By Emily Hoffman
    The Wauneta Breeze
    
     The Wauneta-Palisade wrestlers rolled up the mat last month on a strong season with three grapplers returning from state competition with medals, the most in WP history.
     "I think it was an excellent year," said WP Wrestling Coach Rod Ready. "Besides having talent, and more experience than last year, they worked hard and they wanted it."
     Overall, the Broncos posted 202 wins and 62 losses, with only six wrestlers competing consistently throughout the season.
     Bronco wrestlers took fourth out of seven teams in the season opener, the WP Duals held in early December.
     Because of the low number of wrestlers, the team took hits throughout the season in team standings when competing in duals and invitationals . Individually they wrestled well throughout the season.
     With Ready as coach and Alan Woofter as assistant coach, the Broncos posted a second place finish at the Alma Invitational, the second meet of the season.
     All six WP grapplers returned home with medals from the Newman Grove Invite and finished fourth as a team.
     At Bridgeport, the team took fifth followed by Dundy County's invite where they placed fourth.
     At the Sandhills Invitational the Broncs captured third, as they did at Elwood and Mullen.
     The Broncs placed fifth at the St. Pat's Invitational, and seventh at the Anselmo-Merna duals.
     Five out of the six wrestlers qualified for state mat action. The Broncs posted fourth in team standings at districts.
     Junior Jesse West, wrestling at 125, captured second at state in a final second loss in overtime action. West finished the year with a 36-7 record. He had 12 pins, and 39 takedowns.
     In addition to West, Jake Rundback, a 171 pound senior, 145 pound junior Peter Barger and sophomore Jake Smith, wrestling at 140, all nudged out WP records from the past.
     West and Rundback tide for best win record for the season at 36, overtaking the previous record holder, Chad Lucas with 33 wins.
     Smith, with 34 wins, and Barger, with 33, move into second and third place in WP history.
     Rundback's record for the season was 36-11, with 25 pins and 50 takedowns.
     With a 33-9 record for the year, and a sixth place showing at state, Barger will be a strong contender for next season.
     Smith, who took fifth at state, boasted a 34-4 record for the year, with 17 pins and 46 takedowns.
     Hondo Fanning, 160, sat out the mat action in the first semester due to an injury. He qualified for state but didn't medal. He ends the season with a 25-6 record, including 16 pins and 45 takedowns.
     Senior AC Werner had an outstanding season this year, with a 28-16 record, wrestling at 130. Last season Werner had a 1-4 record, leaving the team early in the season.
     Junior Dirk Vapenik ends the season with a 9-4 record, sitting out most of the season due to injury.
     Junior Andrew Ward wrestled in a few meets during the season and ended the year with a 1-6 record. He had one pin and one takedown.
     Owen Madden did not wrestle all season due to a back injury.
     With three state medal winners returning for next season, Ready is confident of a great season.
     "We'll have less depth," said Ready. "There were no freshmen out this year so it's unlikely that we'll have any sophomores on the team."
     Vapenik and Madden will be back next season, according to Ready, who believes they'll be solid.
     "There were three really decent junior high wrestlers, and we might get one coming out as a freshman," said Ready.
     Even though they might only have six wrestlers out again this year, depending on the leadership, and how hard the team wants to work, Ready hopes next season will be strong.