Pedigo aims for second title
BY JIM MISUNAS
HAYS — It was business as usual for Hoisington’s returning state wrestling champion Wyatt Pedigo.
Business was perfect as No. 1 ranked Pedigo (38-1) earned three pins Friday to qualify for his second consecutive title match at the 3-1A state tournament. He'll face Colby's No. 2 Hagan Booi (39-6) in the finals.
"Wyatt was really good," said Hoisington coach Dan Schmidt. "He handled some really good wrestlers."
Pedigo pinned Mission Valley’s Jon Grame (1:02); Plainville's No. 3 Ryan Junkermeier (1:26) and Rossvile's No. 4 Kody Dovoren (5:44). Pedigo lost his only match this season to No. 1 5A finalist Taylor Peters of Salina Central. Pedigo defeated Tyson Villalpando of Minneapolis 3-2 in last year’s championship match.
The Cardinals lost the other four quarterfinal matches after winning five first-round matches at Hays.
Hoisington’s other qualifiers are Quentin Boxberger (26-13, 106), Dayne Yott (16-8, 145), No. 6 Joshua Ball (37-6, 170) and Riley Philbern (28-12, 285) all lost quarterfinal matches.
Colby’s No. 1 Tyler Voss
(38-7) pinned Boxberger in 3:13. Riley County’s No. 1 Luke Richard (41-0) beat Yott 1:0-2;. Norton’s
No.4 Cole Amlong (27-6) beat Ball 8-4. Sabetha’s defending state champion
Elliot Strahm (31-0) oinned Philbern in 46 seconds.
HOISINGTON RESULTS
106—Quentin
Boxberger (26-13) pinned Drayton Kennedy, Erie, 3:05; Taylor
Voss, Colby pinned Boxberger, 3:13; Boxberger vs. Trevor Ragland, Pleasant Ridge
145—Dayne Yott (16-8) pinned Jeb Nowak, Garden Plain, 1:37; Luke Richard, Riley County def. Yott, 10-2; Yott vs. Kamden Brownlee, Sabetha
170—Joshua Ball (37-6) pinned Eric Helms, Chapparal, 1:05; Cole Amlong, Norton def. Ball, 8-4; Ball vs. Ethan Peterson, Smith Center
195—Wyatt Pedigo (39-1) pinned Jon Grame, Mission Valley, 1:02; Pedigo pinned Ryan Junkermeier, Plainville, 1:26; Pedigo pinned Kody Davoren, Rossville, 5:44; 1ST—Pedigo vs. Hagan Booi, Coby (39-6)
285—Riley Philbern (28-12) pinned Jon Turner, Eureka, 3:41; Elliott Strahm, Sabetha pinned Philbern, 0:46; Philbern vs. Nolan Parker, Mission Valley
3A STAFFORD RESULTS
3A STAFFORD — Stafford’s Laithen Shocklee (29-8, 220) downed Garden Plain’s Ethan Swaffer 9-3 in his first match at Hays. Norton’s No. 2 ranked Hayden Wiltfong (30-2) pinned Shocklee in 40 seconds in the quarterfinals.
220—Laithen Shocklee, Stafford (29-8), pinned Ethan Swaffer, Garden Plain, 9-3; Hayden Wiltfong, Norton pinned Shocklee, 0:46; Shocklee vs. Reegon Witt, Oberlin
