tournament in Hoisington on Saturday.