<I>Contributed photo/Clayton Wise</I><BR>Jesse Wise wrestles during the La Pine Invitational last Saturday. Wise took third in the invite.

The Grant Union wrestling team faced some stiff competition last weekend.

The Prospectors traveled to Bend to compete in the La Pine Invitational Saturday, Jan. 26. Grant Union’s wrestlers took on kids from seven other schools, most of which were in a higher class. There were two 5A schools, four 4A schools and one 2A school at the tournament.

The Pros had 11 of 14 wrestlers place at the tournament. Levi Gagnon at 103 pounds, Chris Boyer at 112, Isaac Whitman at 135 and Ethan Kowing at 171 all made it to the championship round. However, they all lost their final matches and took second place overall.

Saturday was Boyer’s first match since a concussion he suffered on Jan. 4 at the Maniac Tournament in Orofino, Idaho.

“Chris wrestled a kid from La Pine in the final,” Grant Union Coach Dave Naibert said. “He was really strong. They won’t meet again until district because they’re 4A. It’s good for the team to face tough competition, though.”

Four Grant Union wrestlers advance to the consolation finals, and all four won to earn third place. Andrew Boyles at 103 pounds, Alex Kygar at 130, Clay Thomas at 160 and Jesse Wise at 189 finished in third. Dalton Murray at 215 pounds took fifth place, while Garrett Murray at 215 and Don Speakman at 285 finished in sixth.

The Pros will try to defend their 2007 Pine Eagle Invitational Championship on Saturday, Feb. 2. That may be difficult because of the team’s relative youth. They only have one senior, Boyer, and two juniors, Whitman and Speakman, on the team.

Naibert said the team could pull out a championship if a few wrestlers improve from last week.

“We’ll finish high,” Naibert said. “If the kids that took second can pick up firsts and some of the other kids move up, we could do it.”