BY JIM
MISUNAS
ARKANSAS CITY — No. 7 ranked Great Bend features six state-ranked wrestlers heading to the 5A wrestling regional Friday-Saturday at Arkansas City. Four wrestlers are returning state qualifiers and the Panthers feature six wrestlers with state experience.
The top eight regional finishers qualify for the 5A state meet at Park City. Wrestlers must win at least two matches to qualify for the 5A state meet Feb. 22-23.
State-ranked Panther wrestlers are George Weber, second (37-1, 138); Gage Fritz, third (36-2, 145); Carsyn Schooler, fifth (27-8, 126); Jeffrey Spragis, fifth (26-10, 132); Alex Randolph, fifth (30-5, 152); and Wyatt Weber, sixth (29-10, 106).
Another previously state-ranked wrestler, Drew Liles (17-6, 120) returns for regionals this week after an elbow injury. Liles defeated No. 2 state-ranked Grant Treaster of Newton earlier this season.
Last year’s third-place finisher Liles (41-8); fifth-place Schooler (21-11), fifth-place George Weber (42-11) and sixth-place Fritz (152) are two-time state qualifiers. Liles won four of five matches last year at the state meet. Randolph (28-18, 2018) and Jeffrey Spragis (22-21, 2018) also qualified for state wrestling last year.
“You win two matches, and you’re into state,” said Great Bend coach Nathan Broeckelman. “This is the ultimate goal. We’ve tried to get the wrestlers where they need to be. You’ve got to have heart and fight through injuries. You’ve got to go out and compete. Getting Drew Liles back is a big plus for us.”
The Panthers planned to enter Eli Witte (21, 182); Ever Chavez (11-19, 220); and Kevin Miramontes (14-18, 285) at the regional, but they are sidelined with injuries.
The Arkansas City regional features four-time defending state champion and No. 1 ranked Goddard, No. 2 Arkansas City, last year’s 4A state champion, and No. 3 Maize High. Fifty-three state-ranked wrestlers compete in the western regional.
5A REGIONAL--Andover Central, Andover High, Arkansas City, Goddard, Goddard Eisenhower, Great Bend, Hays High, Maize High, Maize South, McPherson, Newton, Salina Central, Salina South, Valley Center, Wichita Carroll, Wichita Heights, Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Wichita Northwest
GREAT BEND REGIONAL LINEUP
106—Wyatt Weber, GB (29-10)
113—Avery Wolf, GB (18-17)
120—Drew Liles, GB (17-6).
126—Carsyn Schooler, GB (27-8)
132—Jeffrey Spragis, GB (26-10)
138—George Weber, GB (37-1)
145—Gage Fritz, GB (36-2)
152—Alex Randolph, GB (30-5)
160—Scott Heilman, GB (20-16)
170—Quinn Hoffman, GB (4-8)
195—Andrew Wettengel, GB (17-26)
