AUDUBON, Iowa — The Perry wrestling team sent 10 grapplers to the Wheeler Invitational Saturday, with every Bluejay finishing on the podium in the 12-team event hosted by Audubon.
Missouri Valley piled up 268 points to win the meet, with the SE Polk junior varsity second at 189 while Perry was third at 137.
The Bluejays had two champions and three runner-up finishers to help compile the points needed for third place despite Perry not competing at 126, 152, 160 and 195 pounds.
Senior Cole Nelson (29-3) was the 138-pound champion after winning by a technical fall and two pins, with Tanner Burgin (21-14) winning the top spot at 145 with a tech fall, a decision and a pin.
Finishing second for the Jays were Keegan Snyder (12-6 at 182 pounds), Kevin Colin (16-8 at 220) and Alan Gomez (24-9) at 285. Snyder and Colin were both 2-1, with each winning twice by pin, with Gomez 1-1 with a win via decision.
Gavin Kercheval (9-16) was fourth at 120 despite not collecting a win, with Alex Fickbohm (12-14) 1-2 with a pin while placing fourth at 132.
Kain Killmer (15-19) was 3-1 with two pins and a major decision to finish fifth at 170 pounds, with Taylor Atwell (10-14) 1-1 with a pin to also place fifth, doing so at 113, while Aidan Carlson (3-7) placed sixth at 106 despite no victories.
Perry will be in action Saturday in Winterset at the Class 2A Sectional 2 tourney, with ADM, North Polk, Saydel and Woodward-Granger also in the field. Placing first or second at each weight would advance a wrestler to the Feb. 12 District 1 meet. Competing will be advancers from host Ballard, Gilbert, Humboldt, Nevada, Roland-Story and SE Valley.
