By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When Roger Laubengayer-Mena started working with Topeka High's girls wrestlers three seasons ago he could have probably counted his entire team on one hand.
Those days are long done, with depth now a team strength for the Trojans, who claimed the girls team championship in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational at Highland Park by a 101-51 margin over USD 501 rivals Highland Park and Topeka High, who tied for second.
Topeka High's girls wrestling team poses for a team picture after winning the championship in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
opeka High senior Alesia Alvarez gains the upper hand on Highland Park's Kylisha James en route to winning the 170-pound championship in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans claimed four individual titles on Saturday while also finishing second in three weight classes and posting top-three finishes in nine of 11 divisions.
Topeka High got wins from 100-pound sophomore Ingrid Cabrera, 105-pound junior Nevaiah Martin, 145-pound senior Marilena Zuniga and 170-pound senior Alesia Alvarez while the Trojans got runner-up finishes from freshman Diana Garcia (115), sophomore Zoe Dawkins (120) and sophomore Jeanea Bratton (135).
Other city girls champions included Topeka West sophomore AaZuaviyah Majors (125) and Tristyn Johnson (235) and Highland Park senior Ruby Hernandez (130).
High's Zuniga (5-0), West's Majors (3-0) and Highland Park's Hernandez (5-0) all remained unbeaten on the season.
Topeka High's boys wrestling team poses for a team picture after finishing second in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High finished second behind Gardner-Edgerton (160-128) in the boys division, with Seaman third with 122 points.
The Trojans got an individual championship from 285-pound sophomore Julio Castro while Seaman got wins from freshmen Brayden Rice (106) and Meko Ortega (132).
Topeka West sophomore Malachi Kuebler (top) won the 126-pound title in Saturday's Melvin Douglas Invitational, taking a win over Highland Park senior Angel Vargas (bottom) to clinch the championship. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Fifth-place Topeka West got wins from sophomore Malachi Kuebler (126) and senior Mason Vickers (144) while eighth-place Highland Park got an individual title from sophomore Adrian Burney (175).
Kuebler (8-0), Ortega (5-0) and Castro (5-0) all remained unbeaten on the season.
MELVIN DOUGLAS INVITATIONAL
GIRLS
Team scores
Topeka High 101, Highland Park 51, Topeka West 51, Junction City 43, KC-Washington 38, Lansing 38, KC-Harmon 27, Mission Valley 22, KC-Wyandotte 8.
Individual results
100 -- 1. Cabrera, Topeka High, 2. Orth, Junction City; 3. Castro, Topeka High.
105 -- 1. Martin, Topeka High; 2. Rodriguez, Highland Park; 3. Lenth, Topeka West; 4. Tatum, Topeka High.
115 -- 1. Serrano, Junction City; 2. Garcia, Topeka High.
120 -- 1. Dunlap, Lansing; 2. Dawkins, Topeka High; 3. English, Lansing; 4. Pinto, Topeka High.
125 -- 1. Majors, Topeka West; 2. Hooser, Lansing; 3. Jones, Topeka High; 4. Leach, Highland Park.
130 -- 1. Hernandez, Highland Park; 2. Paskow, Junction City; 3. Ayala, KC-Washington.
135 -- 1. Jackson, KC-Harmon; 2. Bratton, Topeka High; 3. Smith, Topeka High.
145 -- 1. Zuniga, Topeka High; 2. Anderson, Topeka West; 3. Jones, Topeka West.
155 -- 1. Velasquez, KC-Washington; 2. McCarty-Conner, KC-Harmon; 3. Brosa, Topeka High; 4. Bennett, Mission Valley.
170 -- 1. Alvarez, Topeka High; 2. James, Highland Park; 3. Brown, Junction City; 4. Jones, Mission Valley.
235 -- 1. Johnson, Topeka West; 2. Neal, KC-Washington; 3. Re, Junction City; 4. Cadet, Highland Park.
BOYS
Team scores
Gardner-Edgerton 160, Topeka High 128, Seaman 122, KC-Harmon 111, Topeka West 107, Junction City 99, Lansing 74.5; Highland Park 69.5, KC-Wyandotte 68, Shawnee Mission South 64.5, Lincoln Prep 64, KC-Washington 53, Olathe South 31, Mission Valley 20.
Individual results
106 -- 1. Rice, Seaman; 2. Seastrom, Mission Valley; 3. Curry, Highland Park; 4. Oldham, Gardner-Edgerton.
113 -- 1. Jones, Lincoln Prep; 2. Moreno, Topeka High; 3. Foster, Seaman; 4. Seyfert, Gardner-Edgerton.
120 -- 1. Anderson, KC-Wyandotte; 2. Miller, Olathe South; 3. Mitchell, KC-Washington; 4. Alijishi, Olathe South.
126 -- 1. Kuebler, Topeka West; 2. Vargas, Highland Park; 3. Ladd, KC-Harmon; 4. Myers, Gardner-Edgerton.
132 -- 1. Ortega, Seaman; 2. Sullivan, Gardner-Edgerton; 3. Weatherly, Topeka West; 4. Miranda, KC-Harmon.
138 -- 1. Eimers, Gardner-Edgerton; 2. Newton, Lincoln Prep; 3. Owens, Junction City; 4. Gallegos, Topeka High.
144 -- 1. Vickers, Topeka West; 2. Anderson, Seaman; 3. Upham, Junction City; 4. Hale, Shawnee Mission South.
150 -- 1. Cordova, KC-Wyandotte; 2. Bowers, Seaman; 3. Williamson, Topeka High; 4. Edmonds, Lansing.
157 -- 1. Kodger, Gardner-Edgerton; 2. Davis, Topeka High; 3. Groefsema, Lansing; 4. Padilla, Topeka West.
165 -- 1. Mitchell, Shawnee Mission South; 2. Johnson, Topeka High; 3. Vazquez, Gardner-Edgerton; 4. Tootle, Seaman.
175 -- 1. Burney, Highland Park; 2. Brinker, Lansing; 3. Rodriguez, KC-Harmon; 4. Simmons, KC-Washington.
190 -- 1. Smith, Lincoln Prep; 2. Jones, KC-Wyandotte; 3. Gallardo, KC-Harmon; 4. Groves, KC-Washington.
215 -- 1. Shaw, Junction City; 2. Contreras, KC-Harmon; 3. Duncan-Bradley, Topeka High; 4. Cruz, Gardner-Edgerton.
285 -- 1. Castro, Topeka High; 2. Bush, KC-Harmon; 3. Martin, Topeka High; 4. Collins, Highland Park.
