Wingert, Foss earn ‘top five’ state medals

 DES MOINES -- The last time Harlan Community had a top-four medalist at the State Wrestling Tournament, current senior Jacob Wingert was in second grade.
 Wingert personally ended the drought Saturday with a fourth-place finish at 170 pounds in Class 2-A. Junior teammate Nick Foss was close behind, placing fifth at 182 and matching Wingert’s 4-2 record during the three-day spectacle at Wells Fargo Arena.
 HCHS junior 126-pounder Lucas Carter showed some fight as well, finishing in the Top 12 with a 1-2 record as the Cyclones scored 29 points to tie for 24th place out of 83 teams at the 2-A level.
 Wingert’s fourth-place medal marked the team’s best individual finish since Tyler Murtaugh placed fourth in 2007. Wingert and Foss are also Harlan’s highest medalist combo during John Murtaugh’s 14 years as head coach.
 The Cyclone trio of state qualifiers finished with a combined record of 9-6 in Des Moines, registering four total pins and four victories against state-ranked foes. Wingert and Carter both lost early-round matches to eventual state finalists while both of Foss’ defeats were narrow decisions vs. third-ranked Visouth Peterschmidt of Mid-Prairie.