HOISINGTON — Led by top placings from Chris Burley (120 pounds) and Ryan DesLauriers (103), along with a bevy of second- and third-place finishings, Great Bend High School captured the Cardinal Corner Classic on Friday.
The Panthers finished with 210 points to distance themselves from second-place Concordia, which had 194 points. Host Hoisington was third with 174½ points.
“I think we came out of there knowing that we need to do better, but it was a good way to end the time right before Christmas,” GBHS head coach Norbert Muth said. “I was happy with our effort.
“One of the things that we need to do better is just to wrestle better on the mat. I thought we wrestled fairly well on our feet. On top, I felt like we need to ride people better and keep them on the mat better than they did this weekend.”
Besides Burley and DesLauriers taking first place, Austin Spencer (113), Greg Burley (132), Brodie Bretz (138) and Jeremy Sigler (170) took home second place in their respective weight classifications. Brett Roberts (126), Joe Lindendberger (145), Bryce Hoffmeister (152), Darian Yager (160), Justin Henry (182) and Jacob Crane (285) each finished in third place.
“Ryan has been struggling a little bit this year and I think it was good to get him some confidence and wrestle well,” Muth said of DesLauriers. “Chris had a fairly good tournament. He had to wrestle the Ball kid (Brandon Ball) from Hoisington, who’s only a sophomore and a good wrestler. He knew it was going to be a tough one coming in.
“Chris wrestled well and did things right.”
Muth said Roberts performed well as he wrestled in the toughest bracket in the tournament at 126.
Gunar Brewer (195) and Ramon Garcia (220) each finished in fourth place.
The team win was overshadowed by an injury to Garcia, who suffered a dislocated elbow. Muth said he did not know how long Garcia would be out.
                                                                                                   — Mack McClure

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

Cardinal Corner Classic
At Hoisington

Friday

Team standings
1. Great Bend, 210; 2. Concordia, 194; 3. Hoisington, 174.5; 4. Oakley, 142; 5. Thomas More Prep-Marian, 85; 6. Larned, 78.5; 7. Cimarron, 73.5; 8. Garden Plain, 46; 9. Lakin, 27.5

Great Bend results
106 — Ryan DesLauriers, first place
113 — Austin Spencer, second place
120 — Chris Burley, first place
126 — Brett Roberts, third place
132 — Greg Burley, second place
138 — Brodie Bretz, second place
145 — Joe Lindenberger, third place
152 — Bryce Hofmeister, third place
160 — Darian Yager, third place
170 — Jeremy Sigler, second place
182 — Justin Henry, third place
195 — Gunar Brewer, fourth place
220 — Ramon Garcia, fourth place
285 — Jacob Crane, third place