Plainsmen middle of the pack at Sutherland

Wrestling Coach Tanner Collins went into the Sutherland invite with just five wrestlers Saturday but still managed to finish in the middle of the 21-team?? tournament.

Senior Colton Pouk led the Plainsmen with a second place finish at 145.

As anticipated, Pouk found himself in the championship match with Sutherland’s Samuel Foster, the top-ranked 145-pounder in Class D.

Collins said their goal was to make Foster wrestle from a standing position.

That strategy proved effective. In the final period, Pouk got a takedown to trail by one, 4-3. Collins said Pouk just missed another takedown that would have put him ahead. 

While Foster still prevailed, Collins said this was Pouk’s best match against him so far.

    That’s key because Pouk will likely face him at SPVA, districts and possibly one other meet. 

Due to various circumstances, Collins was without the Meyer twins at 220 and 285, Tony Lyon at 120 and Brient Wood at 170.

Collins said he saw some good things out of Juan Perez at 285. 

Perez hasn’t wrestled since 7th grade and only had eight practices after joining the team recently.

He collected two pins and a major decision before losing a decision in the consolation semis.

The Plainsmen will be off during the state imposed moratorium and then get three practices before the Pleasanton meet Dec. 30.

Collins said this marks the second year going to that meet, which is a competitive meet and good for his wrestlers. 

Results from the Sutherland meet are as follows:

Sutherland invite

126 Mason Toner (11-5)-—Champ. Rd. 1: Toner won by fall over Brodie Stengel (Sandhills-Thedford) 3-10 (Fall 3:11); Quarterfinal: Toner won by fall over Austin Cole (Dundy County-Stratton) 4-5 (Fall 1:01); Semifinal: Cauy Kohl (Sutherland) 3-0 won by fall over Toner (Fall 3:07); Cons. Semi: Brock Burry (Bayard) 7-5 won by decision over Toner (Dec 6-1).

138 Henry Taylor (2-9)—Champ. Rd. 1: Braden Powell (Sandhills Valley) 7-7 won by decision over Taylor (Dec 9-5); Cons. Rd. 1: Taylor received a bye; Cons. Rd. 2: Camron White (Sandhills Valley) 5-6 won by fall over Taylor (Fall 1:51).

145 Colton Pouk (11-3) 2nd Place—Champ. Rd. 1: Pouk won by fall over Braydn Gray (Medicine Valley) 1-10 (Fall 1:18); Quarterfinal: Pouk won by decision over Adam Hill (Garden County) 9-6 (Dec 12-6); Semifinal: Pouk won by major decision over Chase Gracey (Mullen) 11-4 (MD 12-4); 1st Place Match: Samuel Foster (Sutherland) 13-0 won by decision over Pouk (Dec 4-3).

220 Issiah Dunn (1-10)—Champ. Rd. 1: Gavin Anderson (Hyannis) 11-2 won by fall over Dunn (Fall 1:31); Cons. Rd. 1: Dunn received a bye; Cons. Rd. 2: Casey Miller (Bayard) 5-4 won by fall over Dunn (Fall 0:41).

285 Juan Perez (3-2)—Champ. Rd. 1: Perez won by fall over Ben Melton (NPSP) 9-5 (Fall 3:47); Quarterfinal: Reegan French (Morrill) 5-3 won by fall over Perez (Fall 2:39); Cons. Rd. 2: Perez won by fall over Noah Yetter (Banner County) 1-8 (Fall 0:32); Cons. Rd. 3: Perez won by major decision over Andres Gonzales (Morrill) 2-3 (MD 13-0); Cons. Semi: JySeann Pugh (Pleasanton) 12-3 won by fall over Perez (Fall 2:26).

Team scores—1, Sutherland, 200.5; 2, Mullen, 122.0; 3, Atwood-Rawlins County, 113.0; 4, Hitchcock County, 94.0; 5, Pleasanton, 82.5; 6, Garden County, 82.0; 7, NPSP, 67.0; 8, Morrill, 62.0; 9, Anselmo-Merna, 58.0; 10, Bayard, 37.0; 11, Perkins County, 36.0; 12, Sandhills Valley, 35.5; 13, Hershey, 35.0; 13, Wauneta-Palisade, 35.0; 15, Hyannis, 34.0; 16, Kimball, 18.0; 16, Sandhills-Thedford, 18.0; 18, Shelton, 17.0; 19, Dundy County-Stratton, 13.0; 20, Banner County, 10.0; 21, Leyton, 7.0; 22, Medicine Valley, 1.0.