By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Topeka West's wrestling team earned USD 501 bragging rights Wednesday night, sweeping district rivals Topeka High and Highland Park in a triangular at High.
All three 501 schools were hampered by illness, with the Scots, Trojans and Chargers combining for 25 open spots -- 10 for Highland Park and eight apiece for eight for West and High).
Topeka West opened the triangular with a 48-24 victory in the first match over Topeka High, with 106-pounder Dillon Jay, 113-pounder Preston Gengler and 160-pounder Fox Cook all earning victories.
The Chargers followed their first-match victory with a 42-30 win over Highland Park. Topeka West collected 36 out of its 42 points as a result of Hi Park open spots weight classes. Cook was the West winner, recording a pin in 1 minute, 03 seconds.
The Scots earned three pins against Topeka West -- 170-pounder Tanner Lassiter, 182-pounder Adrian Burney and 285-pounder Morgan Dean.
In the battle for second place, Topeka High topped Highland Park on the Trojans' Senior Night, 36-21.
High’s 106-pounder Victor Mesa, 120-pounder Kasius Jamison, 170-pounder Jaxson Johnson and 220-pounder Andrew Perez posted wins to help boost the Trojans.
“They (seniors) mean a tremendous amount to us,'' Topeka High coach Tony Canacari said. "Andrew Perez does a great job leading us in the room. Jahmari (Pleasant) does the same thing. Azaryah, Lance, and everyone else is an awesome group. I hate losing them.
"I wish they had last season to wrestle as well, but things have been better for us this year.''
Highland Park 285-pounder Morgan Dean and Topeka High's Jahmari Pleasant do battle in Wednesday night's Topeka High wrestling triangular. Dean (left) posted a 3-0 win. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
In the 285-pound matchup, Highland Park’s Morgan Dean and High’s Pleasant went to three periods, with Dean taking a 3-0 win to go 2-0 on the night.
Despite the lack of numbers, Highland Park coach Freddy Maisberger was pleased just to be able to compete on Wednesday night.
“We have a lot of things to work on,'' Maisberger said. "I’m glad we had it (the match) even though we had a lot of people who were out, as far as sickness. We probably could’ve been closer, as far as some of the matches, but I’m just glad that we are wrestling.''
Canacari echoed Maisberger’s statements.
“I thought the kids went out there and wrestled hard,'' he said. "We got hit by COVID today pretty bad with the testing. We were open in a lot of weight classes. The kids that were here tonight competed hard.''
TOPEKA HIGH TRIANGULAR RESULTS
Topeka West 48, Topeka High 24; Topeka West def. Highland Park, 43-30; Topeka High def. Highland Park, 36-21.
GIRLS EXHIBITION MATCHES
With a large number of open spots, the girls competed in exhibition matches on Wednesday night.
Topeka West’s 120-pounder Aa’Zauviyah Majors and 155-pounder Dadriona Anderson were able to win by pin in both of their matches. Majors would win in 1:40 and Anderson won her match in 1:05.
Topeka High’s 109-pounder Neviah Martin won by decision while High’s 138-pounder Marilena Zuniga won in a16-second pin.
“I thought the girls we did have did a great job,'' Topeka High girls coach Roger Laubengayer-Mena said. "A lot of those matches were actually re-matches because we are 501, so we see them a lot. Someone like Marilena to go against (Highland Park) Ruby (Hernandez), who has been wrestling a long time was neat. Someone like Neviah (Martin) who is a first-year wrestler getting a pin felt good as well.''
The three 501 schools will all meet again on Saturday's Topeka High Invitational (9 a.m. start).
