The Great Bend High School wrestling team held back Western Athletic Conference foe Dodge City on Thursday night, winning the dual 35-22.
“I thought we wrestled our hearts out tonight,” Great Bend head coach Norbert Muth said. “I got to give it to the guys. We bumped up some kids for specific reasons. Some of it was because of weight (today at Hoisington) and some of it was because that was what we needed to do to win the dual.
“Those guys that bumped up, I couldn’t ask for anything more out of them. It was very much a team effort and I’m very proud of them. It’s one of my proudest wins since I’ve been here.”
Mason Torres held off Jacob Harshberger at the 220-pound weight class to prevent losing by a major decision to secure the win for Great Bend.
“Mason, he weighs about 186,” Muth said. “He’s giving up some weight, so we can’t ask any more of him.”
Eric Vazquez (106), Ryan DesLauriers (113) and Keaton Sander (120) got things started for Great Bend, all winning by decision to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead.
Bryce Lytle (126) and Cody Lytle (138) each got pinned, with Cody Liles (132) winning a 4-0 decision in the middle to tie things up at 12.
“We inserted Bryce Lytle in,” Muth said. “He had a kid who was third at state last year, and he went in and took him down. Then he was too much for him down the stretch, but he wrestled his heart out.
“Because of that, we bumped Cody Liles up to 132. Then we bumped Cody Lytle up to 138 and Zach Schridde up to 145. Then we evened out from there. I just couldn’t ask for anymore of them.”
Zach Schridde (145) broke the tie in Great Bend’s favor with a 7-4 decision against Nick Killion before Kade Sander (152) scored five points for the Panthers with a technical fall over Aaron Serna, though he was very near to a pin.
“It was just one of those deals I was hoping it wouldn’t come back to bite us, that one point,” Muth said of Sander’s technical fall. “He gave it everything he had. There’s not much more you could do about that.
“He was on the edge of the mat when he turned him, so he had to keep him in bounds and keep him on his mat. That’s hard to do.”
Great Bend won two of the last five matches, including Justin Henry getting a pin in the first round of his match against Michael Russell.
“Justin came through big,” Muth said. “His father had a car accident last week, so he sat out. I think it was an emotional win for him because he’s been through a lot in the last week or so.”
Torres lost 11-4, but secured the win. Dodge City elected to forfeit the 285-pound match.

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

Thursday

At Great Bend
Panther Athletic Center

Great Bend 35, Dodge City 22
106 — Eric Vazquez def. Devon Griego, 11-8
113 — Ryan DesLauriers def. Landin Blackburn, 4-0
120 — Keaton Sander def. Jacquan Graves, 7-3
126 — Bryce Lytle lost to Clay Weil, pin
132 — Cody Liles def. Jaden McRoberts, 4-0
138 — Cody Lytle lost to Tyler Garcia, pin
145 — Zack Schridde def. Nick Killion, 7-4
152 — Kade Sander def. Aaron Serna, 15-0
160 — Christian Rivas def. Dylan Servis, 4-2
170 — Joe Lindenberger lost to Zach Cook, 8-3
182 — Sam Witte lost to Jhett Ostrom, 10-2
195 — Justin Henry def. Michael Russell, pin
220 — Mason Torres lost to Jacob Harshberger, 11-4
285 — Jacob Crane, won by forfeit