Three Platte County JV grapplers made the finals and helped the team place sixth at the West Platte Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 26 in Weston.
West Platte hosted 11 teams, with three larger school sending JV squads and all did well. Liberty North JV won the title, with Piper JV taking fifth and Platte County JV taking sixth. West Platte finished seventh in the field.
All three of the finalists for Platte County finished second. Hunter Burge, who spent a majority of the year on the varsity, went 3-2 in the 126 class. All three wins came via a pin, including a takdown over Max Penrose of Lincoln College Prep in the semifinals. His two losses came against Liberty North JV’s Treyvaughn Robinson, in pool matches — 11-8 — and then in the finals by a 14-13 decision.
Platte County’s A.J. Bingham, left, battles Liberty North' JV’s Joseph Cherco in a match on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the West Platte Invitational in Weston, Mo.
A.J. Bingham (132) had a similar outcome, going 3-2, with both losses come to one foe. Bingham lost to Liberty North JV’s Joseph Cherco in his first match of the day, but then he won three straight to make the finals. Cherco won 7-2 in the finals. Bingham posted a 1-0 win against Piper JV’s Jacob Dehner to reach the finals.
Sean VanTol (182) took second, falling to Lincoln Prep’s Jose Reyes in the finals and lost to him in pool matches.
Ben McDaniel (170) and James Gladden (195) were both third place for the Pirates. Gladden beat Pembroke Hill’s Josh Shaw, 11-10, while McDaniel pinned Tyler Phillips of Piper JV by pin in 25 seconds.
West Platte had a pair of runners-up.
Zack Esther (113) went 1-1, beating Riley Wooten of Lone Jack, 13-5.
Julian Trelow (160) won his first four matches, all by pins. In the championship match, he lost to St. Pius X’s John Liberto by a pin.
Pius and Liberty North JV each had five champions. Lincoln College Prep had three.
Benton Dual Tournament
Mid-Buchanan went 3-2 in the Benton Dual Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 26 in St. Joseph.
The Dragons, in a co-op with North Platte, posted wins against Hamilton, Pleasant Hill and Carrollton, while losing to Lawson and Liberty North.
North Platte student Aaron Thomas went 0-5 juggling between 160 and 170, while Aden Woolard got a forfeit win against Liberty North.