The Barton Community College wrestling team closed out the regular season at home Thursday night inside the Fleske Fieldhouse, splitting a pair of Jayhawk Conference duals with an opening 28-26 victory over Neosho County Community College before falling 41-9 to No. 11 Cowley College in its lone home date of the season.
Individually, Brennen Pfannenstiel (149 pounds) and Logan Buchanan (285 pounds) led the Cougars, each posting perfect 2-0 nights on the mat. Pfannenstiel opened the night with a fall in the Neosho County dual before adding a decision against Cowley, while Buchanan clinched Barton's victory over Neosho County with a 12-0 major decision in the final bout before capping the evening with a fall against Cowley.
The results marked Barton's lone league dual victory, as the Cougars concluded the dual season 1-6 in conference play and 3-18 overall. Neosho County finished the year 0-7 in league action and 2-12 overall, while Cowley capture the Jayhawk Conference title, closing conference play 7-0 and the season 14-3 overall.
With the regular season complete, Barton now shifts its focus to postseason action next Saturday at the NJCAA South Central District Championships in Pratt, Kansas.
Recap vs Neosho County
Barton opened the night with a 28-26 victory over Neosho County, pulling out the decision on the final bout of the dual. After the Panthers struck first at 125, Shane Todd (133) answered with a 2:31 fall, while Pfannenstiel (149) gave the Cougars a narrow 12-11 edge through four bouts with a 1:52 pin.
A pair of Neosho County falls swung the lead back in the middle of the lineup before Barton capitalized on back-to-back forfeit victories by Tyler Gouker (174) and Derek Truman (184) to reclaim a one-point, 24-23 advantage. Wrestling up a weight class at 197, S'Ron Hill nearly erased a late deficit before dropping a 10-7 decision, setting the stage for the finale, where Buchanan sealed the dual with a 12-0 major decision at 285 to left the Cougars to a 28-26 win.
Recap vs No. 11 Cowley
In the second dual of the evening, Barton took on No. 11 Cowley College, falling 41-9 to the nationally ranked Tigers. Cowley built an early advantage through the opening three weight classes before Pfannenstiel (149) put the Cougars on the board with a narrow 9-7 decision over Ryker Agee.
The Tigers added separation through the middle of the match with bonus-point victories and an open weight at 197, before Buchanan (285) capped the dual on a high note, delivering a 1:02 fall in the final tilt of the evening.
The evening also featured Great Bend High School wrestling action, with the GBHS girls picking up a 42-35 victory over Liberal High School, while the GBHS boys capped the night with an exciting 37-36 comeback win, secured on a fall in the closing seconds of the final match.