Freshman Merritt Olberding won his debut tournament Saturday as his Fort Calhoun boys wrestling team finished sixth overall during the Bennington Invitational.
The 106-pounder went 3-0, securing all three of his matches by pin. He beat Ayden Smith of Auburn in 32 seconds, Omaha Northwest's Natanial Sackor in 5:50 and Sam Rewolinski of Elkhorn South in 38 seconds during the final.
FCHS' Landon Bernasek, meanwhile, took second at 126 pounds. He was 1-1, winning his first match by second-period pin.
Presley Olberding, Seth Waters and TJ DeMilt all took fourth in their weight classes, too. Waters was the winningest Pioneer of the Badgers' tourney, totaling four wins and two losses at 144 pounds. He had four pins.
Notably, Presley Olberding had two wins at 113 pounds, while TJ DeMilt earned a pair of pins in the 165-pound weight class.
Though they fell short of the podium, Wesley Short (two) and AJ Duros (one) picked up pins for coach Drew Welchert's team, too. Gage Nixon had a contested victory at 132 pounds, too.
Calhoun scored 93 team points overall, finishing 28 behind fifth-place David City Aquinas, but 33 ahead of seventh-place Auburn. The Pioneers next compete Thursday during a triangular at Ralston.
BENNINGTON INVITATIONAL
Saturday at Bennington High School
BOYS
Team scores: Bennington 200, Columbus 184.5, Missouri Valley 144, Elkhorn South 130, David City Aquinas 121, Fort Calhoun 93, Auburn 60, Boys Town 50, Elkhorn Mount Michael 30, Omaha Northwest 23.
Top-6 FCHS finishers: 1, Merritt Olberding, 106 pounds, 3-0 record. 2, Landon Bernasek, 126, 1-1. 4, Presley Olberding, 113, 2-2. 4, Seth Waters, 144, 4-2. 4, TJ DeMilt, 165, 2-2.
