HAYS — Four Ellsworth Bearcat grapplers travelled to the Class 3-2-1A state wrestling tournament Friday and Saturday at Fort Hays State University. Tyler Walford and Brendon Tripp each fought their way to fourth and sixth places, respectively, in their weight categories. Ellsworth’s Teagon Nienke and Tyler Romero lost hard fought matches.

Bearcat senior Tyler Walford placed fourth in the 285 pound division. He wrestled five matches, winning three and losing two.

Walford started the tourney with two victories by fall over Rylan Hays of Phillipsburg, and Colby Stevens of Wellsville. He then lost a close decision to Eyann Zimmerman of Republic County 4-6, then rebounded with a fall against Andrew Watts of Humboldt. Another close decision loss, 4-5 to Creighton Johnson of Beloit, ended Walford’s senior campaign. 30-10 was Walford’s final record.

Brendon Tripp, the other Bearcat senior who earned a trip to state, placed sixth in the 220 pound division. He won by fall over Wyatt Reust of Eureka by fall, lost to Dane Whalen of Osage City by fall, and then defeated Christopher King of Oskaloosa by fall.

Tripp then outpointed Dallas Buss of Republic County 7-1, lost to Dillion Dunn of Trego by fall, and lost by fall to Hayden Robb of Perry-LeCompton.He finished his senior year with a record of 31-10.

Wrestling at 106 pounds, junior Teagon Nienke wrestled three matches, winning one and losing two. He lost to Drayton Kennedy of Erie by fall, defeated Colby Lollar of Herington by fall, and lost a close match against AJ Polansky of Republic County by decision 1-2. Nienke did not place. He finished this year with a overall record of 22-18.

Tyler Romero, also a junior, wrestled four matches, winning two and losing two in the 195 pound class, and did not place. Romero won by fall over Gideon Remer of Silver Lake, lost by decision to Cyrus Green of Atwood 3-7, won by fall over Dawson Bollinger of Uniontown, and lost a tough match to Wyatt Gillman of Cherryvale by decision 8-10. His record this year was 25-16.

“I am proud of the way the Bearcats wrestled and represented our school and community well in Hays this weekend,” coach Steve Thorburn said.

“Our state team wrestled hard and had a good state tournament. I am excited to have two more names (Tripp and Walford) on the ‘State Placers Wrestling Room Wall’. I am also looking forward to seeing Nienke and Romero joining them up there next year.”