Burlington Wrestling Wildcat Duals Results (12-2-16) - click here

The high school wrestling season got underway on Friday for the Royal Valley Panther grapplers as they took on some tough competition at the Burlington Wildcat Duals tournament. 

The Panthers competed in five duals on the day and finished 10th place as a team at the tournament going 0-5 in the duals but battle with three of the five duals decided by only six points. 

Royal Valley squared off against Blue Valley Southwest, Eureka, Marion, Garden Plain and West Elk on the day. The action started off rough for the Panthers falling 66-0 in the dual with Blue Valley Southwest unable to register a victory in any match, but Royal Valley bounced back and had a competitive dual against Eureka falling only 42-36. Versus Eureka both Garrett Pruyser and Caleb McEntire notched pinfall wins at 120 and 126lbs, respectively winning in 3:30 and 1:49. While Karsen Smith also won for the Panthers against Eureka gaining a pinfall win in 1:24 at 152lbs and Zach Burger won via pin in 1:20 at 170lbs, too. 

Against Marion the Panthers had two wins in actual matches wrestled as Pruyser won by a 7-4 decision at 120lbs and Jacob Box won at 195lbs via an 8-7 decision but Royal Valley fell in the dual 42-18. 

Closing out the day Royal Valley had a pair of tight duals against Garden Plain and West Elk both being decided by six points and both ending with scores of 36-30 with the Panthers opportents getting the edge. Against Garden Plain Pruyser continued his solid day picking up a pinfall win in 31 seconds at 120lbs, while Box also won by pin in 1:04 at 195lbs and Blake Garrison won via pin in 1:18 at 220lbs for the Panthers. Three Panthers won a match over an oppenent against West Elk as Pruyser won again via pin (3:25) at 120lbs, McEntire won in just 30 seconds by pin at 126lbs and Smith won by pin in 2:56 at 152lbs versus West Elk. 

On the day a 4-1 performance by Pruyser at 120lbs led the Panthers at picking three pinfall wins and a win via decision, while McEntire (126lbs) and Smith (152lbs) each posted 2-2 records in matches wrestled. Box posted a 2-1 record on the day, while Burger and Garrison each won one match. 

Royal Valley hits the mats again on Tuesday, December 6th at Topeka High for a triangular.