Hoisington — The Ellsworth boys’ and girls’ wrestling team competed in the Cardinal Classic Jan. 26.

“The team is coming along nicely,” Assistant Coach Clint Donley said. “A lot of them are starting to hit their stride and taking their wrestling to the next level.”

The boys had multiple placings. Junior Will Donley and sophomore Keegan Urbanek both finished with a gold medal, one of many throughout the season.

Donley, wrestling at 132 lbs., won by a fall in his first three matches. In his fourth, he won by a technical fall after scoring more than 15 points against his opponent, ending 17-2. Donley moved on to the placement match for first place. He wrestled against Jesse Lancaster of Lakin. In the first period, he had a takedown and nearfall, then a reversal in the second period before pinning Lancaster and ending in first place.

Urbanek, wrestling at 165 lbs., won his first two matches by pinning each of his opponents in the first period. He moved on to wrestle against Alex Mater of Hoisington and won by a major decision 12-0. He had a takedown in the first period, then racked up points with a reversal and nearfall in the second period. He earned 5 more points with another takedown and nearfall, and finished first.

Sophomore Micah Galvan ended the tournament with second place in the 165-lb. category, winning his four preliminary matches each by fall. He lost the competitive placement match by decision 6-1.

Galvan said the best part of the meet was “how smoothly it ran, the competition that was there and also placing second.”

Other competitors were sophomore Hunter Kinsley who finished fourth at 106 lbs., sophomore Hadley West who placed sixth at 126 lbs., sophomore Jackson Minear was fourth at 138 lbs., freshman Lance Muchow finished in third place at 144 lbs. and freshman Drew Davis placed eighth at 150 lbs.

he Ellsworth girls also had a successful

Tday at Hoisington.

Sophomore Breauna Russell (155 lbs.) and freshman Brooklyn Webb (130 lbs.) each placed second.

Webb began with a bye before wrestling McCain of Atwood-Rawlins County and pinning her opponent. She then wrestled Roth of Lakin and

Saline Jan. 26.

won again by a pin. She moved on to finals where she wrestled against Kelley of Hillsboro. She won and moved on to the first place match. There, she faced her first loss, finishing the tournament with silver.

Russell competed in round one against Schneider of Hoisington and lost by a fall, her only loss of the day. She then moved on to the second round, winning again with a pin against Mullen of Atwood-Rawlins County. She won her next two matches each with a fall, earning her second place.

Sophomore Kate Rathbun finished the meet with third at 135 lbs. and freshman Sophie Homolka ended with fifth at 140 lbs.

Homolka said her favorite part of the meet was “seeing all the girls, no matter if they won or lost, come together and still support each other like a family.”

“The best part of any meet is seeing our wrestlers use new techniques successfully in live matches,” Donley said, “and approaching every match with the confidence they need to succeed.”

The Bearcats will compete again Feb. 2-3 at Phillipsburg.