Submitted photo – The Fortuna wrestlers celebrate their fourth-place team finish at Anderson on Saturday.

A number of local high school wrestlers made the trip to compete at the Nor Cal Beast of the North tournament at Anderson High over the weekend, led by the Fortuna contingent.

The Huskies, who had grapplers competing in 12 of the 14 weight divisions, placed fourth overall as a team, one spot better than they fared a year ago.

A total of 43 teams competed at the event.

Leading the way for the Huskies was senior Adam Medeiros, one of nine local wrestlers to place at the two-day tournament, but the only one to take a first place in his division.

Medeiros, who has wasted little time re-adjusting from the football field to the wrestling mats this winter, has been impressive through the early going.

On Saturday, he defeated Casa Grande’s Trevor Mckinney for the 170-pound title, improving to 8-0 on the season.

Also impressing at the weekend tournament was St. Bernard’s Lucindo Gable, who took second in the 220-pound bracket.

Del Norte had three wrestlers place, including Skyler Moore (132) and Braydon Henderson (182), who each took third in their respective divisions.

Fortuna’s Joey Pontes also gave his team some valuable points with a third-place finish at 160 pounds, taking a 5-2 decision over Channing Lam of Sacred Heart and improving to 8-2 on the season.

The Huskies ultimately beat out Shasta for fourth place by just four points (119-115).

Two other Fortuna wrestlers took home individual medals.

Del Mckenzie placed seventh at 220 pounds, while Levi Nyberg finished eighth at 145 pounds.

Mckenzie won a dramatic duel with Shasta’s Austin Brinton, taking a 7-6 decision in the fourth round of sudden death overtime and improving to 7-6.

Nyberg is now 8-4.

Eureka’s Ryan Sylvia also had a big weekend, taking sixth at 182 pounds, while rounding out the local contingent of medalists, Del Norte’s Chaz Harrison was eighth at 113 pounds.

Two other Fortuna wrestlers made it to the second day of competition. 

Logan Krause finished 3-2 at 106 pounds, while Andrew Hansen was 3-2 at 138.

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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.