The Ipswich Area wrestlers competed in Faulkton on December 14 and placed five of the nine wrestlers that they entered.They combined for a tenth-place finish with 60 team points among the 16 teams that attended the Saturday meet. Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes was first in the team standings with 220 total points, topping second-place Oakes with 147 team points.

Once again Ipswich Area's Carter Heinz was the top medalist for his second tournament this season, winning both of his 195-lb. matches at Faulkton. (He got a pin win, then captured a 6-2 decision over an Oakes grappler, Gabe Quandt.) That earned him 22 team points.

Denver Wolff also placed in his second meet this season, bringing home a sixth-place medal at 132. And three IA wrestlers earned medal places for the first time this season. Lucas Rowland placed fourth at 285, Grant Weisser placed fifth at 152 and Alex Schmit placed sixth at 220, indeed all bringing home their first medals of the season.

Meanwhile, Parker Gill lost to the eventual tournament title-holder in her first match and didn't make it through wrestlebacks. Tanner Frickson and Matthew McCloud both lost their matches to the eventual third- and fifth-place winners in their respective weight class. And both the matches that Marcus Hofer lost were to the second- and sixth-place wrestlers, respectively.

"I thought the athletes competed very hard. The matches we lost were not due to the lack of effort. We had some simple mistakes that cost us some big matches. With such a young team and this early in the season that can be expected," said IHS coach Todd Naasz. "There were a lot of tough opponents at the tournament and our kids gave a lot of heart and effort. It was nice to see the kids on the podium".

The team will be in action again on December 21 in Plankinton with a 9:30 a.m. start time.

Individual Ipswich Area results at Faulkton:

113- Parker Gill lost by technical fall, lost 9-0.

126- Tanner Frickson lost 17-9, lost 12-8.

132- Denver Wolf finished in 6th place. Was pinned in 3:34, won by pin in 1:35, won by pin in 0:45, lost by technical fall, lost 15-6.

152- Grant Weisser finished in 5th place. Won by pin in 1:28, was pinned in 2:26, was pinned in 0:48, won by pin in 3:26.

182- Matthew McCloud was pinned, was pinned.

195- Carter Heinz finished in 1st place. Won by pin in 0:42, won 6-2.

220- Marcus Hofer won by pin in 3:57, was pinned in 0:49, was pinned in 2:24.

220- Alex Schmit finished in 6th place. Was pinned in 2:25, won by pin in 3:24, won by pin in 2:24,was pinned in 3:23, was pinned in 0:45.

285- Lucas Rowland finished in 4th place. Was pinned in 3:47, won by pin in 2:32, won by pin in 0:55, was pinned in 1:18.