Benton hosts Eckenrod Bobcat Invitational

VAN HORNE -- Benton Community will host the annual Jerry Eckenrod Bobcat Invitational on Saturday in Van Horne, and the traditionally tough field will continue.

Six ranked teams and 46 ranked wrestlers in all three classes, including five ranked No. 1, highlight the 17-team event, starting at 8 a.m.

Class 2A second-ranked West Delaware and third-ranked Davenport Assumption are the highest ranked squads. The Hawks edged the Knights by 1 1/2 points at the West Delaware Hawk Invitational Dec. 3, receiving a pin from No. 5 Dean Broghammer in the heavyweight finals for the difference. Don Bosco, a 1A power ranked fifth, is in the tournament along with North-Linn (ninth in 1A), Eddyville-Blakesburg (10th in 1A) and Union Community (10th in 2A).

Every weight has at least one ranked individual, including five apiece at 113, 170 and 182 pounds. Five more weights have four ranked wrestlers.

At 113, the bracket could include West Delaware's Zach Less, a state runner-up last year who is top-ranked in 2A, 2A second-ranked Tanner Cowan of Centerville and North-Linn's Zach Welter, ranked No. 2 in 1A. The 170-pound division includes Independence's 2A top-ranked Nick Fuller, 2A No. 2 Sam Lahr of West Delaware and Eddyville-Blakesburg's 1A No. 2 Brett Roberts.

A battle of state finalists could occur at 138. North-Linn's Logan Mulnix, a two-time state finalist who won a state title in 2010, is ranked No. 1 in 1A. Union Community's Logan Thomsen is the third-ranked 138-pounder in 2A and was a 2010 state finalist.