The Bonner Springs Braves wrestling team competed in the Leavenworth Challenger Invitational Saturday at Leavenworth High School. The tournament featured 12 of the top wrestling teams in Kansas and Missouri and 64 state qualifiers from a year ago. Wrestlers were divided into two pools based on experience and ability and competed in a round-robin format. The top two wrestlers in each pool were awarded medals; no team scores were kept.

The Braves brought home just four silver medals, but head coach Dan Burns was pleased with his team's performance.

"We didn't back down from any challenges," Burns said. "We put 10 kids in the 'A' pool and just three in the 'B' pool. We did a much better job of keeping from getting pinned, battled off of our backs, and showed better technique."

The Braves four silver medalist were Eric Ratliff (103), Myjestic Hickmon (112), Matt Middleton (125), and Chris Carpenter (152). Ratliff and Middleton competed in the "A" pool while Hickmon and Carpenter competed in the "B" pool.

Ratliff finished the day with a 2-1 record. His only loss came at the hands of Manhattan's Jeb Woodford, 4-2. Woodford took Ratliff down in the first period and scored a two-point nearfall. Other than that, Ratliff was flawless scoring two first period pins.

"Eric wrestled well," Burns said. "He is starting to loosen up."

Hickmon also finished the day 2-1, despite facing opponents 10 pounds heavier. Hickmon scored both victories with second period falls. His only loss was by a 17-2 technical fall to Blue Valley North's Sam Block. Burns was impressed with Hickmon's aggressiveness.

"He (Hickmon) has the best double leg on the team, hands down," Burns said. "He is wrestling guys 10 pounds over his weight and he backs down from nobody.

Middleton improved his season record to 6-1. His only loss came to three-time tournament champion Brett Watkins of Grandview, a third period fall. Middleton was dominant in his other four matches, winningthree by fall and one by technical fall. He has become a team leader for the Braves.

"The team really rallies around him," Burns said. "He is really smooth on his feet and is aggressive for six minutes."

Carpenter was also 4-1 on the day; his only loss was a 13-5 decision in the opening round to Baldwin's Chris Hirschmann. He won his remaining matches by fall.

"Chris is tough; he has a lot of heart," Burns said. "He is your typical blue-collar wrestler; he brings his lunch with him."

Jeff Burns (215) won three matches for the Braves while Donnie Shepherd (135), Zack Powell (140), and Brad Rittinghouse (275) each won two bouts. Burns wrestled exceptionally well despite not placing. His only losses were to Blue Valley North's Matt Coffrey, ranked first in 5A Kansas state, and to Excelsior Springs Drew Marriott, ranked second in Missouri state.

"He (Jeff Burns) ran into two animals in the first two round and from there became a little bit of an animal himself and pinned his way out," coach Burns said. "He wrestle the best in the state of Kansas and the best in the state of Missouri in one day."

Chad Vandenberg (130), Danny Gardner (160) and Curtis Fraundorfer (171) each won a match.

Burns said the latest tournament should prepare the Braves for tough competition down the road. In fact, he tried to get his athletes in the "A" pool for that purpose.

"Any wrestler that has the ability to qualify for state should be in the 'A' pool", he said. "The only guys in the 'B pool were JV wrestlers last year who I wanted to get some experience."

Burns will use Saturday's tournament as a learning tool.

"We are really starting to rally around each other and come together as a team," he said. "We still need to improve our performance on the bottom position."

Next for the Braves is the Gardner-Edgerton Invitational Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The expectations from coach Burns are high.

"We plan to bring home a team plaque," he said. "Our goal is to improve at the rate we did from week one to week two."