The Mullen Broncos continued their 2020-21 sweep of MNAC competitions last Tuesday in Mullen when they hosted MNAC Wrestling. The Broncos placed first out of eight teams with 123 points. Twin Loup was 2nd with 103.5 points and South Loup was 3rd with 79.
Four Broncos won individual gold medals, with all pins.
Jeffery Forsen won the 106 weight class by pinning Isaac Shaner (Brady) in 1:38, teammate Carter Haesler in 0:30 and Cash Davis (Hyannis) in 0:53.
Eli Paxton won 113 by pinning Brodie Stengel (Sandhills/ Thedford) in 1:55, Hector Estrada (Twin Loup) in 2:37 and David Switzer (Twin Loup) in 0:46.
Chase Gracey won 126 by pinning Daylon Weekly (Sandhills Valley) in 1:30, Braden Powell (Sandhills Valley) in 3:24 and Garrett Keith (Twin Loup) in 3:14.
Spencer DeNaeyer won 152 by pinning Levi Jurjens (Brady) in 0:14, Trevor Kohl (Hyannis) in 1:04 and Colby Streit (South Loup) in 1:07.
Isaac Welch placed second at 285. He pinned Kaden Blake (Sandhills Valley) in 0:20 before losing 1-5 to Brayton Branic (Sandhills/Thedford).
Kyle Durfee placed second at 132. He won by major decision, 17-3, over Carson Mason (South Loup) before losing 1-8 to Jeremy Larson (Brady).
Sean Simonson placed second at 160, losing by tech fall, 3-18, in 5:36 to Kade Bottorf (Twin Loup).
Owen Thorberg placed second at 182, being pinned in 0:45 by Reece Zutavern (Sandhills/Thedford).
Carter Haesler placed fourth at 106. He was pinned in 2:00 by Cash Davis (Hyannis), in 0:30 by his teammate Jeffery Forsen and then in 0:49 by Isaac Shaner (Brady).
James Kessler competed at 145. He lost 3-8 to Talon Crago (South Loup) and then in a major decision 2-13 to Fletcher Pollard (Sandhills/Thedford).
Nine of the 11 Mullen Bronco wrestling team members then qualified to compete at the D-4 District meet this Saturday in Sutherland, by placing in the top four at the Class D Sub-District 4A meet in Maxwell on Saturday, Feb. 6. Class D State Wrestling will be held next Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 17-18 at CHI in Omaha.
Junior Spencer DeNaeyer placed 1st at 152, pinning Chris Gaul (Bayard) in 2:00 and Jacob Tobey (Maxwell) in 1:33 before winning by tech fall over Conner Bryner (Wauneta-Palisade) in 3:50, 20-2. DeNaeyer also earned his 100th career win at the meet.
Junior Kyle Durfee won the 132 weight class by pinning Dawson Juelfs (Leyton) in 1:30, Mason Tilford (Maxwell) in 5:53 and then defeating Connor Cluff (Kimball) 8-4.
Sophomore Eli Paxton placed first at 113 by pinning Creel Weber (Hemingford) in 5:48.
Sophomore Jeffery Forsen placed second at 106. He pinned Laisha Garza (Bayard) in 1:48 and Cash Davis (Hyannis) in 0:50 before being pinned in 2:35 by Wyatt Heessel (Maxwell).
Sophomore Isaac Welch placed second at 285. He pinned Brayden McGowan (Hemingford) in 0:22 and Reegan French (Morrill) in 1:57 before losing 2-3 to Kayden Stubbs (Maxwell).
At 220, sophomore Tel Kvanvig placed third. He pinned Cole Hamilton (Wauneta-Palisade) in 1:50 before being pinned in 0:51 by Luke Howitt (Maxwell). He then wrestled back, pinning Dawson Wiggins (Leyton) in 0:39 and Hamilton again in 1:38.
Junior Sean Simonson placed third at 160. He lost 6-7 to Matthew Kohel (Morrill) before pinning Alex Neefe (Hemingford) in 2:38.
Freshman Chase Gracey placed fourth at 126. He lost 3-10 to James McGinnis (Kimball) and then was pinned in 0:39 by Sam Melton (Maxwell).
For 170, freshman Owen Thorberg placed fourth. He was pinned in 0:22 by Christian Leonard (Bayard) and in 0:30 by Kaydan Hunt (Maxwell).
Freshman James Kessler ended his season at 145. He was pinned in 0:25 by Peyton Abbott (Leyton) before pinning Trey McCrumb (Wauneta-Palisade) in 1:15. He was then pinned in 1:39 by Klayton Pagel (Maxwell).
Freshman Carter Haesler’s season also ended in the 106 class. He was pinned in 1:00 by Nathaniel Barker (Bayard) and then in 0:25 by Aaron Gillming (Kimball).