EUREKA — The 32nd annual Eureka Invitational was a bit of a proving ground for area wrestlers Friday as they faced some of the regions’ best grapplers.
Iola junior Kevon Loving, 144 lbs., (22-9) took fourth place. He opened with a second-period pin of McPherson junior Sam Rziha (12-11), but fell to eventual tournament runner-up Shade Schuberger, a 21-9 junior, by 17-1 technical fall. Loving rebounded in the consolation bracket with a 16-5 victory over Clearwater senior Kaden Bohnenblust (12-10), then defeated Humboldt junior Emmitt Carson (9-7) by 16-4 decision, then Central Heights junior Royce Ulrich 3-0 before falling in the third-place match to Herrington junior Reid Griffiths (30-4) 10-0.
Iola junior Rohan Springer competed in the 215 lb. division, just one week after competing at 190 lbs. Springer, (5-6), took sixth place. He fell to Bluestem senior Jaxon Swafford (21-12) by first-period pin, then rebounded with a second-period pin of Winfield sophomore Dom Morrisessey (3-7) before losing by first-period pin to Rossville junior Charlie Chance (14-8). In the fifth-place match, he fell to Remmington senior Pedro Ordaz (5-9) by second-period pin.
Other results: At 126 lbs., Iola senior Trapper Boren (20-11) finished sixth after opening with a loss to Winfield sophomore Brylen McClure by 17-0 tech-fall, then rebounded with a first-period pin of Erie sophomore Owen Coover (1-7) by first-period pin. Boren dropped to the fifth-place match after falling to Eureka junior Mason Huges (20-8) by 18-0 tech-fall, then took sixth after falling to Columbus freshman Denver Huges (13-13) by 17-0 tech-fall.
Senior Harley Blankenship, 132 lbs., (10-18) fell to Rossville junior Kelton Lacock (11-10) by first-period pin, then Herington senior Ethan Urbanek (15-15) eliminated him by first-period pin. 
Iola junior Ruger Boren, 138 lbs., fell to Columbus sophomore Kai Langerot (10-12) by 17-2 tech-fall in his opener, then Coffeyville freshman Kyler Hurlbutt (10-4) eliminated Boren by first-period pin.
Junior Beau Erickson, 150 lbs., (13-11) opened with a 15-0 tech-fall to tournament runner-up Kane Wise, a 9-8 junior from Newton, then rebounded with a second-period pin of Eureka sophomore Fisher Hobbs (8-14). Rossville sophomore Lakin Gentry eliminated Erickson by 6-5 decision.
At 157 lbs., Iola junior Tripp Mathes and Humboldt junior Broc Ivy missed the podium. Mathes opened with a loss to runner up Brennen Westervelt (15-5), a Coffeyville senior, then Ivy eliminated him with a first-period pin. Winfield junior Elias Moon (5-19) eliminated Ivy by 8-5 decision. Ivy fell into the consolation bracket to Cherryvale senior Haiden Edens by second-period pin.
Iola junior Kale Pratt, 165 lbs., fell to Newton sophomore Nikko Hinojos (27-7) by 22-6 tech-fall. He rebounded with a 5-1 victory over Bluestem senior Kaden Keil (16-13) before losing in second-period pin by Garden Plains sophomore Carter Tatom (25-5).
Returning to the varsity lineup at 175 lbs., sophomore B.J. Seance won his opener over Erie sophomore Anthony Pasquarelli (0-2) by 23-4 tech-fall, but fell in the semifinals to Clearwater sophomore Coy Dugan (19-7) by first-period pin. Newton senior Jordan Goode (5-14) eliminated Seance by second-period pin. Dropping down from 215 lbs. to 190 lbs., Iola junior Franklin Kerr opened with a loss by first-period pin to Newton senior Emrik Torres (22-11), then fell to Winfield senior Brayden Sutton (10-14) 7-3.
