BY JIM MISUNAS
Defending 5A state champion Wyatt Weber (36-3, 138) headlines three returning state qualifiers for Great Bend’s wrestling team, which competes Friday and Saturday at Wichita Southeast. The top eight finishers qualify for the 5A state wrestling tournament at Park City.
No. 1 ranked Weber upset Bonner Springs’ Cruz Lara (1:20) to capture a state championship after previously placing fifth and sixth. No. 3 ranked Kaden Spragis (35-6, 120) was runner-up with a 7-3 loss to Newton’s Nick Treaster. Avery Wolf (33-9, 126) placed fourth last year with a 2-0 loss to Goddard’s Jaylen Miller.
“Six of the top 10 teams including the top three teams compete at our regional along with 50 ranked wrestlers,” said Great Bend coach Nathan Broeckelman. “Our regional is the tougher of the two regionals. With two ranked wrestlers, we should be able to get two to state. But looking at our line-up and how are kids have been performing, all 10 could qualify if they wrestle like they can. The first day will give us a good look, as we wrestle all the way through the semifinals.”
HILLSBORO 3A – Hoisington joins Larned, Ellinwood, Stafford and St. John for 3-1A wrestling regional Saturday. The top four finishers qualify for the 3-1A state meet at Hays. Cardinal No. 3 ranked Josiah Ball (33-5) placed fifth last year and No. 4 ranked Eastin Redetzke (26-5, 120) and No. 6 ranked Cole Gilliland (34-3, 285) are past state qualifiers.
“The Cards have been on a nice run with their boys team winning the Cardinal Classic and followed that by winning the CKL title last Thursday. I feel good about our three ranked kids getting through to the state tournament,” said Hoisington coach Dan Schmidt. “None of our wrestlers have a cakewalk to get to state as this is a very good regional. We have several kids who will need to pull off upsets to advance. We haven’t seen many of the teams. I hope that favors us.”
REGIONAL ENTRIES
GREAT BEND—113—Emanuel Prieto, 13-9 ; 120—Kaden Spragis, 35-6; 126—Avery Wolf, 33-9; 132—Cooper Liles, 15-11; 138—Wyatt Weber, 36-3; 145—Jace Schartz, 20-17; 152—Skyler McMullen, 20-16; 182--Matthew Johnson, 24-16; 195—Brody Schnoebelen, 27-15; 220—Keyven Schroeder, 17-11 10
HOISINGTON—106—Nolan Jacobs, 14-17; 113—Landon Beaver, 22-13; 120—Eastin Redetzke, 26-5; 126—Josiah Ball, 33-5; 132—Xavier Redetzke, 13-11; 138—Deryk Yott, 28-7; 145—Teron Kraft, 19-20; 152—Alex Mater, 11-31; 170—Ian Smith, 19-16; 195—Tamari Howard, 18-12; 220—Logan Philbern, 26-14; 285—Cole Gilliland, 34-3
LARNED—120—Jameson Smith, 11-13; 126—Dillen Hook, 31-4; 152—Luke Fischer, 13-5; 160—Jacob Colglazier, 6-13; 170—Jarett Seeman, 0-12; 182—Angel Bowersox, 9-16; 220—Carter Atteberry, 32-12
ELLINWOOD—138—Cale Batchman, 7-14; 145—Rylan Wirtz, 5-12; 152—Matthew Cook, 8-9; 170—Nathan Hammeke, 3-17; 182—Cole Petz, 8-8; 285—Jonathan Mason, 7-10
STAFFORD—132—Tarrant Young, 14-8; 195—Alexis Garcia; 285—Axel Garcia, 9-21
ST. JOHN—152—Abe Llanas; 182—Caden McCandless, 15-9
