LENA - The Mat Rats are back at it again, as evidenced by two solid performances by 14 young athletes this past weekend to open their season.

The Green County Family YMCA program sent its grapplers to Lena, Ill. for a tournament on Saturday before sneaking in another event Sunday in Sun Prairie before the turn of the year.

In Lena, Nick Poirier (5th-6th grade division) and Dusty Burkhalter (7th-8th) claimed first place honors in their ladders. Ryan Hughes and Tyler Davis both earned second-place finishes in the 5th-6th grade category while McKenzy Foley (3rd-4th) and Dempzy Foley (K-2nd) both took third. Joe Hughes (K-2nd) and Jacob Ellefson (3rd-4th) took fourth place in their respective divisions.

Traiten (3rd-4th) and Troy Gorr (5th-6th) both won their ladders in Sunday's compeition in Sun Prairie.

Brothers Drake (K-2nd) and Parker Ingold (3rd-4th) made sure the Gorrs weren't the only dynamic family duo as they both took second-place honors in their classes.

Trevor Gorr also earned a second-place honor in the 7th-8th grade level while Aaron Hesgard also took second on that level and Burkhalter turned around on a day's rest to take fourth.

Next up for the Mat Rats will be local tournaments in Iowa Grant, Baraboo, Stoughton, and Crystal Lake, Ill.