The Marion wrestling team won the 22-team Halstead Invitational with a score of 185 over the two-day tournament Friday and Saturday.
Marion finished ahead of Lyons (154) and Fredonia (151). The Warriors achieved nine top six finishes, the most of any participating school.
Three Marion wrestlers paved the way by winning their respective weight classes.
Bryce Shults won the 138-pound weight class with a 4-0 record in what coach Chad Adkins labeled the best tournament of Shults? career. Shults swept his matches, defeating Wichita Trinity?s Brec Voges by fall, Cherryvale?s Bo Edens by 9-4 decision, Douglass? Conner Porter by fall and Circle?s Rodney Longshaw by fall in the finals.
?Bryce is really starting to put everything together,??Adkins said. ?(I am) very proud of this young man.?
Tyler Palic put his first tournament championship in the books by winning the 195-pound weight class with a 4-0 record. Palic won his first three matches by fall: over Central of Burden?s Josh Snook, Circle?s Luke Borg-Keplar, and Fredonia?s Lane Hawley. In the championship, Palic won a 4-2 decision over Hillsboro?s Levi Mendoza.
?When Tyler is on, he can beat anybody,??Adkins said. ?Tyler is one of the hardest working kids out there.?
Adam Kjellin won the 285-pound weight class with a 4-0 record. He won his first two matches by fall: over Lyons? Peyton Schwardtfeger and Chase County?s Breck Schlup. He won a 9-4 decision over Wichita Trinity?s Sam Schroeder in the semifinals and defeated Fredonia?s Chris Reese by 1-0 decision to claim his first tournament championship.
?Adam is wrestling very well,??Adkins said. ?He is like a sponge picking things up left and right.?
Two Warriors placed second: Jarrett Johnson (126 pounds) and Ezra Darnall (132).
After a first-round bye, Johnson won his next two matches: by fall over Cheney?s Clay Robinson and by 12-3 major decision over Cherryvale?s Micah King. In the championship, Johnson lost a 5-4 decision to Dalton Goans of Lyons.
Darnall advanced to the championship with three consecutive wins: by fall over Garden Plain?s Jacob Helten and Remington?s Jeyton Saunders and by 2-0 decision over Ellsworth?s David Koralek III. He lost a 6-1 decision to Fredonia?s Devin Voth in the finals.
Remington Putter went 4-1 to place third at 160 pounds. Putter won his first match by default, then won by fall over Central of Burden?s Pake Stephens. He lost a 3-0 overtime decision to Halstead?s Tony Morris, then worked his way through the consolation bracket, winning by 12-2 major decision over Herington?s Richard Hagerman and by 10-0 major decision over Cherryvale?s Zach Yates.
Charlie Nordquist placed fourth at 182 pounds with a 4-2 record. He won his opening match by fall over Chase County?s Calvin Montgom?ery, then lost a 6-4 decision. He won his next three matches by fall before losing a 5-3 decision in the third-place match.
Ethan Darnall placed sixth at 120 pounds with a 3-3 record. After a first-round loss, he won his next three matches: by fall over Hillsboro?s William Spaich, by 6-2 decision over Halstead?s Cayden Brandt, and by fall over Douglass? Sabian Lovell. He lost a 13-2 major decision and then a 5-2 decision to finish sixth.
At 145 pounds, Noah Albin won his first two matches before withdrawing because of illness. Despite not wrestling Saturday, Albin finished sixth.
Garrett Hoffner went 1-2 at 170 pounds. His win came by fall over Herington?s Lucas Anshutz in the consolation bracket.
Kolton Brewer went 1-1 at 152, while Ryan Cochran went 0-2 at 220.
Coming?Marion will wrestle at Eureka Saturday. Matches are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
