EUREKA — Multiple Iola Middle School wrestlers ended their seasons with medals around their necks while competing at the Eureka Middle School Invitational Thursday.
As a team, the Mustangs finished seventh overall.
Kaiden Jones and Jaxson Bernsten earned gold medals.
Jones took first in the 154-pound weight class. He opened with a first-period pin of Chanute’s Adrian Cook, then defeated Eureka’s Noah Everly-Burtin with a second period pin before ending the day with a first-period pin of Cherryvale’s Lane Novotney.
Bernstein had a second-period pin of Fredonia’s Tyler Frankie, then secured the gold with a first-period pin of Chanute’s Brodhyei Blackwell.
Second place
Iola had a slew of wrestlers earn silver medals.
In the 91-pound weight class, Cieson Kidwell had a first-period pin of Bluestem’s Eli Riead, then defeated Cherryvale’s Arthur McGrew in similar fashion before falling to Chanute’s Toryn Ellsworth in the finale via second-period pin.
At 135 lbs., Evan Boeken took second with a loss to Chanute’s Moses Durand, then rebounded with a first period pin of Burlington’s Dylan Hanson and a second period pin of Bluestem’s Jaxon Atherton. At 140 lbs., Milo Franklin took second after falling to eventual champion Wyatt Boss via 20-2 technical fall. Franklin opened the tournament with a first-period pin of Eureka’s Felix Neal, then knocked off Chanute’s Lucas Jones via first-period pin before losing in the finale.
A second-round hiccup prevented 119 lb. Ruben Scroggins from a gold medal. Scroggins had a 12-7 decision over Fredonia’s Hunter Beard but fell to eventual champion Trevor Freeman of Chanute following a second period pin. Scroggins wrapped up the day with a 15-3 major decision over Jet Tracy of Cherryvale.
Third place
Caleb Jankovich-Sette, 144 lbs., took third after opening with a first-period pin of Bluestem’s Michael Ellington but fell in his next two matches via a 14-1 major decision loss to Cherryvale’s Jaxon Cook, then fell 15-0 to Chanute’s Slade Stich.
At 82 lbs., Colton Hall took third after falling to Chanute’s Brooks Brady in the opener, then rebounded with a 7-6 win over Jesse Highbarger of Bluestem before ending with a loss to Chanute’s Jase Hannah in a first-period pin.
Other results as follows: Dusty Finley, 71 lbs., took second with a pair of losses to Bluestem’s Lane Perterson — both coming via first period pin. Joshua Emeka, 80 lbs., opened with a 16-0 tech-fall to Chanute’s Hunter Hurt, then fell via first period pin to Jude Reinecke of Chanute, then fell in a first period pin to Bluestem’s Taylor Squier.
Zeth Miller, 127 lbs., took fourth after opening with a loss via first-period pin by Chanute’s Will Jones, then fell to Cherryvale Conner McBride via second-period pin and was 2 seconds from taking Chanute’s Wylie Thompson to the third period before falling via pin.
Matthew Holding, 136 lbs., took fourth after opening with a loss via second period pin to Chanute’s Syncere Mosley, then fell to Bluestem’s Braxton Mosley via first period pin and ended the day with a loss via third-period pin to Gage Suckstorf.
Gabe Klubek, 237 lbs., took second after losing to Cherryvale’s Anderson Jones twice. The first game via a third-period pin and the second via a first-period pin.
