COUNCIL BLUFFS — Three of the eight Perry wrestlers competing Friday and Saturday at the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic finished seventh or better, with four others also earning placings in one of the toughest fields in the Midwest.
The 39-team field featured some of the top programs from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska, with highly-regarded individuals dotting each weight class.
Kaleb Olejniczak (16-2) had the highest finish, with the junior ending his tourney in fifth place at 126 pounds, where he is ranked third in Class 3A. His lone loss came to top-rated Alex Thomsen of 1A Underwood in the quarterfinals. Olejniczak finished 7-1 at the classic, crossing the 100-career win mark in the process and is now 101-15 overall.
Ranked third at 120 pounds, senior Zachary Thompson (13-2) finished 7-2 to secure sixth place. He dropped a 5-1 decision in the quarterfinals to Maxx Mayfield of Lincoln (Neb.) East, who went on to win the team title and later lost by fall to 1A No. 2 Blake Thomsen of Underwood. Thompson won four times by fall and three times by decision to lift his career record to 142-27.
Also placing in the top 10 was Zach Stewart, who competed at 138. The senior was 7-2, with a 7-1 quarterfinal loss to Nick James of Kearney (Neb), the team runner-up. He dropped a Sudden Victory 1 match to 3A No. 5 Drevon Rosss of Fort Dodge (Stewart is ranked fifth at 132) but bounced back to top 1A No. 5 Duke Kyle of Missouri Valley with a pin in 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
Cole Snyder (9-10) was 3-5 in Council Bluffs to finish 16th overall and thus in the top half of his bracket. Snyder had one win come in Sudden Victory 1, one by fall and one by decision.
Jacob Nelson (10-7) posted a 3-4 mark to place 20th at 132 pounds for the Bluejays. He was twice a winner by pin fall and claimed one win in Sudden Victory 1.
Jered Narber finished 24th at 152. He was 3-5 to move his mark to 11-9 on the season. All three of Narber’s victories came by pin fall.
Perry also had a place winner at 160 pounds, as Erick Funez (6-12) rebounded from an 0-4 start to win three of his final four matches for a 3-5 record. As with Narber, all three of the Funez victories came by fall.
Miguel Gonzalez (0-5) was also in action for Perry, but was unable to find a route to victory in any of his four matches.
Perry will join Carroll Thursday for a triangular hosted by Fort Dodge St. Edmond and will then compete for the final time before the holiday break by hitting the mats the Waukee Duals Saturday.
