Bendorf, Schwery lead Cyclone wrestlers to fourth at Boys Town

 BOYS TOWN, NEB. (Dec. 13-14) -- Harlan Community senior Carter Bendorf won his second 182-pound tournament title in as many weeks and junior Jesse Schwery placed second at 220 to lead the Cyclones to a fourth-place finish out of 12 teams at the 49th Boys Town Wrestling Invitational Friday and Saturday.
 Omaha Central claimed five individual champions and won the tournament with 209 points, followed by Bennington (197.5 points, three champions), Beatrice (177, two champs) and HCHS (162, one champ).
 Overall, 11 of 13 Cyclone wrestlers were able to place in the top six, but a 2-6 record in semifinal matches prevented more of the team from reaching the championship round.
 “For the second week in a row we didn’t do well enough in the semifinals to have a chance at the team championship,” noted HCHS coach John Murtaugh. “But the guys wrestled tough on the second day to move us into the fourth-place spot.
 “Carter winning the championship puts him into elite company because we have only had four previous champs since we have been going to the Boys Town Invite the last 15 years.”
 HCHS champions preceding Bendorf at Boys Town include Tyler Murtaugh, Anthony Hough, Broghan Kelly and Nick Foss.
 Three Cyclones went 3-1 with three pins in the tournament to place third: Luke Musich at 126, Ethan Lemon at 132 and Nathan Henry at 195. Henry’s three pins required just 25, 14 and 53 seconds, respectively.