VIKING WRESTLERS TAKE 1ST AT NICKERSON INVITATIONAL

Barnes, Hauck, Gardner Win Gold

By Staff

NICKERSON – On Friday, the Smoky Valley boys went to the Nickerson Invitational and brought home not only the team championship, but also three individual championships as well.

Rolling up 251 points as a team, the Vikings out distanced Haven (239) and Wichita Bishop Carroll (235) to win the invitational. Halstead (179) and Nickerson (177) rounded out the top five in the team standings as 13 teams participated including bigger schools such as Wichita Southeast, Circle, and Maize.

A large number of the Viking team points came in the middle weights as Connor Barnes at 132, Takoda Hauck at 138 both won their divisions. With both wrestlers finishing 5-0 in competition, Barnes won four times by falls and Hauck earned two wins by falls and two by major decisions.

Putting the team points out of reach for the team title came when Parker Gardner scored five straight falls and dominated the competition while winning the 175 division. Four of the five wins came in falls being made in one-minute or less.

Andrew Young at 150 and Geovanni Luis at 190 each placed second while Devonte Crain at 113 and Conner Smith-Bolin at 215 each finished third in their divisions.

Next up for the Viking grapplers will be on the road at Hesston on Thursday, January 25.

SMOKY VALLEY VIKING WRESTLING at Nickerson Invitational

SCORING > Vikings finished 1st with

Team Standings > 1. VIKINGS – 251; 2. Haven – 239; 3. Wichita Bishop  Carroll – 235; 4. Halstead – 179; 5. Nickerson – 177; 6. Ellinwood – 174; 7. Maize – 154; 8. Wichita Southeast – 131; 9. Kingman – 107; 10. Circle – 98; 11. Stafford/St. John – 87; 12. Thomas More Prep – 62; 13. Chaparral – 42.

VIKING INDIVIDUAL RESULTS >

113 > Devonte Crain – went 3-2, finished 3rd.

126 > Rhett Gaskill – went 2-3, finished 4th.

132 > Connor Barnes – went 5-0, finished 1st.

138 > Takoda Hauck – went 5-0, finished 1st.

150 > Andrew Young – went 3-2, finished 2nd.

157 > Christian Erickson – went 2-3, finished 4th.

175 > Parker Gardner – went 5-0, finished 1st.

175 > Sam Zeller – went 1-4, finished 9th.

190 > Geovanni Luis – went 3-1, finished 2nd.

215 > Conner Smith-Bolin – went 4-1, finished 3rd.

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