BROOKINGS-Mitchell had eight wrestlers place at the Brookings Invitational as the Kernels finished in 12th place with 71.5 points on Saturday in Brookings.
Pierre won the 15-team event with 247 points.
"We wrestled well," Mitchell head coach Travis Carpenter said. "For some of our kids, it was the first time they've placed at a tournament. We've been gaining a little bit of confidence over the past couple of weeks and we hope to keep gaining confidence in the next three to four weeks."
Briggs Havlik was Mitchell's highest placer with a third-place finish in the 145-pound weight class. Havlik won an 11-4 decision of Rapid City Central's Bridger Kraye in the consolation championship match.
"He wrestled really well and was a takedown short of making the finals," Carpenter said. "He's been wrestling really well since moving down to 145 (pounds)."
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Zach Smith (152) and Carson Max (170) each finished in sixth place, while Kyler Bauder (106) and Sutton Carpenter (132) each earned seventh-place finishes. Cole Gehrke (126), Barry Browning (138) and Carter Max (182) all finished in eighth place for the Kernels.
"We have to keep improving and wrestle hard for six minutes," Carpenter said. "We have to claw for every point we can get."
Mitchell hosts a triangular with Yankton and Harrisburg on Tuesday in Mitchell.
2016 Les Tlustos-Brookings Invitational
Saturday in Brookings
Team scores: 1. Pierre 247, 2. Sioux Falls Roosevelt 199.5, 3. Spearfish 178.5, 4. Rapid City Central 149, 5. Brookings 124, 6. West Central 116.5, 7. Madison 114.5, 8. Brandon Valley 107, 9. Lennox 104.5, 10. Harrisburg 86.5, 11. Sioux Falls Washington 74, 12. Mitchell 71.5, 13. Yankton 64, 14. Sioux Falls Lincoln 44, Dell Rapids 42
