BY JIM MISUNAS
HAYS – Hoisington High’s brother tandem of Christopher Ball (152) and Jonathan Bell (145) advanced past three matches to reach the Class 3-1A state wrestling championship finals for the second time in the same season.
Cardinals Tanner Cassity (132), Sean Urban (160), Justin Bradley (220) and Landen Urban (285) will also earn state medals. Defending champion Norton led Hoisington 108-87 and were on their way to the state team title.
*Jon Ball (41-0) reached the 145-pound finals against Smith Center’s Colton Hutchinson (35-6). He missed last season with a shoulder injury after placing as state runner-up two years ago. Ball pinned Wathena’s No. 5-ranked Scott Resler in 2:23 and edged Hoxie’s No. 1-ranked Tristan Porsch 2-0 in a semifinal that drew a standing ovation at Fort Hays State. Jonathan Ball pinned Atwood’s Cole Sramek in 3:37 in the first round.
* Chris Ball (38-2, 152) will meet Norton’s Trenton Wright (33-4) in the championship match after winning the 152-pound title last year. downed Plainville’s No. 3 Noah Hansen 15-2 to set up a semifinal against Wellington’s 6-ranked Reece Williams (34-3). Ball pinned West Elk’s Chase VanDeGrift in 2:57 in the first round.
* Tanner Cassity pulled the Cardinals’ biggest surprise by pinning No. 3 state-ranked Devin Voth of Fredonia to reach the 132-pound semifinals. Cassity was pinned in 3:28 by No. 2 ranked Riley Tubbs of Alma-Wabaunsee (36-2) in Friday’s semifinals. He pinned Oberlin's Isiah Mason in 2:28 in the first round.
Hoisington held a 59-58 lead on Norton after the second round and matched the Bluejays with five semifinalists. After one round, Hoisington tied defending state champion Norton by advancing seven wrestlers into the second round.
* No. 5 ranked Sean Urban kept rolling with a 14-5 decision over Riley County’s Wes March. Urban lost 5-3 to Silver lake’s Gable Howerton 5-3 in the semifinals. Sean Urban won on an injury over Norton’s Trenton Chisham in the first round.
* Landen Urban pinned Smith Center’s No. 4-ranked Avery Hawkins in 2:20 to advance into the semifinals, but lost 7-3 to No. 5-ranked Taye Washington of Hoxie (21-4). Urban pinned Clay Center’s Breck Schlup in 44 seconds to advance into the second round.
Wyatt Pedigo (33-8, 170) lost a hard-fought 7-5 decision to No. 4-ranked Mark Coomes of Phillipsburg in the second round. Pedigo pinned Herington’s Trenden Schneider in 4:36 in the opening round.
No. 5-ranked Justin Bradley lost 5-0 to No. 1 ranked Jacob Green of Norton in the second round. Bradley defeated Hiawatha’s Keenan Hinton 6-3 to advance to the second round and beat Joe Stout of Chase County 7-3 to qualify for the medal round.
HOISINGTON RESULTS
120—Dylan Carrier, HHS (13-20), 0-2; Tyler Kester, Cherokee-SE pinned Carrier, HHS, 1:54; Estin Slack, Oakley pinned Carrier, 2;24
132—Tanner Cassity, HHS (35-5); Cassity pinned Isaiah Mason, Oberlin, 2:28; Cassity pinned Devin Voth, Fredonia , 2:25; Riley Tubbs, Alma-Wabausee pinned Cassity, 3:28; Cassity vs. Jarrett Johnson, Marion
145—Jon Ball, HHS (41-0); CHAMPIONSHIP—Ball vs. Colton Hutchinson, Smith Center (35-6); Ball pinned Cole Sramek, Atwood, 3:37; Ball pinned Scott Resler, Wathena, 2:23; Ball def. Tristan Porsch, Hoxie, 2-0, OT
152—Chris Ball, HHS (38-2), CHAMPIONSHIP—Ball vs. Trenton Wright, Norton (33-5); Ball pinned Chase VanDegrift, West Elk, 2:57; Ball def. Noah Hansen, Plainville, 15-2; Ball def. Reece Williams, Wellington, 11-3
160—Sean Urban, HHS (37-3); Urban def. Trenton Chisham, Norton, injury Urban def. Wes March, Riley Co. 14-5; Gable Howerton, Silver Lake def. Urban, 5-3; Urban vs. Kelton Suchy, Russell
170—Wyatt Pedigo, HHS (33-9), 1-2; Pedigo pinned Trenden Schneider, Herington, 4:36; Mark Coomes, Phillipsburg def. Pedigo, 7-5; Gabe Hamel, Hill City def. Pedigo, 7-6
220—Justin Bradley, HHS (31-5); Bradley pinned Keenan Hilton, Hiawatha, 6-3; Jacob Green, Norton def. Bradley, 5-0; Bradley def. Joe Stout, Chase County, 2-1; Bradley vs. Dalton Kuhn, Smith Center
285—Landen Urban, HHS (37-2); Urban pinned Breck Schlup, Clay Center, 0:44; Urban pinned Avery Hawkins, Smith Center, 2:20; Taye Washington, Hoxie def. Urban; Urban vs. Breck Schlup, Clay Center.
