BY JIM MISUNAS
PARK CITY – Great Bend Panther state champion Wyatt Weber is a wrestling rock star.
Weber shocked the 5A wrestling world with Friday's 138-pound championship pin over Bonner Springs' No. 1 ranked Cruz Lara (1:20). Weber trailed 2-0 on a takedown, but a lightning-quick reversal turned into a pinning combination over Lara (28-1).
"I remember going to kids-club practice when I was 5 years old. The only thing we wanted was to get our picture on the wall," Weber said. "All the coaches preached, that if you work hard, you can get your picture on that wall."
Weber (32-3, 138) captured Great Bend's 14th state wrestling title, the first since Chris Burley won his second championship in 2013. Weber's style is unique because he doesn't invest time worrying about anything.
"I was laughing and joking with coach Broeckelman and coach Schridde before the match," Weber said. "I went out and took care of business. Everything worked out."
Great Bend coach Nathan Broeckelman believed Weber's easy-going style worked well for a championship match.
"Wyatt has fun and stays relaxed," Broeckelman said. "His prematch routine stayed the same and it definitely paid off. Wyatt stays loose and has a good time."
Weber's stunning finish had Broeckelman jumping for joy.
"I was pretty excited," he said. "I felt like I could've dunked a basketball."
Weber edged past Mill Valley's No. 2 ranked Carson Dulitz 4-1 in Friday's semifinals after pinning Shawnee Heights' Ty Lewis (2:39).
Weber pulled off a solid tactical match, stayed on his feet and earned two takedowns against Dulitz, who got one escape in the semifinal showdown. Weber led 4-1, but still chose the upper position to control the match in the third period.
"Wyatt dominated the match with two takedowns and rode him out for two periods," Broeckelman said. "The Mill Valley wrestler is tough. It's a really good win. Wyatt was confident in his choice. He rolled with it. Wyatt has a really good shot. He wrestles well against guys he's never wrestled before. Wyatt hand fights and battles arms. He's got really good hips. It scares kids when they get into his legs."
No. 2 ranked Kaden Spragis (37-4, 106) lost for the third time to Newton's two-time state champion Nick Treaster 7-3 in the championship match. Spragis delivered a highlight when he scored a late takedown. Treaster (36-1) won last week's showdown 4-1 after beating Spragis a previous time.
"I know what it feels like to be in the finals. I'm glad how I ended up. The final didn't go how I wanted," Spragis said. "But I did score a takedown. It took me a while to get into the final match. I wrestled pretty good. I've got to bounce back and come back next year. This tells everyone in our wrestling room that we can do this."
"Kaden gave it his all, but unfortunately came up short," Broeckelman said. "We were in deep on a shot, but couldn't quite finish with a trip. We got a takedown and nearly got Treaster to his back. It's hard to beat a kid three times, but Treaster got it done."
Spragis earned a hard-fought 4-1 semifinal victory over Mill Valley's No. 3 ranked Dillon Cooper. Spragis pulled away after a 1-1 tie.
"The state level for boys is turns into a strategy match. It's the third time against Treaster," Broeckelman said. "Hopefully, we find a little bit of offense and get a takedown."
No. 4 ranked Avery Wolf (38-8, 113) pinned Bonner Springs' Cook (1:59) before running into a buzzsaw against Maize's state champion Nakaylen Shabazz, who pinned him in 25 seconds. Wolf rallied for a consolation 6-0 victory over Andover's Root. Goddard's No. 3 ranked Jayden Miller edged Wolf 2-0 for third place.
The Goddard Lions swept their seventh consecutive 5A state championship (179) over runner-up Maize (124.5). Great Bend scored 54 points to finish seventh.
PANTHER STATE CHAMPIONS
2021—Wyatt Weber; 2013—Chris Burley; 2011—Chris Burley; 2009—Aron Elsen; 2007—Brett Bahe; 2001—Devin Schwartz; 1999—Mike Schridde; 1993—Kyle Roberts; 1989—Dant Allison; 1983—Dale Henning; 1979—Britt Guthrie; 1974—Dave Niederee; 1973—Steve Hilton; 1972—Fred Foss
5A STATE WRESTLING
GREAT BEND WEIGHTS
106—1—No. 1 Treaster, Newton def. No. 2 Kaden Spragis, GB, 7-3; 3—No. 3 Cooper, MLV def. No. 4 Lincoln, SH, 1-0; 5—No. 5 Glover, Goddard pinned Kriner, Aquinas, 3:00; SEMIS—Treaster pinned Lincoln, 4:54; Spragis def.. Cooper, 4-1; QUARTERS—Treaster pinned Long, Leavenworth, 1:35; Lincoln pinned Glover, 3:57; Spragis pinned Kriner, 2:11; Cooper def. Newcomb, AC, 17-4
113—1—No. 2 Shabazz, Maize pinned No. 1 Hughart, MV, 0:37; 3—No. 3 Jayden Miller, Goddard def. No. 4 Avery Wolf, GB, 2-0; 5—No. 5 Root, Andover pinned No. 6 Cook, BS, 2:57; CONSOLATION—Wolf def. Root, 6-0; SEMIS—Hughart def. Miller; Shabazz pinned Wolf, 3:00; QUARTERS—Hughart def. Root, 9-1; Miller def. Kruse, Seaman, 15-3; Shabazz pinned Lopez, Pittsburg, 0:57; Wolf pinned Cook, 1:59
138—1—No. 3 Wyatt Weber, GB pinned No. 1 Lara, BS, 1:20; 3—No. 4 Hughbanks, Maize def. No. 2 Dulitz, MV, 1-0; 5—No. 5 Maki, Andover def. No. 6 Holmes Goddard, 7-5; SEMIS—Lara, BS pinned Maki, 4:20; Weber def. Dulitz, MV, 4-1; QUARTERS—Lara def. Holmes, 5-0; Maki def. Feist, St. James, 9-3; Dulitz def. Hughbanks, 4-0; Weber pinned Lewis, SH, 2:39
OTHER WEIGHTS
120—1—No. 1 Wright, KMC def. No. 2 Pappan, Arkansas City, 3-2; 3—No. 4 Gomez, Maize def. No. 6 Ferguson, SH, 11-4; 5—No. 3 Bybee, Newton def. Andrew, BS, 13-2
126—1—No. 1 Craig, VC vs. No. 2 Mills, BVSW, 8-2; 3—Bowers, Maize def. No. 3 Zimmerman, Hays, 3-2; 5—Hernandez, SC pinned Miranda, St. James, 2:36
132—1—No. 3 Wessley, Goddard def. No. 2 Foust, Arkansas City, 5-2; 3—No. 6 Habban, Aquinas pinned No. 5 Padgett, Maize, 3:58; 5—No. 1 Maestas, Lansing def. No. 4 Adam, SC, injury
145—1—No. 1 Fisher, Goddard def. No. 2 Umentum, BVSW, 4-2; 3—No. 3 Flores, Maize def. No. 6 Akin, Aquinas, 2-1; 5—No. 5 Vanderpool,, BS def. No. 4 Tungjaroenkul, Emporia, 3-2
152—1—No. 1 Fisher, Goddard def. No. 2 Elmore, Aquinas, 7-2; 3—No. 3 Kirkwood, KC Turner pinned Touffaha, Andover, 4:36; 5—No. 4 Bahm, Arkansas City def. Bowyer, VC, 9-5
160—1—No. 1 Tennant, Arkansas City def. No. 2 Atkins, Goddard, 3-2; 3—No. 4 Padgett, Maize def. No. 3 Walker, SH, 16-3; No. 5—Morrell, Carroll def. No. 6 Mercado, Leavenworth, 5-1
170—1—No. 1 Craine, Goddard def. No. 3 Fury, KMC, 6-1; 3—No. 2 McLain, Lansing def. No. 5 Husband, Carroll, 8-5; 5—No. 4 Levin, Goddard Eisenhower def. Manrose, SH, 13-0
182—1—No. 1 Simma, Aquinas vs. No. 2 Davidson, Goddard, 6-4; 3—No. 3 Trail, Carroll pinned No. 4 Hartman, SH, 2:14; 5—Jeffries, SS pinned Robinson, KC Turner, 0:42
195—1—No. 1 Scott, MV def. No. 2 Glass, Goddard, 2-1; 3—No. 4 Hubbel, Blue Valley pinned No. 6 Eastman, Carroll, 1:43; 5—No. 3 Carroll, Aquinas pinned Buchanan, Newton, 1:36
220—1—No. 2 Casella, MV def. Casement, Maize, 10-3; 3—No. 2 Ward, Lansing def. Wood, AC, 7-3; 5—No. 4 Peery, SH def. No. 3 Meyers, Hays, injury
285—1—No. 1 Kremer, MV pinned No. 3 Caballero, BS, 4:41; 3—No. 4 Carroll, Aquinas pinned No. 2 Gomez, Newton, 0:22; 5—No. 6 Spencer, St. James def. No. 5 Dietz, SS, 2-1
TEAM TOTALS—1—Goddard 179; 2—Maize 124.5; 3—Mill Valley 109; 4—St. Thomas Aquinas 96; 5—Arkansas City 65; 6—Shawnee Heights 60; 7—Great Bend 54; 8—Blue Valley SW 52; 8—Newton 52; 10—Bonner Springs 49; 11—Wichita Carroll 47; 12—Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 38; 13—Lansing 37; 14—Valley Center 28; 15—Andover 27
