Sidney wrestlers finish third in own invitational

Powerful Lexington took home the team title, while the host Sidney High School wrestling team finished third in the team standing at Saturday’s Red Raiders Invitational.

“I think if we’d had finished a bit stronger we might have moved up a notch,” SHS coach John Ganser said, “but no question, Lexington was the class of the field.”

Lexington (128 points) outdistanced Cozad and SHS (79.5 and 68 points, respectively) in the nine-school field.

Sidney finished with nine medal winners, including three individuals who finished second.

Tanner Wernsman (160 pounds) reached his title bout, but was decisioned by Gering’s Jacob Rexus, 15-4.

Wernsman reached the finals by pinning Kimball’s Tristan Carruthers early in the second period of their quarterfinal bout, and then stuck Bayard’s Allen Denton in the semifinals.

“Wernsman wrestled well all day,” Ganser said. “It was very pleasing to see.”

Also reaching the finals were Tanner Wintholz (195, was decisioned by Alex Voryca of Cozad, 7-4) and Scott Kelsey (220, pinned by Lexington’s Edwin Podroma in the second period).

Tanner Wintholz won a first-round decision against Tanner Willey of Bayard and then came up with consecutive first-period pins against Ogallala’s Matthew Skinner and Zach Little of Sterling, Colo., to earn a berth in the title bout.

Kelsey won by pin (Zaine Gallegos, Bayard) in his first-round bout, then took a major decision in the semifinals from Gering’s Christian Pester.

Earning third-place medals were Michael Muggli (132), Kelby Christian (182) and Tucker Wintholz (heavyweight), and Ben Goble (106), Nathaniel Votruba (138) and Ryan Wooley (170) all finished fourth.

Sidney is now idle through the holiday break, and returns to action Jan. 5 in a dual meet in Scottsbluff.