The Hoisington High School Wrestling team ended their season this past weekend at the K.S.H.A.A. Class 1-3A State Wrestling tournament held in Hays. The team brought 10 kids to the meet with the expectation of bringing home hardware. Not too long ago when the senior class was freshmen they were able to bring home a second place trophy, but this time the expectations were one step higher. The ultimate goal for the team was to bring home the first place state trophy. When all the rounds were finished the team was able to almost achieve that ultimate goal, but fell just a bit short. The senior class found themselves holding the second place trophy again for the second time in their careers. Not bad for a state team composed of mostly freshmen and sophomores, as seven of the 10 men squad are just that.
The team had their chance to finish first, but found themselves on the losing end of some very key matches, and as the consolation finals were completed knew they would need not just wins in the finals, but falls to go with the wins. The Cardinals trailed by 18 points going into the finals with three wrestlers on the team still having a chance to score points. A win in the finals is worth four points for the team, and if you win by fall you are awarded two bonus points as well. So the Cardinals knew they would have to not only win, but would have to do so by falls. The team managed to win one match in the finals, but could not win anymore than that one and finished second as a team. Not bad for a young team, and not bad for a team ranked just 4th as a team coming into the tournament. The three finalists were all underdogs going into their final matches. Senior Brandon Ball who going into the final match had won three state titles in his career, and had a record of 166-3 would have to avenge a loss to Caleb Austin from Tribune-Greeley County in order to become a four time state champion. The match was one of the most anticipated matches of all time for any state tournament with thousands of fans waiting to see it. Caleb Austin came to Kansas from Kentucky where he was good enough to advance to the state tournament in Kentucky as an 8th grader, something Kentucky allows. Austin was a four time state qualifier, and a three time state placer for his high school in Kentucky. However, as a senior circumstances brought him to Kansas where he would live with his grandparents, and participate in wrestling for Tribune-Greeley County. The match was everything it was cooked up to be as the two wrestlers went at it to the final seconds of the match and with Austin behind by one with just a mere 25 seconds to go took Brandon down only to have Ball reverse him in the final nine seconds to secure the win. The house went crazy as the final flurries ended with Brandon Ball becoming one of a very select few to have earned the distinction of having won four state titles in their career. With the win Brandon was voted the outstanding wrestler for the Class 1-3A  state tournament. His victory was not by fall, disallowing the cards to still have a chance at the state first place trophy, but instead it became a very emotional lift for a community that has seen wrestling as a team sport get to experience the positive side of the sport as an individual thing as well. The whole Cardinal Nation was more than satisfied as Brandon’s hand was raised and the community of Hoisington now being able to boost that they are one of the very select few that can say they have had a wrestler crowned state champion four times in his career.
Brandon’s brothers were not as fortunate as he was as sophomore, 145 lbs., Jonathan lost in the ultimate tiebreaker of overtime to see his chance at becoming a state champion end. Little brother freshmen, 152 lbs., Christopher lost in the finals as well to end the tournament for the Cardinals. It was not long after the tournament ended that the team was holding the second place trophy and it was announced that not only had Brandon Ball been voted the outstanding wrestler of the tournament, but also that Coach Daniel Schmidt was voted class 1-3A Kansas Coach of the Year. A great way to end a great season for the Hoisington Cardinal Wrestling team.

Coaches Comments:  “Brandon Ball getting his fourth State Title, the team getting second, what a great day for Hoisington Wrestling. The state team was a very good reflection of our whole program. We tell our kids that the kids that wrestled yesterday and today are an extension of our whole team. That what we do throughout the course to the year as a varsity team starts with our lowest kid on the totem pole and goes through our best kid. We are still hungry for a first place trophy, and will work even harder in the future to make that happen. The state tournament continues to get tougher to win. I am so grateful for an outstanding coaching staff. The reward I received should really go out to our whole staff, not just to me. Without my coaching staff’s help we would not be near what we are. It was a great year, a year to reflect on for another week or two, and than we will get back to pursuing the dream of being a team that brings home the 1st place trophy from the state tournament. A big thank you goes out from our whole program to the support received by our community, administration, parents, the news media, and our friends for helping make this a very special year.”


Hoisington High School State Wrestling Tournament results
1.  Norton Community           118.5            
2.  Hoisington                 104.5            
3.  Rossville                  99.0            
4.  Silver Lake                86.0            
5.  Scott Community            78.0            
6.  Marion                     59.0            
7.  St. Mary`s                 54.5            
8.  Oberlin-Decatur Community  54.0            
9.  Atwood-Rawlins County      52.0            
10. Smith Center               49.5            

Team Results
113 - Tanner Cassity (27-15) placed 6th and scored 9.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 won by fall over Alex Depperschmidt (Sublette) 23-11 (Fall 2:55)
    Quarterfinal - Bryce Gfeller (Rossville) 26-2 won by major decision over Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 (MD 14-5)
    Cons. Round 2 - Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 won by decision over Justin Skerce (Council Grove) 28-9 (Dec 10-8)
    Cons. Round 3 - Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 won by decision over Gavin Burgess (Fredonia) 38-3 (Dec 14-10)
    Cons. Semi - Michael Marsh (Silver Lake) 30-11 won by fall over Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 (Fall 2:21)
    5th Place Match - Seth Harrell (Sabetha) 26-8 won by fall over Tanner Cassity (Hoisington) 27-15 (Fall 3:32)

138 - Brandon Ball (43-1) placed 1st and scored 25.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Brandon Ball (Hoisington) 43-1 won by fall over Wes March (Riley County) 24-18 (Fall 2:11)
    Quarterfinal - Brandon Ball (Hoisington) 43-1 won by decision over Gabe Hamel (Hill City) 28-14 (Dec 6-0)
    Semifinal - Brandon Ball (Hoisington) 43-1 won by major decision over Isaiah Luellen (Rossville) 30-8 (MD 9-1)
    1st Place Match - Brandon Ball (Hoisington) 43-1 won by decision over Caleb Austin (Tribune-Greeley County) 43-1 (Dec 3-2)

145 - Jonathan Ball (43-2) placed 2nd and scored 19.50 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Jonathan Ball (Hoisington) 43-2 won by tech fall over Alex VanRooy (Cherryvale) 28-12 (TF-1.5 0:00 (15-0))
    Quarterfinal - Jonathan Ball (Hoisington) 43-2 won by decision over James Jurgens (Scott Community) 38-12 (Dec 3-2)
    Semifinal - Jonathan Ball (Hoisington) 43-2 won in double overtime over Colton Stalford (Caney Valley) 47-4 (2-OT 2-1)
    1st Place Match - Corey Tyler (St. Mary`s) 51-1 won in tie breaker - 1 over Jonathan Ball (Hoisington) 43-2 (TB-1 3-2)

152 - Christopher Ball (39-7) placed 2nd and scored 23.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Christopher Ball (Hoisington) 39-7 won by fall over Trever Houser (Plainville) 23-8 (Fall 3:28)
    Quarterfinal - Christopher Ball (Hoisington) 39-7 won by major decision over Jacob Mintzmyer (Marysville) 32-11 (MD 13-4)
    Semifinal - Christopher Ball (Hoisington) 39-7 won by fall over Hunter Howerton (Silver Lake) 36-10 (Fall 1:12)
    1st Place Match - Greg Tooley (St. Mary`s) 46-0 won by tech fall over Christopher Ball (Hoisington) 39-7 (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-3))

160 - Sean Urban (19-15) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Chuck Schmidt (Eureka) 21-3 won by tech fall over Sean Urban (Hoisington) 19-15 (TF-1.5 3:24 (16-0))
    Cons. Round 1 - Jayson Failer (St. Mary`s) 35-14 won by decision over Sean Urban (Hoisington) 19-15 (Dec 4-2)

170 - Hunter Hanzlick (33-15) place is unknown and scored 3.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Hunter Hanzlick (Hoisington) 33-15 won by decision over Joey Landwehr (Effingham-Atchison County) 19-9 (Dec 7-4)
    Quarterfinal - Kendall Miller (Norton Community) 25-12 won by decision over Hunter Hanzlick (Hoisington) 33-15 (Dec 11-4)
    Cons. Round 2 - Hunter Hanzlick (Hoisington) 33-15 won by decision over Derek Naegele (Osborne) 25-11 (Dec 7-1)
    Cons. Round 3 - Lane Moran (Leon Bluestem) 43-2 won by decision over Hunter Hanzlick (Hoisington) 33-15 (Dec 6-1)

182 - Austin McHenry (36-11) place is unknown and scored 3.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Kyle Ames (Onaga) 42-6 won by decision over Austin McHenry (Hoisington) 36-11 (Dec 3-2)
    Cons. Round 1 - Austin McHenry (Hoisington) 36-11 won by fall over Tanner Lowry (WaKeeney-Trego Community) 22-16 (Fall 4:51)
    Cons. Round 2 - Adam Janzen (Marion) 41-7 won by fall over Austin McHenry (Hoisington) 36-11 (Fall 2:46)

195 - Chance Boor (30-10) place is unknown and scored 6.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Chance Boor (Hoisington) 30-10 won by major decision over Wyatt Anderson (Caney Valley) 23-13 (MD 10-2)
    Quarterfinal - Tristan Speer (Troy) 24-0 won by decision over Chance Boor (Hoisington) 30-10 (Dec 1-0)
    Cons. Round 2 - Chance Boor (Hoisington) 30-10 won by fall over Caleb Vogelsberg (Marysville) 34-12 (Fall 4:12)
    Cons. Round 3 - Chris Cox (Oakley) 38-12 won by decision over Chance Boor (Hoisington) 30-10 (Dec 7-0)

220 - Justin Bradley (8-5) place is unknown and scored 3.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Bratten Forbes (Effingham-Atchison County) 28-12 won by fall over Justin Bradley (Hoisington) 8-5 (Fall 4:24)
    Cons. Round 1 - Justin Bradley (Hoisington) 8-5 won by major decision over Clay Holloway (Cherryvale) 16-16 (MD 11-3)
    Cons. Round 2 - Justin Bradley (Hoisington) 8-5 won by decision over Abel Alvarez (Salina Sacred Heart) 21-9 (Dec 9-4)
    Cons. Round 3 - Wyatt Eitel (Scott Community) 30-21 won by major decision over Justin Bradley (Hoisington) 8-5 (MD 11-3)

285 - Landen Urban (37-8) placed 5th and scored 13.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Landen Urban (Hoisington) 37-8 won by decision over Grayson Pryce (Eureka) 32-14 (Dec 7-5)
    Quarterfinal - Landen Urban (Hoisington) 37-8 won by fall over Lane Hayes (Scott Community) 29-15 (Fall 1:58)
    Semifinal - Jaden Helms (Anthony/Harper-Chaparral) 39-0 won by decision over Landen Urban (Hoisington) 37-8 (Dec 5-0)
    Cons. Semi - Jacob Leuthold (Sabetha) 24-5 won by decision over Landen Urban (Hoisington) 37-8 (Dec 9-6)
    5th Place Match - Landen Urban (Hoisington) 37-8 won by fall over Ethan Gustus (Caney Valley) 40-10 (Fall 1:30)