March 28, 2024

Garden City repeats as J.R. Durham champions

Norton, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–As many tough tournaments as the Buffaloes have been to this year, the J.R. Durham Invitational exposed them to some of the better wrestlers from some of the smaller classifications in Kansas and two teams from Nebraska. The competition didn’t faze Garden City, as they rolled to their second straight tournament win in Norton, blowing by Manhattan and Norton. Scott City finished in fourth place. 

The match of the tournament lived up to its billing, as two wrestlers who have combined for five state titles matched up. Michael Prieto of Garden City and Tristan Porsch of Hoxie. Porsch would be spotted four points before Prieto made his comeback efforts. In the battle of unbeatens, Prieto was unable to make up the ground in time, as he fell 5-4. Porsch was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.

Garden City ended up with two individual champions, as Alec Castillo won 152, and Jesse Nunez took the title at 170. Scott City’s Cooper Griffith was a tournament champion at 195. 

Team Scores
Garden City 231, Manhattan 183, Norton 161, Scott City 101.5, Smith Center 96, Hoxie 88, Marion 54, McCook, NE 53.5, Oakley 53, TMP-Marian 43, Cozad, NE 43, Holcomb 43, St. Francis 38, Beloit 37.5, Cimarron 35, Ulysses 29, Atwood 26, Greeley County 7

Top Four Placers
106 (Round Robin)
1. Sion Audrain, Garden City; 2. Alex Herrera, Garden City; 3. Theron Tucker, Scott City; 4. Troy Wooten, Manhattan

113
Championship: Joe Braun, Manhattan, won by dec over Skylar Johnson, Norton 5-0
3rd: Zach Tucker, Scott City, won by dec over Estin Slack, Oakley 4-2

120
Championship: Dayton Porsch, Hoxie, wins by dec over Kaj Perez, Garden City 4-2
3rd: Bubba Wilson, Manhattan, won by maj dec over Ryan Johnson, Norton 10-2

126
Championship: David Hileman, Smith Center, wins by maj dec over Sammy Guevara, Garden City 11-0
3rd: Bryce Bacon, Hoxie, wins by forfeit over Abraham Sanchez, Manhattan (five-match limit for Sanchez)

132
Championship: Devin Norris, Manhattan, won by dec over Tucker Rhoades, TMP Marian 4-2
3rd: Colton Hutchinson, Smith Center won by dec over Jack Thomas, Scott City 7-6 3 OT 

138
Championship: Tristan Porsch, Hoxie, won by dec over Michael Prieto 5-4
3rd: Jalin Harper, Manhattan, won by maj dec over Carter Wessling, Beloit 9-0

145
Championship: Mason Wallace, Manhattan, won by dec over Trenton Wright, Norton 8-3
3rd: Cole Sramek, Atwood won by forfeit over Zane Colson, Beloit (five-match limit for Colson)

152
Championship: Alec Castillo, Garden City, won by major decision over Clay DeWaal, St. Francis 12-2
3rd: Mario Rodriguez, Ulysses, won by dec over Wyatt Hayes, Scott City 15-8

160
Championship: Michael Kasson, Norton, won by dec over Chase Ryan, Smith Center 10-5
3rd: No match due to the five-match limit for Rico Cherico, Garden City, and Dunncan Fassler, McCook

170
Championship: Jesse Nunez, Garden City, won by dec over Chance Rodriguez, Holcomb 5-4
3rd: Zeke Derr, Cozad, won by dec over Kaiden Meitler, Smith Center 6-4

182
Championship: Gavin Lively, Norton won by fall over Josh Seabolt, Cimarron 1:48
3rd: Antonio Perez, Garden City, won by fall over Eric Langan, McCook 3:38

195
Championship: Cooper Griffith, Scott City, won by dec over Tyler Palic, Marion 5-3
3rd: Avery Hawkins, Smith Center, won by fall over Lorenzo Ruiz Hernandez, Garden City 2:44

220
Championship: Chris Cox, Oakley, won by dec over Benny Hernandez, Garden City 6-4
3rd: Trayton Doyle, St. Francis, won by dec over Kaleb Taylor, McCook 8-3

285
Championship: Eldon Picou, Manhattan, won by dec over Aaron Lozano, Garden City 1-0
3rd: Taye Washington, Hoxie, won by dec over Collyn Auker, Norton 7-5