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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As a returning state champion, Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla admitted that she felt some pressure heading into and during Thursday's Class 4A-1A 120-pound state championship match.
But like she has throughout her still-young high school career, the Bulldawg star delievered, claiming her second straight state championship and capping an undefeated season with a 3-0 decision over Pratt's Jadyn Thompson at the Tony's Pizza Events Center.
Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla has her hand raised as a two-time Class 4A-1A state champion after a 3-0 win over Pratt's Jadyn Thompson Thursday at Salina. [Submitted]
"I definitely felt the pressure, especially at certain points,” Hurla said. “But you can’t walk out onto a mat unless you’re head’s in the right spot, otherwise you aren’t winning that match.
"My brother (Layne), he helps a lot. He told me to walk out on that mat ready to kick someone's butt and I did."
Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla (left) battles Pratt's Jadyn Thompson Thursday at Salina in the 120-pound 4A-1A state championship match. Hurla won her second straight title with a 3-0 decision. [Submitted]
Hurla, who capped a 39-0 season, got one of her toughest matches of the season from Thompson in a battle between the No. 1 and 2-ranked wrestlers in 4A-1A, but welcomed that challenge.
"I feel good about that match because I know I worked hard for that one,'' Hurla sad. "It came because I gave it my all and I deserved that match. Same with last year, too. It makes it feel so much better."
Thompson, a junior, lost for just the second time in 39 matches on the season.
Hurla reached the finals with three straight pins, winning in 1:27, 1:58 and 1:47.
Hurla's Rossville teammates, sophomore Keera Lacock (126) and junior Reagan Wonnell (143), both won matches in the state tournament but fell short of making it to the place matches.
Silver Lake freshman Ellen Doty (115) posted a pair of state wins while freshman Karley Holmes (109) and sophomore Hailey Horton (155) also won state matches, but none of the Eagles advanced to the place matches.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural's two-year girls state wrestling title reign came to an end Thursday in the Class 6A-5A state tournament at Hartman Arena.
But the big smile that Junior Blues coach Damon Parker wore after his team was awarded the second-place trophy showed the immense pride that Parker feels for this year's Rural team.
Dodge City won the state title by a slim 118.5-111 margin over the Junior Blues, with junior state finalist Addison Broxterman leading five state medalists for Rural.
"With the way our girls wrestled this week, even if we finished fourth and didn't bring home something to put in the trophy case, I would have been ecstatic,'' Parker said. "There were absolutely incredible.
"We knew coming into this that we were the underdog and we knew that we would have to wrestle our tails off to finish first. We wrestled our tails off and we were close. We were in this thing until the very last match of the medal rounds, so we had an opportunity down the stretch and to even be in shooting range I really couldn't be more proud of this crew.''
Washburn Rural 120-pound junior Addison Broxterman exchanges a hug with Blue Valley Southwest's Hannah Glynn after Thursday's Class 6A-5A state championship match. Broxterman posted a state runner-up finish for the second straight season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Broxterman, Washburn Rural's standout 120-pounder, finished second in the state tournament for the second straight season, but like Parker, she was proud of what she and the team accomplished.
"I kind of look at it as I've made it to the state finals two times,'' said Broxterman, who dropped an 11-1 major decision to Hannah Glynn of Blue Valley Southwest. "Honestly, winning the first three matches this year and then the first two matches last year at state, it's been a big accomplishment compared to my first year.
"I just look at it as a milestone that first place is something that I need to cross later on and I've got one more try.''
Broxterman was also proud of her team, which challenged for a third straight title despite graduating state champs Dajia Anderson and Rebekah Smith.
"I feel proud about our team getting second place,'' Broxterman said. "I don't see it as we didn't get first. I see it as we got second place.
"Honestly, this year has been the best year. We've gained a lot of freshmen that are going to come a long way and I have no doubt in my mind that later on we're going to take back our first place.''
The Junior Blues also got a third-place finish from junior Alexis Fredrickson (132 pounds), a fourth from sophomore Kristen Rezac (101), a fifth from senior Jailyn Johnson (155) and a sixth from freshman Annie Gallegos (126).
The Washburn Rural girls wrestling family poses for a picture with its Class 6A-5A second-place trophy Thursday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman freshman Koti Best finished fourth at 132 pounds while Viking senior Rylee Murray finished fifth at 126 pounds.
Topeka West sophomore Trystan Johnson finished fifth at 235 pounds while Topeka High junior Marilena Zuniga finished sixth at 138 pounds.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Shawnee Heights star senior wrestler Maranda Bell knew she had one last shot at a state championship and was determined to take full advantage of that opportunity.
Bell was the aggressor from the start in Thursday's Class 6A-5A 191-pound title match and needed just 1 minute, 3 seconds to make her championship dreams come through, recording a first-period pin over Derby sophomore Meya Howell to become Shawnee Heights' first official KSHSAA girls state champ.
"Maranda, when she wants to be aggressive, can be very aggressive on the mat and she made a decision she was out here to score points, that was all she wanted to do,'' Shawnee Heights coach Chad Parks said. "If the pin was there (she'd take it), but she was going to score points and it worked out.''
Shawnee Heights senior Maranda Bell hugs Derby's Meya Howell after Bell won the Class 6A-5A 191-pound state championship with a pin. Bell avenged a loss to Howell in the 2021 semifinals. [Submitted]
Bell won all four of her state matches by pin, recording pins in 13 seconds, 3:01 and 56 seconds to reach the final.
Making the title extra sweet was the fact that Bell, who capped a 27-1 season, was able to avenge a 2021 state semifinal loss to Howell, who finished this season 23-4.
"It was my last year to try and get the title and I was giving it all I had this year,'' said Bell, who finished third at state as a junior. "It meant a lot to me because sophomore year I got thrown out of regionals with my injury and last year I came out third and this year I just didn't let it control me.
"I think It was pure joy, especially to be the first Shawnee Heights girl to take a championship title.''
Bell said she tried not to think about Thursday's match being a championship match and just tried to concentrate on what she needed to do.
"I didn't look at it as like a championship match essentially,'' Bell said. "I just looked at it as another match and giving it 100 percent and leaving it all on the mat was more important to me.''
first
Shawnee Heights senior Maranda Bell not only became the T-Birds' first official girls state champion Thursday at Hartman Arena, but she is also Heights' first member of the girls 100-win club. [Submitted]
Parks has coached more than 10 state champions, but Bell is his first official state girls champ (Marissa Patterson won an unofficial state title) and the moment was special for the veteran coach.
"I'm still getting choked up and it's 30 minutes later,'' Parks said. "This is one of the most emotional and inspirational state champs for us.
"If people had any idea about her back story and all she's been through in her life, not just the injuries but other things, for her to stay dedicated and show up every single day and then finally achieve (the title) and see that pay off is so huge for her, and for our other girls.''
Bell was one of three Shawnee Heights state medalists, with junior 115-pounder Molly Busenitz taking fourth place and sophomore 109-pounder Odessa Schmidt finishing fifth.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Three Shawnee County girls standouts will wrestle for high school state championships on Thursday.
Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla will be shooting for her second straight state championship when she faces Pratt's Jadyn Thompson in the Class 4A-1A 120-pound final at Salina's Tony Pizza Events Center.
Broxterman advanced to the state finals for the second straight season and will be looking for her first state title when she faces off against Hannah Glynn of Blue Valley Southwest in the Class 6A-5A 120-pound final at Park City's Hartman Arena.
Shawnee Heights senior 191-pounder Maranda Bell advanced to the state championship match for the first time after finishing third in last year's state tournament.
Bell will face Meya Howell of Derby in the title match.
Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla will wrestle for a second straight state title Thursday in Salina. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior 120-pound Addison Broxterman advanced to the state wrestling finals for the second straight season. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior 191-pounder Maranda Bell advanced to her first state final after finishing third a year ago. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Two-time state team champion Washburn Rural will begin Thursday's competition (9 a.m. start) one half point behind Dodge City (67.5-67.0) in the 6A-5A team standings while Wichita North is third with 59.5 points and Emporia fourth with 54.5.
Shawnee Heights is currently seventh in the team standings with 49 points.
Ten Washburn Rural wrestlers are still alive for state places entering Day 2, with Broxterman, 126-pound freshman Annie Gallegos and 155-pound senior Jaliah Johnson already having clinched state medals.
Gallegos and Johnson both won their first two matches Wednesday before losing in the semifinals and are assured of at least a sixth-place finish.
Kristen Rezac (101), Kaitlyn Morris (109), Alexis Fredrickson (132), Madison Davison (138), Laiken Clark (143), Ta'Ani Rhoten (170) and Sophia Ross (235) all went 1-1 Wedneday.
Shawnee Heights junior 115-pounder Molly Busenitz advanced to the semifinals and is assured of a top-six state finish, as are Seaman 126-pound senior Rylee Murray and Topeka West 235-pound sophomore Tristyn Johnson.
Shawnee Heights' Odessa Schmidt (109), Alexandria Buce (120), Reece Taylor (126), Haley Haltom (132) and McKenna Haltom (143) all went 1-1 on Wednesday and will compete on Thursday.
In addition to Rylee Murray, Seaman wrestlers Taylie Heston (109), Madison Murray (115), Jenna Best (120), Koti Best (132) and Alex Conway (191) all moved on to Thursday with 1-1 records as did Highland Park's Kimberly Rodriguez (101) and Celeste Gonzales (191) and Topeka High's Marilena Zuniga (138).
In the 4A-1A state tourney at Salina Silver Lake's Karley Holmes (101), Hailey Horton (155) and Ellen Doty (115) and Rossville's Keera Lacock (126) and Reagan Wonnell (138) all went 1-1 Wednesday and will wrestle on Thursday.
State boys tournament will be contested on Friday and Saturday, with the 6A and 5A meets at Hartman Arena, 4A at Salina and 3A-1A at Hays.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman dominated Tuesday's Class 5A-1A bowling regional at Emporia's Flint Hills Lanes, with the Vikings sweeping the team and individual championships.
Seaman's boys claimed the team championship a 3,610-3,554 margin over De Soto to punch their ticket to next week's 5A-1A state tournament at Northrock Lanes in Wichita while Shawnee Heights earned the third team berth for state by an eight-pin margin over Mill Valley.
Seaman ran away with the girls team championship by a 3,141-2,891 margin over Augusta whiile Topeka West took the third team berth for state by a 2,806-2,739 margin over city rival Shawnee Heights.
Seaman's boys bowling team poses for a team picture after winning the team title in Tuesday's Class 5A-1A regional tournament at Emporia. [Twitter]
Seaman's girls bowling team won the regional team title by a 250-pin margin in Tuesday's Class 5A-1A tournament at Emporia. [Twitter]
Seaman seniors Jack Easum and Makenzie Millard took top individual honors, recording 279 games on the way to 700-plus three-game series.
Easum took the boys title by a 747-717 margin over De Soto junior Antonio Miranda, with Easum rolling games of 235, 279 and 233.
Millard bowled her 279 in Game 1 and fell to a 165 in the second game before bouncing back with a 265 third game to finish with a 709 series. Augusta senior Kassidy Miller finished second with a 683 series.
Centennial League champion Ethan Burns, a junior, finished fourth individually for the Vikings with a 697 series while Seaman junior Zander White also cracked the top 10, finishing ninth with a 659 series.
Junior Josh Egly led third-place Shawnee Heights with a 649 series, finishing 12th individually, while senior Kaleb Rohrke was right behind Egly in 13th with a 647 and senior Aidan VanMetre took 16th with a 638.
Topeka West sophomore Cole Rodriguez finished 10th individually with a 655 series, earning an individual state berth for state.
Seaman junior Katie Price finished third in the girls individual standings with a 630 series while the Vikings also got a 10th-place finish from sophomore Cheyenne Turkin with a 540 series.
The third-place Topeka West girls put a pair of bowlers in the top 10, with sophomore Brenna Rutschman taking fourth with a 627 series and sophomore Megan Wood finishing sixth with a 601 series.
Shawnee Heights senior Karli Gilliland was the top individual girls qualifier, finishing fifth with a 603 series.
The 5A-1A state tournament will be held on Friday, March 4, at Northrock Lanes, with the boys bowling at 8:50 a.m. and the girls following at 1:40 p.m.
Seaman's boys finished third as a team in last year's state meet while the Viking girls were fourth and Millard finished fourth individually.
Washburn Rural and Topeka High will take part in a 6A regional at West Ridge Lanes on Friday, vying for state berths.
The 6A state tournament will be contested on Thursday, March 3, with the boys at 8:50 a.m. and the girls at 1:40 p.m.
CLASS 5A-1A BOYS REGIONAL Team scores
