By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend’s state-ranked No. 3 Keaton Sander (138) and No. 4 Gage Fritz (145) headline the Panthers’ entries at the Class 5A Goddard regional Friday and Saturday. The revamped 5A regional will qualify eight wrestlers in each weight category for the Class 5A state meet Feb. 24-25 at Park City’s Hartman Arena.
Keaton has tied the school career record for pins shared by Cody Liles. He needs three more pins for the single-season record. Fritz has broken the school’s single-season takedown record.
Sander’s 138-pound division is led by top-ranked Arkansas City’s Jake Beeson. Sander has placed fourth and sixth the past two years.
“Sander has a very tough bracket, but if he punches his way to the finals, he’ll prove he has a chance to compete for a state championship,” said Great Bend coach Nathan Broeckelman.
Fritz’s 145-pound class features top-ranked Goddard’s Garret Lange and five ranked wrestlers.
“Gage is a competitor, and he’ll do whatever it takes to qualify,” Broeckelman said. “There are five ranked wrestlers and 10 of the top 11.”
Great Bend’s lineup features Drew Liles (26-9, 113), Carsyn Schooler (120), Eric Vazquez (126), George Weber (126), Conrad Montoya (13-5, 132), Sander (138), Fritz (145), Braxton Schooler (152), Josh Hamilton (160), Jacob Meeks (170), Ever Chavez (182), Kevin Miramontes (182), Jesus Villegas (220) and Noah Presson (285). The regional features nine No. 1 ranked wrestlers — Michael Spangler, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel (106), Salina Central’s Drew Burgoon (113), Newton’s Logan Treaster (120), Arkansas City’s Jake Beeson (138) and Goddard’s fivesome of Logan Pirl (126), Garrett Lange (145), Kameron Frame (152), Troy Fisher (170) and Cale Davidson (195).
Broeckelman said several other Panthers offer solid chances to qualify for the state tournament. Vazquez, Braxton Schooler and Presson are returning state qualifiers. Liles’ nine losses have come against state-ranked wrestlers. Weber’s division features four ranked wrestlers.
“It will be a tough regional. We’re looking to peak at the right time, keep our guys fresh and get their mindset right,” he said. “We’re a real youing team. but we’ve got a good group of wrestlers who are hungry for success.”
3A GYPSUM — The No. 2 ranked Cardinals will compete in the Gypsum regional Friday and Saturday.
Hoisington’s returning state champion and No. 1 ranked Christopher Ball (33-2, 152), joins No. 2 ranked Johnathan Ball (35-0, 145), Tanner Cassity (32-2, 132), No. 4 ranked Sean Urban (31-2, 160), No. 4 ranked Justin Bradley (26-3, 220) and No. 4 ranked Landen Urban (31-1, 285)as returning state qualifiers.
Jonathan Ball, Cassity, Sean Urban and Landen Urban captured Central Kansas League titles last week. Wyatt Pedigo (29-7, 170) is another solid regional entry.
Christopher Ball defeated Rossville’s Isiah Luellen 6-5 for the 152-pound title last year. Christopher Ball and Jonathan Ball were both state runners-up in 2015.
4A BUHLER — Larned’s Central Kansas League champion Braydon Lemuz (32-4, 113) joins returning state qualifiers Kristopher Nolde (26-9, 120) and Hunter Fitzpatrick (26-8, 126) at the 4A Buhler regional. Josh Dooley (9-11, 132) and Edgar Garcia (12-15, 285) were CKL runners-up.
REGIONALS
5A GODDARD—Andover, Arkansas City, Emporia, Goddard, Goddard-Eisenhower, Great Bend, Liberal, Maize, Newton, Salina Central, Salina South, Topeka West, Valley Center, Wichita Carroll, Wichita Heights, Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel
4A BUHLER—Abilene, Buhler, Chapman, Clay Center, Colby, Concordia, Goodland, Hays, Larned, Smoky Valley, McPherson, Nickerson, Scott City, St. George-Rock Creek, Wamego
3A GYPSUM—Belleville-Republic County, Beloit, Bennington, Brookville-Ell Saline, Chaparral, Cheney, Ellsworth, Garden Plain, Gypsum-SE Saline, Halstead, Hesston, Hoisington, Langdon-Fairfield, Lincoln, Lyons, Mankato-Rock Hills, Minneapolis, Moundridge, Norwich, Osborne, Salina Sacred Heart, Salina-St. John’s, Stafford, Sterling
CLASS 5A RANKINGS
TEAM RANKINGS—1—Goddard; 2—Arkansas City; 3—Shawnee Mill Valley; 4—Valley Center; 5—Pittsburg; 6—Blue Valley Southwest; 7—Newton; 8—Andover High; 9—Shawnee Heights; 10—Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
106—1—Michael Spangler, KMC; 2—Gabe Buckbee, AC; 3—Brandon Madden, BV Southwest; 4—Hunter Bindi, St. Thomas Aquinas; 5—Grant Treaster, Newton; 6—Fred Maisberger, Shawnee Heights;
113—1—Drew Burgoon, Salina Central; 2—Bret Minor, St. Thomas Aquinas; 3—Dawson Podlena, Topeka Seaman; 4—Barrett Stickelman, Seaman; 5—Carter Nold, Valley Center; 6—Noah Gordon, Andover
120—1—Logan Treaster, Newton; 2—Dylan Gowin, Mill Valley; 3—Will Spexarth, Goddard; 4—Mason Turner, Chanute; 5—Joe Dennison, Blue Valley SW; 6—Joe Irwin, Lansing
126—1—Logan Pirl, Goddard; 2—Marcus Robinson, Ark City; 3—Devin Gomez, Valley Center; 4—Aidan Campbell, Maize; 5—Bryson Markovich, Mill Valley; 6—Drew Ernsdorff, St. James
132—1—Conner Ward, Mill Valley; 2—Montez Robinson, Ark City; 3—Lane Glover, Goddard; 4—Brenner Vogan, Salina South; 5—Braden O’Donnell, KMC; 6—Riley McCall, BV Southwest
138—1—Jake Beeson, Ark City; 2—Jarrett Bendure, Mill Valley; 3—Keaton Sander, Great Bend; 4—Hunter Williams, Emporia; 5—Dallas Boone, Valley Center; 6—Joe Hancock, Leavenworth
145—1—Garrett Lange, Goddard; 2—Paul Stuart, Andover; 3—Anthony Gould, Leavenworth; 4—Gage Fritz, Great Bend; 5—Duwayne Villapando, Maize; 6—Corbin Hockenbury, Ark City
152—1—Kameron Frame, Goddard; 2—Chase Reynolds, Shawnee Heights; 3—Don Boone, Valley Center; 4—Colton Watters, Ark City; 5—Wes Jameson, Pittsburg; 6—Allen Heberly, Salina South
160—1—Sam Cokeley, St. James; 2—Kendall Frame, Goddard; 3—Jack Maki, Andover; 4—Jake Patterson, Shawnee Heights; 5—Jett Bendure, Mill Valley; 6—Joe Tallie, Pittsburg
170—1—Troy Fisher, Goddard; 2—Daniel Butler, Leavenworth; 3—Nate Panagakis, DeSoto; 4—Jake Christie, BV Southwest; 5—Hayden Koepke, Mill Valley; 6—Kevin Mills, KMC
182—1—Clay Lautt, St. James; 2—Wyatt Henderson, Newton; 3—Austin Andres, Goddard; 4—Taylon Peters, Salina Central; 5—Johnnie Kramer, BV Southwest; 6—Ricardo Yanez, KC Turner
195—1—Cale Davidson, Goddard; 2—Dylan Prince, Pittsburg; 3—Sam Weldon, Valley Center; 4—Anthony Gaona, St. Thomas Aquinas; 5—Travis Phelps, KMC; 6—Nick Evans, Leavenworth
220—1—Deveron Duncan, Pittsburg; 2—Cordel Duhart, BV Southwest; 3—Chase Holle, Valley Center; 4—Jacob Quiggle, Maize; 5—Cyle Gautsch, Newton; 6—Reuben Juarez, Topeka Seaman
285—1—Kayne Hutchison, Pittsburg; 2—Tyler Shannon, Ark City; 3—Tylen Wallace, KC Schlagle; 4—Elwin Trejo, Liberal; 5—Jeremy Dold, Emporia; 6—Ethan Shuman, Shawnee Heights
