Wheeler’s runner-up finish leads PCM boys at Cliff Keen Independence Invitational

INDEPENDENCE — Tucker Wheeler opened his final season with a runner-up finish in maybe the toughest tournament the Mustangs will compete in this season.

Four of Wheeler’s five wins came by technical fall and the third-ranked wrestler in Class 2A at 165 pounds lost in the championship match to 2A No. 1 Boden White of Denver.

Wheeler’s silver-medal performance highlighted the PCM wrestling team’s first competition of the season, and the Mustangs placed 25th in the 32-team field at the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

Class 2A No. 12 Kaliber Fry was the next best finisher for PCM as he was ninth at 132 pounds. Mason Hjortshoj (157) also was 15th, Landon Siedlecki (190) finished 17th, Eli McGriff (285) was 18th and Zach Richards (144) took 19th at their weights.

Brenden Lahart (106), Gracen Lust (138), Easton Morris (150), Harrison Brinegar (175) completed the Mustangs’ 10-person lineup.

Class 2A No. 3 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows won the tournament with 325.5 points. Independence (317.5), Pleasant Valley (305.5), 2A No. 5 Alburnett (302.5) and Harrisburg, South Dakota, (222.5) completed the top five.

Class 1A No. 7 Lisbon (210.5) was sixth followed by Carlisle (195), 2A No. 8 Burlington Notre Dame (194.5), 2A No. 4 Osage (189) and Atlantic (186) rounded out the top 10. PCM scored 112 points in 25th.

Wheeler’s four technical falls were by scores of 18-3, 21-6, 21-6 and 17-2 and he won another match 10-1. His loss to No. 1 White was 4-0.

Fry was 5-1 at 132. He won twice by fall, once by technical fall and once by major decision.

Hjortshoj was 3-3 with three pins at 157. One of his losses was 6-5 and he lost another match by fall with an 8-7 deficit in the third period.

Siedlecki was 4-2 with four pins at 190. He won twice by fall in matches he trailed 3-2 in and two other falls came in the first period.

McGriff was 3-3 at 285, Richards finished 4-3 at 144, Lust was 3-4 at 138. McGriff won once by 7-6 decision and two of his losses were 4-2 and 2-0, Richards won twice by fall and one of Lust’s wins was 11-9.

Lahart, Morris and Brinegar all won twice. Lahart posted two pins, Morris won once by pin and once by forfeit and Brinegar claimed one win by pin and one by 20-5 technical fall, and one of his losses was 14-10.