By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A year ago, Shawnee Heights sophomore Riley Thompson served as a manager for the T-Birds’ boys and girls wrestling team.
But although she enjoyed her time in that role, she’s finding out that she’s better suited to being on the mat than beside it, particularly after earning a Division I state medal is her first state appearance.
“The chemistry with the team, it was like a family and everyone had each other’s backs and it just seemed like it was so much fun to do and would make you better as a person, to fight harder, everything,’’ Thompson said about making the switch for Chad Parks’ T-Birds.
Thompson said that her teammates encouraged her to join them as competitors throughout last season.
“They did, coaches, too,’’ Thompson said. “Everybody, was like, ‘You need to wrestle,’ and I ended up doing it and I love it.’’
Riley Thompson
Even last year, Thompson would sneak out on the mat from time to time.
“It just seemed so fun just to wrestle around with people and have no limits really, and just go for it,'' Thompson said.
Thompson also had some immediate success which helped her catch the wrestling bug, including a runner-up finish at regionals and a fourth-place finish at sub-state to earn a state berth.
Thompson then came through with one of the biggest upsets of the Division I tournament in the quarterfinals when she pinned Salina Central senior Kate Jennings, a sub-state champ who was 25-1 at the time, in just 50 seconds.
“That was crazy,’’ Thompson admitted. “I didn’t think I was going to win that at all. I just went out there and pinned her and it was pretty crazy. I freaked out a lot.’’
Thompson lost her next two matches, including being pinned by state runner-up Addison Broxterman of Washburn Rural in the semifinals, but received a medical forfeit from Jennings in the fifth-place match take the fifth-place medal.
And now Thompson, who finished the year 23-13, is officially hooked on the sport.
“Of course,’’ she said. “It just seems like I’m just going to get better. That’s what I’m going to have to do.’’
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