Kenesaw/Shelton's David Jimenz wrestles Alma's Kevin
Lienemann in the 106-pound semifinal match of the Red
Cloud/Blue Hill Invitational Saturday in Red Cloud.
RED CLOUD — With the 2012-13 wrestling season winding down, teams are gearing up for district tournaments Feb. 8-9.
For teams like Kenesaw/Shelton, which was without three wrestlers for Saturday's Red Cloud/Blue Hill invite, the next couple of weeks will be about getting healthy. But in the meanwhile, wrestling against tough competition is the best medicine when preparing for districts — as was the case Saturday for Kenesaw/Shelton.
The Bulldogs placed second in the Red Cloud/Blue Hill invitational Saturday, tallying 114 points to trail only Russell (Kan.) with 140. Franklin finished with three champions and placed fourth with 90 points. Sutton finished fifth (89), and Red Cloud/Blue Hill was sixth (87). Thayer Central scored 82 points for a seventh-place finish, while Wilcox-Hildreth was 10th with 44 points.
Kenesaw/Shelton head coach Joel Ferguson said the lack of healthy wrestlers was no excuse for why his team could not overcome Russell for the top spot.
"I think we need to wrestle better. We were wrestling well and I thought we were starting to peak at the right time, but it seems like we're kind of taking a step back if you ask me," Ferguson said. "They lost some of that heart and hard work, but they're getting there. They just need to refocus, I think."
To read more, see Monday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
