Tonganoxie scored 154.5 points, but Atchison tallied 181 in the Chieftains’ home tournament. Topeka West took third with 99 points and Oskaloosa was fourth with 91.

James Hartshorn and Ross Starcher, competing in the 215 and 112 divisions respectively, were Tonganoxie’s first-place finishers in the 11-team tournament.

“Ross Starcher and James Hartshorn continued what they started at Salina,” Tonganoxie Bill DeWitt said, referring to the wrestlers third-place finishes in the Salina South Invitational on Jan. 5.

Tonganoxie also turned in five second-place finishes Andy Koontz, Chad Starcher, Josh Ferris, Steve Adcox and Matt Weyer. Pat Weyer was the team’s lone third-place finisher.

DeWitt said the tournament went well, but his wrestlers need to finish strong.

“These guys have to start expecting to win in the finals,” DeWitt said. “We also can’t have the refs making decisions for us and we did.”

The Chieftain coach, though, didn’t have problems with Tonganoxie’s effort Saturday.

“They have a lot of heart,” DeWitt said. “I have guys willing to work all six minutes.”

Matt Weyer worked that and then some. Wrestling against Atchison’s Jake Weishaar in the finals of the 171-pound class, Weyer matched Weishaar point for point in regulation, only to lose by two in the overtime.

Tonganoxie is off until Saturday’s Gerald Sadowsky Invitational in Holton. Teams expected at that tournament with Tonganoxie are Holton, Coffeyville, Council Grove, Horton, Lansing, Mission Valley, Osawatomie, Oskaloosa, Pleasant Ridge, Wichita East and Labette County.

Last Saturday, DeWitt had his eye on another competition.

“We have 32 days until regionals,” he said. “We’ll try to fix some things.”