The Ipswich Area wrestlers experienced some positive results during a tourney in Plankinton on December 21.

Coach Todd Naasz was happy with their performance at the tournament: "This is the most place winners we have had at this tournament since we started going a few years ago. There was a lot of great competition and we were able to gauge where we are and the areas we need to improve on."

Four of the eight wrestlers indeed placed in the tournament, led by Carter Heinz with a second-place effort at 195. Then competing at 285, Lucas Rowland finished in fourth place. Unfortunately though, he suffered a shoulder injury during his placement match, which could leave him out of competition for at least six weeks.

Denver Wolff additionally placed fifth at 138 and Tanner Frickson placed sixth, wrestling at 126. Naasz noted: "We had some athletes that were not seeded pull off some upsets and earn their way to the placing rounds. Overall I thought we did a great job with effort and preparation for our matches." Frickson and Rowland were not seeded for this tournament. Rowland indeed upset the third-seed in his first match and the fourth-seed in his wrestleback round.

Coach Naasz concluded: "The one thing I think we could have improved on was opening up a little." But the team will have a couple of weeks to work on that. The wrestlers will be off until January 10 when they compete in Miller with a 10 a.m. start time.

Meanwhile, the team scored a total of 75 team points for tenth place among the 19 teams entered. The tourney was won by McCook Central/Montrose with 198 team points, while Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes was second with 182.5.

Individual results at Plankinton:

126- Tanner Frickson placed sixth for 13 team points. He won by pin in 1:36; was pinned in 3:43; won by pin in 2:44; won by forfeit; lost 12-7; was pinned in 3:52.

138- Denver Wolff placed fifth and scored 13 team points. He won by pin in 1:22; was pinned; won 10-8; won by pin in 2:46; lost 16-3; won 14-7.

145- Darrel Yost was pinned in 0:29; was pinned in 2:21.

160- Grant Weisser was pinned in 3:03; won by pin in 2:22; was pinned in 2:23 and scored three team points.

182- Matthew McCloud was pinned in :22; was pinned in :10.

195- Carter Heinz placed second and scored 24 team points. He won by pin in 4:26; won by pin in 3:50; won by pin in 1:26; lost by technical fall (16-0).

220- Alex Schmit was pinned in 1:25; won by pin in 3:39; was pinned in 1:54 and scored four team points.

285- Lucas Rowland placed fourth for 18 team points. He won by pin in 1:59; won by forfeit; was pinned in :45; won by pin in 2:14; was pinned in 1:12.