Five Fort Calhoun Pioneers wrestled and earned top-six podium finishes Dec. 22 during the 45th annual Tom Dineen Invitational at Omaha Creighton Prep.
The efforts of Presley Olberding, Gage Nixon, Fred Altstadt, TJ DeMilt and Merritt Olberding helped coach Drew Welchert's lineup finish seventh out of 17 teams, including the first-place Jr. Jays. Lincoln Southwest earned sixth ahead of FCHS, while Class A Lincoln Southwest finished behind the Pioneers by a single team point in eighth.
Presley Olberding secured Calhoun's best individual finish with a 3-1 tournament record at 113 pounds. The freshman held off a hard-charging Rylan Sidzyik of Prep 9-8 in his first match, before picking up pins against Jared Fichter of Underwood, Iowa, and Elkhorn North's Colton Drew in consolation matches.
Nixon and Altstadt, meanwhile, earned fourth-place results in Omaha. Nixon, a senior, was 3-2 at 132 pounds, picking up two wins by pinfall and another by technical fall.
Against Isaiah Copeland of Lincoln Southeast, the Pioneer built a 4-1 lead through two periods before wrapping-up both of the Knights' arms and pinning him during the third to the amusement of Welchert and assistant coach Jake Welchert.
Altstadt, however, was 3-2 at 150 pounds. He improved to 9-7 overall this season with three pins.
FCHS' 165-pounder, DeMilt, was the winningest Pioneer during the Dineen Invite. He was fifth with a 4-2 record, compiling four pins, including one against Hunter Jurgens of Norris in his sixth match of the day.
Merritt Olberding, meanwhile, was 1-3 at 106 pounds. He beat Al-Azawy Haidr of Lincoln North Star during the third consolation round.
Additionally, Fort Calhoun's Seth Waters (144 pounds), Matthew Kelly (144) and AJ Duros (157) picked up wins in Omaha despite falling short of a podium spot in their weight classes. Their team next competes Jan. 4 during a triangular at Platteview.
The Pioneer girls, meanwhile, compete Saturday at Millard West, Tuesday at Conestoga and Jan. 4 at on the Trojans' mats.
TOM DINEEN INVITATIONAL
Dec. 22 at Omaha Creighton Prep
Team standings: Creighton Prep 226, Underwood (Iowa) 184.5, Papillion-La Vista 146, Lincoln Southeast 135.5, Elkhorn North 123, Lincoln Pius X 120, Fort Calhoun 83.5, Lincoln Southwest 82.5, Omaha Westside 81, Fremont 74, Norris 68, Gretna East 67, Seward 60, Omaha North 58, Elkhorn 54, Lincoln North Star 54, Omaha Roncalli 5.
Top-6 Fort Calhoun finishers: 3, Presley Olberding, 113 pounds, 3-1 tournament record. 4, Gage Nixon, 132, 3-2. 4, Fred Altstadt, 150, 3-2. 5, TJ DeMilt, 165, 4-2. 6, Merritt Olberding, 106, 1-3.
