Centennial finished seventh in the team standings at the David City Invitational Jan. 22, and six Bronco wrestlers earned individual medals.
“It was a mixed bag,” Coach Phil Payne said. “We’re still looking for consistency.”
He said in four or five matches, Centennial’s wrestler was winning, then got turned and pinned, a frustrating turn of events.
Jake Prochaska was the top finisher for Centennial, earning third at 152 pounds. He opened by pinning Greg Flack of Malcolm in 3:00, beat Jean-Marie Djidjoho of Mount Michael Benedictine 11-1, and pinned Drew Schultz of Shelby/Rising City in 1:53. His only loss of the day came to Austin Walton of Grand Island Central Catholic 7-6. Prochaska came back with a 6-2 win over John Harkendorff of Elkhorn South in the third-place match.
Matt Jensen brought home fourth place at 285 pounds. He pinned Clayton Watts of Shelby/Rising City in 2:28 but was pinned by Hunter Miller of Cross County/Osceola in 29 seconds. He then pinned teammate Cody Bender in 2:17 but lost by pin to Shane Henderson of Elkhorn South in 17 seconds and Gabe Colgrove of Gretna in 1:17 to finish fourth.
Conner Luettel, Jacob Nichelson and Kalten Bauers each finished fifth at their respective weights.
Luettel, wrestling at 170 pounds, was pinned by Malcolm’s Beau Dostal in 4:44 and lost to Josh Puncochar of Grand Island Central Catholic 5-0. He came back to pin Anthony Tebbe of David City in 4:36 and Jordan Edwards of Elkhorn South in 1:20 to end fifth.
Nichelson, at 195 pounds, was pinned by Nick Gratton of Elkhorn South in 32 seconds and Matthew Eilers of David City in 45 seconds. He responded by pinning Corden Novotny of East Butler in 19 seconds and Joseph Lukasiewicz of Grand Island Central Catholic in 19 seconds for fifth.
Bauers, at 220 pounds, was pinned by Andrew Hamik of Elkhorn South in 46 seconds and Logan Radik of Gretna in 30 seconds. He pinned Tate Bulling of Crete in 3:25, Tyler Schultz of Shelby/Rising City in 2:35 and teammate Spencer Nichols in 4:27 for fifth.
Nichols ended up sixth with a 2-3 record.
Payne said the main thing the Broncos will work in is consistency.
“If we’re leading, we need to make sure we finish,” he said.
Centennial is scheduled to wrestle at Adams Central Friday, Jan. 29, with matches to start at 10 a.m. Payne said a couple wrestlers with minor injuries should be available to compete.
