By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Senior individual champions Lacey Middleton and Madi Blanco led the way as Washburn Rural girls wrestling reigned supreme in Saturday's 35-school eighth annual Ladycat Classic at Basehor-Linwood, taking the team championship by an 184.5-147 margin over the host Bobcats.
Washburn Rural senior Lacey Middleton has her hand raised after winning the 125-pound title in Saturday's Ladycat Invitational at Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
Washburn Rural senior Madi Blanco fought back from a 7-2 deficit to win the 140-pound championship with a pin in Saturday's Ladycat Invitational at Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
“I was impressed with our mental fortitude (Saturday), because this is always a crazy tough tournament,'' Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker told KSHSAA Covered. "We go to a national level tournament the week before this, and then they've got finals week. And then we come to this, which is the toughest tournament in the state of Kansas.
“It's the fact that they were able to keep it together. We always have some kids that struggle this week because of all of those external stressors. And this is the first time that I really saw them mat-side supporting each other and doing the relationship stuff that we really preach. They showed what they're capable of. I was impressed.”
Middleton, now 14-2 on the season, won the 125-pound title with a 4-1 decision over Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior Courtney Nye.
Middleton won with a takedown with 15 seconds left in the third period.
“I stopped being surprised by Lacey Middleton a long time ago,'' Parker said. “She's going to surprise other people because she's not a household name with everybody, but she will be. There is nobody here that went through more hammers than Lacey Middleton did today.”
Blanco, 13-1, took the 140 crown, rallying from a 7-2 deficit to record a second-period (3:18) win by pin over Dodge City junior Alejandra DeLaRosa.
“She's down 7-2, fights off her back and gets up with the biggest smile ever on her face,” Parker said. “That's who she is as a human. It’s such a rare gift to be able to look at the scoreboard, see yourself in a humongous hole, and be like, ‘Oh, cool, what a challenge. I can't wait.’ She is that kid.”
The Junior Blues also got third-place finishes from freshman 105-pounder Aliyah Tangpricha (12-2) and senior 170-pounder Elia Smith (12-2), a fourth from senior Emme Blanco (12-2) and sixth-place finishes from junior 130-pounder Rylee-Jade Ebanez (12-6) and 235-pound sophomore Emma Mehl (9-5).
“Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the way that they wrestled (Saturday),'' Parker said. "But the coolest thing about this squad is they understand the way we performed here has absolutely no bearing on what's going to happen six weeks from now in February. They're going to enjoy it today, go home and we'll get back to work once we get back from the Christmas break.”
Shawnee Heights sophomore Olive Jones won the 135-pound championship in Saturday's 35-school Ladycat Classic at Basehor-Linwood. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
Shawnee Heights fnished 11th as a team with 87.5 points as T-Bird sophomore Olive Jones captured the 135-pound championship with a pin at the 3:46 mark over Nemaha Central junior Autumn Feldkamp, improving to 13-1 on the season.
The T-Birds also got a fourth-place finish from junior 125-pounder Audry Hinkly (8-5), a fifth from senior 145-pounder Olivia Stevens (9-2) and a seventh from junior 190-pounder Brooklyn Binkley (6-5).
Rossville junior 145-pounder Madelyn Wonnell (9-4) posted a sixth-place finish, while Bulldawg sophomore Nora Mitchell (11-4) finished seventh at 105 pounds.
Seaman sophomore Hollister Olson-Thomas (6-6) placed sixth at 135 pounds while Viking sophomore Avery Villines (7-5) finished eighth at 125.
Silver Lake junior Kamiryn Clark (6-5) finished eighth at 100 pounds.
Rural won the Basehor-Linwood LadyCat Classic with 184.5 points. Basehor-Linwood’s was second with 147 points. Lacey Middleton (125) and Madi Blanco (140) won their weight classes.
T-Birds' Bonebrake claims title in Scott Bacon Classic
Shawnee Heights freshman Jacob Bonebrake earned the 113-pound championship in Saturday's Scott Bacon Classic at Blue Valley.
Bonebrake, now 14-1 on the season, took a 6-2 decision over Blue Valley junior Rocco Lanzisero in the title match, leading Shawnee Heights to a sixth-place team finish (319.5).
The T-Birds also got a third-place finish from 150-pound junior Brody Brown (17-1), a fourth from senior 175-pounder Evan Johnson (12-4) and a sixth from sophomore 144-pounder Carter Kamanda (8-10).
Seaman finished fourth as a team with 335 points, led by a third-place finish from senior 157-pounder Brennen Bowers (18-1).
The Vikings also got a fourth-place showing from junior 150-pounder Deegan Frazier (15-3), fifths from 138-pound junior Ross Shipley (15-3) and 285-pound junior Henry Reichart (15-4) and a sixth from 126-pound freshman Cale Heston (11-7).
Lawrence Free State won the team championship with 386 points.
Trojans third in Emporia Winter Classic
Topeka High's boys finished third in Saturday's 14-school Emporia Winter Classic with 161 points, seven points behind host Emporia, while Hutchinson won the team title with 220 points.
The Trojans got runnerup finishes from 120-senior Luis Morones (7-2), 132-pound junior Asher Filbeck (8-4) and 150-pound senior Brandon Blancas (9-3) and third-place finishes from 157-pound senior Jordan Stiner (12-3), 165-pound senior Rock Williamson (12-2) and 175-pound junior Landon Snyder (8-2).
Topeka High 138-pounder Kalyhn Gardner finished fourth while 113-pounder Jose Gomez and 144-pounder Michel Weatherly finished fifth.
Senior 132-pounder Samuel Portlock placed fourth to pace Highland Park.
Wildcats go 4-1 in Ottawa Duals
Hayden's boys went 4-1 in Saturday's Ottawa Duals, with the Wildcats' lone loss a 42-36 decision to Labette County.
Earlier in the tournament Hayden took a 60-18 win over Wellsville, a 51-17 win over Ottawa, a 48-24 victory over Osawatomie and a 42-26 decision over Anderson County.
Wildcats Joseph Rogers (113 pounds), Andrew Esquivel (132), Caleb Menke (175) and Jude Krentz (190) all went undefeated on the day, with Menke pinning four of his five opponents while Esquivel and Krentz both recorded three pins.
Eagles fourth in Abilene tourney
Silver Lake had seven wrestlers post top-three finishes Saturday as the Eagles placed fourth as a team in the Abilene Invitational with 121 points, 42 points behind team champ Andale.
The Eagles got runnerup finishes from 120-pounder Bryce Cormier (7-1), 132-pounder Jaxon Waterer (7-1), 138-pounder Garrett Holmes and 190-pounder Paxton Willett while 144-pounder Kai Colcher, 175-pounder Kayden Clelland and 285-pounder Carter Spreer all finished third.
