The Barton Community College wrestling team turned in one of its' best results of the season this past weekend at the Bob Smith Open held by Fort Hays State University.

Competing against another stout field featuring top four year Division II and NAIA programs along with conference KJCCC foes, the Cougars concluded the day with a combined 4-8 record.

Hampered by injuries and sickness, Barton sent four wrestlers to the mats with Avery Wolf 125-pound and Keondre Bonner 174-pound capping the fall semester with their best outing of the year boosting 2-2 results.

Receiving a bye in the opening round, Wolf started his day with a first period 0:47 fall over Nebraska-Kearney's Adonis Lattimore. Bounced to the backside of the bracket after suffering a 16-0 tech fall to Bishop Murray of Nebraska-Kearney, Wolf kept his day alive responding in a 11-4 decision over Air Force Prep's Nico Tocci before bowing out in the next round to conference foe Brady Foster of Cloud County Community College falling in the second period.

Bonner's day began with a sluggish start plummeting a first period 2:23 fall to Wyatt Hartley of Labette Community College. Bouncy back, the sophomore rattled a pair of victories together after receiving a bye notching a 4:25 pin over John Carr of Northwest Kansas Technical College and edging Northeastern Junior College's Gavin Kopp with a 7-4 decision. Bonner's day would end in the fourth round of the consolation side suffering a 17-2 tech fall to Mark Rausch of Colby Community College.

Stephen Baldwin 133-pound and Chance Unruh 157-pound sustained tougher days dropping both of their battles on the day.

Barton will begin the 2023 portion of the schedule on January 7th at the Friends Invitational held in Wichita, KS which features a busy month of four competition dates including the squads lone two home events held January 17th and January 24th against conference foes Colby Community College and Northwest Kansas Technical College.