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Field set for Esky Elks Invitational

Prep wrestling

Mike Mattson | Daily Press Escanaba’s Collin Arnt works on pinning Marinette’s Chase Weishaar in a 103-pound bout at Tuesday’s dual meet at Escanaba High School.

ESCANABA — Wrestling teams from at least 14 high schools are expected to be on hand Saturday when Escanaba hosts the annual Elks Invitational tournament.

The team event begins at 9 a.m., with the semifinals scheduled to begin at approximately 2 p.m. and the finals set for 4:30.

Those expected to join the Eskymos are Bark River-Harris, Menominee, Kingsford, Westwood, Ishpeming, Negaunee, Marquette, Gwinn, Munising, Newberry, St. Ignace, Grayling and Benzie Central.

Grayling comes in as defending champ, but Esky coach Jeff Wright isn’t sure what to expect from the Vikings this time.

“I don’t know what they have coming back,” he said. “We haven’t heard much from some of the teams. We’re going in kind of blind. Although, Marquette has a good team and Westwood has some real good spots. Coach (Dan) Carlson does a nice job with his program (at Westwood) and it’s nice see Bark River-Harris is continuing its program.”

The Eskymos, fresh from Tuesday’s 41-34 victory over Marinette, placed 10th with 65 points in the Marquette Challenge Dec. 16.

Esky sophomore Hunter Larson won the 135-pound division at Marquette. Senior Scout Wunder placed third at 171, with freshman Brodey Bevins fifth (112).

“We need more mat time and this is a great time for us to do that,” said Wright.

“We’re pretty healthy going in. This will be a great experience for many of our wrestlers. We’re building for February.”

Others to watch are Marquette sophomore Joe Lagrou, Westwood juniors Nathan Brewer and Sam Gilles, Munising seniors Nick Miles and Christian Cole and Kingsford’s Trevor Povolo.

Lagrou (103) placed third, Brewer (112) took fourth and Gilles (189) was fifth in the Marquette Challenge.

Brewer and Gilles then finished 5-0 in last Friday’s Munising Holiday Super Duals as did Miles (140 and 145) and Cole (160).

Povolo was selected West MVP and Gladstone junior Adam Bruce earned East MVP honors at Munising.

Gladstone, which defeated Westwood 45-36 for the title last Friday, will not be wrestling at Escanaba Saturday.

The Braves instead will go downstate to compete in Saturday’s Kalkaska Invitational. Manistique is also entered in that tournament.

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