The wrestling season has started to heat up with the action on the mats and Sabetha hosted their Tri-State Invitational Saturday with 10 other teams participating.

Two of the top three finishing teams at the Invite are from the area as the Sabetha Bluejays continued to showcase their talent on the mat by taking first place at their home Invitational, winning by 47 points, as Wamego finished second. Pleasant Ridge rounded out the top three as they took home third only eight points shy of second place Wamego.

Highlights abound from Sabetha and Pleasant Ridge as well as the other area schools that participated in the wrestling duals. The Bluejays finished the day with nine total top three medals including three first place winners, two second place and four third placers.  Pleasant Ridge matched Sabetha in first place finishers with three and registered two second places.

The three first place finishes for Sabetha were captured by senior, Levi Huneke (182) who remained unbeaten on the year; senior, Thaine Allen (120) and junior, Michael Baumgarner (160). Senior, Tyler Edelman (195) and junior, Noah Krehbiel (145) both picked up second place finishes, while Ben Meyer (132), Trei Harrell (106), Brandon Pokrandt (220) and Jacob Leuthold (285) all earned third place finishes.

For the Rams of Pleasant Ridge, the day was highlighted by ranked senior grappler, Jared Johnson won won his 170lb weight class with a perfect record on the day and also earned Most Valuable Wrestler of the tournament. Johnson, was joined in the winner's circle by a pair of teammates in Clayton Gum (106) and Tony Weber (113) who both won their weight classes on the day. Blake Graham (132) and Ethan Payear (152) both earned second place finishes.

The other area team participating at the meet say many top three individual performances on the day. The Atchison Redman had one first place, two second places and a third place finish on the day, while Horton/Hiawatha had two second place finishers at the wrestling tourney.

Atchison's, Taylor Funk highlighted things for the Redman as he walked away champion of the 285lb weight class, with his teammates Andrew Adrian (113) and Jeff Wallingford (126) both earning second in their weight class and Geoffery Vaughn registering third in the 170lb weight class.

Little Bear Johnson (220) and Christian Small (120) both tallied second place finishes for the Horton/Hiawatha squad on the day.

Full results form the Sabetha Tri-State Invitational (click here)