Kingsford’s Orrin Smith sprawls to stop Norway senior Landon Amundson’s shot attempt at the Ray Mariucci Invite in Kingsford on Jan. 11. (Sean Chase/Daily News photo)

Although the Kingsford varsity wrestling team went down to Gaylord shorthanded on Saturday, it didn’t slow down the Flivvers’ momentum at the Northern Michigan Championship.

Kingsford brought eight wrestlers on the trip and brought home an eighth place finish out of 42 teams.

“We didn’t send the whole team,” Flivvers’ head coach Darren Groleau said. “(We were a) very late entry into this tournament. So a few of our guys had prior engagements.

“We wanted a tough tournament to get our guys battle-ready for the state run. Our guys were tested and we got to learn a lot about ourselves and our competitors that we will see downstate.”

Kingsford’s Max Sundquist won the 175-pound division.

After opening with a bye, Sundquist pinned Gaylord’s Leland Korona in the first round. He also picked up wins over Inland Lakes’ Avery Enos, Traverse City Central’s Gage Warren before defeating Ogemaw Heights’ Connor Lambert 7-4 in overtime.

“Max is slowly but surely getting healthy and he needed a tough match like that.” Groleau said.

At 132 pounds, Tegan Ray took home second for the Flivvers. He defeated Marquette’s Antonie Villarello, Hunter Cole of Petoskey and Cadillac’s Dominic Treiber. Ray lost in the finals to Gaylord’s Kieran Beach in a decision.

Tyler Bray also brought home a podium finish at 150 pounds. He finished third, picking up wins over St. Ignace’s Gabe Werkeiser, Newberry’s Gaijye Depew and Alcona’s Keegan Ritchie.

Orrin Smith finished in sixth-place at 157 pounds and Brettin Rouse took home eighth at 190, rounding out Kingsford’s medals.

While the Flivvers couldn’t send an entire squad downstate, it was a chance to catch a glimpse of potential opponents in the team state tournament.

“We have some long-term goals,” Groleau said. “Some of the teams we saw down there will be the teams we will see in the state tournament both as a team and individual.

Kingsford heads to Negaunee on Thursday for a triangular with the Miners and Manistique. On Saturday, it heads to Marinette for the Border Wars.