The annual Boone Central Invitational always features a tough, competitive field and the 2010 tournament Saturday in Albion was no exception.
Class A #2 Kearney dominated and ran away with the team title in an event that showcased over 30 state-rated wrestlers representing all four wrestling classes in Nebraska.
Boone Central’s shorthanded, inexperienced squad struggled in the team standings, finishing 14th, but Cardinal Coach Dale Bonge saw continued progress from his charges.
“While this finish is a long way from where we would like to be, we still found signs that we are gradually improving,” Bonge commented. “Earlier in the season, most of our inexperienced wrestlers would either pin or be pinned. Now, some of them are going the distance in both wins and losses.
“Mitch Patzel, Kody Maricle, Matt Spieker and Dan Janzen all fit that category. Before, it was rare when anyone other than our most experienced guys – Jake Meyer and Bobby Stopak – completed that feat.”
Those two experienced Cardinal competitors – Meyer and Stopak – each compiled 2-2 records in the tourney, placing 4th in their respective weight classes.
“Once again, on the positive side, no one lost a match we were favored to win,” Bonge noted. “Jacob, Bobby and Kody all knocked off guys that were predicted to beat them.
“Bobby handily defeated the #4 seed and pinned another opponent. His final match was a ‘respectable’ 4-0 loss to the #1 rated wrestler in Class D. Jacob was seeded 7th, but toppled two guys seeded above him, one of whom pinned Jake the second week of the season.
“Kody didn’t place, but continued to show remarkable improvement and did beat the #5 seed. Dan went two full matches and was ahead in the third period of his last match before getting taken down to his back.”
Bonge hopes the Card wrestlers can take lessons from Saturday into the home stretch of the 2010 season.
“This week is our conference tournament at Norfolk Catholic,” he said. “We hope to have Tanner Anderson back in the line-up for this meet.”
Complete Results in Print & Online Editions of Albion News.
