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Antonio Ferro continues to improve on the wrestling mat this season.

Last week he picked up a victory and showed signs of improvement at the Paola Invitational. He impressed coach Ed Seaton with his work ethic and ability to do the little things on the wrestling mat.

This week he earned a medal at the Olathe North Invitational.

Ferro finished with a 3-1 record in his pool and then won the third-place match.

“He was wrestling well on his hips, getting some good takedowns and doing what he needs to do,” Ed Seaton said. “I was proud of him. He goes into the tournament with a 1-14 record and comes out 4-1 on the day. I was excited for him.”

During the tournament, 10 teams split into five-team pools and wrestled in four duals. The top two finishers in each pool wrestled in the finals.

Ferro’s performance was his best of the season and perhaps the team’s most impressive because of the improvement he exhibited during the tournament.

While Mike Torrez, Symon Seaton and Derek Pike all won their respective weight classes, it was more or less business as usual for them. None of the trio of wrestlers faced difficult tests in the tournament.

“They didn’t run into anyone that pushed them,” Ed Seaton said. “They all three dominated their weight classes.”

In addition to the medalists, Joe Johnson battled illnesses during the tournament and stopped wrestling midway through the tournament. He lost his first match to a top ranked Class 6A wrestler and then dropped the next match to a wrestler from Washburn Rural. He went home sick after the match.

While BLHS had individual success during the tournament, it struggled in the team portion of the tournament with only seven wrestlers competing. The team is strong in the lower weights, but doesn’t have the numbers to compete in a dual.

“Yeah, it is disappointing not to put 14 kids on mat and compete,” Ed Seaton said. “We go into the 160-pound match and are ahead by 20, and then we have to forfeit the next four matches.” 

This was the first year of the Olathe North Invitational and organizers worked to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Wrestlers in the championship rounds had the cause in mind when they took the mat. One wrestler in each of the championship matches wore a pink singlet to raise awareness for breast cancer. Their opponent wore a white outfit with pink trim.

“I think all of the wrestlers wanted to wear the pink singlet,” Ed Seaton said. “It was the first time that I have seen that. It was a neat deal.

“It was the first year for the tournament and next year they will go to a two-day tournament. I thought it was a good tournament for kids at this time of year.”

Basehor-Linwood will compete in a dual at 5 p.m. today at home against Mill Valley and Ottawa.

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