Taking the mat for the first time in over a month, the Barton Community College wrestling team placed four Saturday at the Friends Invitational held at the Garvey Gymnasium on the campus of Friends University.
The Cougar six-pack accumulated a 6-12 overall record while securing four placings on the day.
Stephen Baldwin led the charge securing the highest finish of third while Keondre Bonner wrestled to a fourth place showing with Dawson Chavez and Chance Unruh turning in fifth place finishes respectfully.
Baldwin needed just one win on the mat to capture the third place finish in the 133-division, responding with a back flattening over Jarvis Christian College's Cedric Abney in 4:35 after dropping his opening round 9-2 decision to Jr Thelwell of Friends University. The freshman's pursuit of a higher finish would come to a close in the third round suffering a fall to conference foe Trenton Grant of Cowley College.
In the 174-division Bonner needed four matches to earn his fourth place finish, starting the day with a bye the sophomore dropped a third period fall to eventual champion Melton Powe of Cowley College. Regrouping quickly Bonner notched his lone victory advanced into the championship bracket pinning unattached Joshua King just before the second period horn. Pratt Community College's Christian Robinson would end the sophomores title hopes with a 17-2 technical fall, as third place eventual finisher Jason Bowers of Friends University wrapped up Bonner's day on a 2:47 fall.
Competing for the first time since the season opening Dan Harris Open back on November 6th, Dawson Chavez posted the best record over the day for the Cougars on the way to his fifth place showing in the 157-division. Getting off to a sluggish start following an opening round bye, the sophomore dropped back-to-back falls to Daniel Camilo of unattached and eventual champion Nick Carlson of Pratt Community College. Bouncing back Chavez concluded his performance earning back-to-back wins in an 18-3 technical fall over Jarvis Christian College's Dorian Solis and 2:11 pin over Treyton Rusher of Friends University.
Wrestling up a division for the first time this season, Unruh had a similar path to Chavez in the 165 division, dropping his first two bouts. Unruh was sent over to the consolation side by a 2:26 fall to Matthew Smith of Labette Community College, receiving a bye Unruh would be pushed to the fifth place bout suffering a 3:37 pin to Jacob Wallace of Friends University. Recovering after another bye, Unruh punched his fifth place mark back ending Friends University's Treyton Rusher (2:11).
Both 149 division wrestlers Zane Hennessey and Cohen Suchy had tougher afternoons on the mats dropping their two matches.
Barton will open up KJCCC play on Wednesday making the trip north taking on Cloud County Community College in a 7:00 p.m. start inside the Arley Bryant Gymnasium before hosting the first of two home meets January 17th against Colby Community College.