Colby Wrestling Battles Through Adversity to Place Runner-Up at Gothenburg Duals
January 17, 2026
The Colby High School wrestling team made a strong statement on the road on January 17, traveling north to Gothenburg for a competitive dual tournament and finishing runner-up against a diverse and unfamiliar field. Despite being shorthanded and navigating a demanding, fast-paced format, Colby proved it has the depth and resilience to contend as the season moves into its most important stretch.
Colby entered the tournament without two returning state placers, a challenge that tested both lineup flexibility and mental toughness. Even so, the Eagles battled through five duals on the day, facing St. Paul, Holdrege, Gothenburg, Doniphan-Trumbull, and Broken Bow. The format required wrestlers to turn the page quickly from one match to the next, often with little time to reset physically or mentally, something head coach Cole Garcia believes is invaluable preparation.
“I was pretty pleased with how the tournament ended up,” Garcia said. “Being down two returning state placers and we were still able to go up there and compete with all those teams. Shows how hard all the guys work in the room to make each other better.”
After opening with a loss to St. Paul, Colby responded emphatically, earning decisive dual victories over Holdrege and host Gothenburg, both by 53-25 and 53-30 margins respectively. The Eagles continued their momentum by defeating Doniphan-Trumbull 39-30, showcasing balance throughout the lineup with key falls and bonus-point wins. Colby closed the day by edging Broken Bow 41-36 in a tightly contested dual, securing a guaranteed second-place finish overall.
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Several underclassmen played pivotal roles throughout the day, reinforcing the program’s growing depth. Freshman Laken Sharpe delivered one of his strongest performances of the season, recording multiple wins and steadily improving with each appearance. Ethan Reinert also picked up important victories across the day, while Erick Torres stepped into the varsity lineup and gained valuable experience against quality opponents.
“The freshmen really stepped up,” Garcia said. “Laken Sharpe wrestled the best I’ve seen him all year, Ethan Reinert had some good wins, and Erick Torres stepped into the varsity lineup and got a couple wins and some varsity experience.”
The rapid-fire nature of the dual tournament was another key takeaway for Colby’s coaching staff. Wrestlers were required to move on immediately after each result, reinforcing the importance of emotional control and focus.
“Quick duals like this one are good for the guys because it makes them turn around and wrestle another match whether they win or lose,” Garcia said. “We have to have short memories either way and figure out a way to get ready for the next match.”
Beyond the results, the Gothenburg trip offered a change of pace from Colby’s usual competition, exposing the Eagles to new styles and matchups.
“The best part is that we get to see competition that we won’t see for the rest of the year,” Garcia said. “Kind of a fresh break before we get into the meat of the season.”
While the day was encouraging, Colby will now turn its attention to recovery, with a few wrestlers nursing injuries. The priority, Garcia emphasized, is long-term health with regional and state tournaments on the horizon.
“We have a few injuries that we need to get healed up, so we might have some guys miss a little bit of time,” Garcia said. “But the goal is to have everyone healthy for regionals and state.”
Colby wrestlers logged heavy mat time across five duals at the Gothenburg Dual Tournament, with several Eagles turning in standout individual performances as the team finished runner-up overall. At the lower weights, Laken Sharpe (106) continued to trend upward with multiple wins by fall late in the day, while Julian Salcido (113) was dominant throughout the tournament, picking up falls against Holdrege and Doniphan-Trumbull along with a technical fall over Broken Bow. Ryder Dempewolf (120) added key bonus points with a fall against Holdrege and a technical fall versus Gothenburg, and Ethan Reinert (126) recorded multiple victories, including falls against Holdrege and Gothenburg and a decision win over Doniphan-Trumbull.
In the middle and upper weights, Talon Wark (132) was one of Colby’s most consistent wrestlers, earning falls in every dual he competed in. Pierce Bartlett (144) contributed with multiple wins, including a technical fall and a pin, while Vance Dempewolf (157) collected several falls across the day, and McCager Wright (215) anchored the lineup with falls in every dual, providing steady bonus points for the Eagles throughout the tournament.
With a runner-up finish, valuable varsity experience, and continued growth from its younger wrestlers, Colby left Gothenburg confident that its preparation and depth are trending in the right direction as the season intensifies.
