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Palmer, Starcher defeat 6A foes for medals

By Shawn Linenberger - | Dec 15, 2004

Garrett Palmer took his matches to the max on Saturday.

Make that Max Miller and Max Hudgins.

The Tonganoxie senior defeated Blue Valley junior Max Miller in the consolation match and Spring Hill senior Max Hudgins in the previous match for a third-place finish at the Eudora Tournament of Champions.

“That kid has a heart of gold,” THS coach Jeremy Goebel said.

Against Miller, Palmer fell behind early, 1-0, but after scoring on an escape, he never looked back. Palmer won, 4-2, against last year’s sixth-place finisher in Class 6A.

“That kid’s good,” said Palmer, who improved to 8-3 on the season.

Palmer’s consolation final came after another exciting match.

Facing Hudgins, Palmer trailed his opponent, 13-0. Palmer, though, used an over-and-under hook move on Hudgins that turned a rout against Palmer into a big-time pin and a victory.

“I barely pulled that off,” Palmer said.

In last year’s regional, Palmer fell to Hudgins, 13-3.

Palmer bounced back from a rough performance at the Kearney (Neb.) Invitational the previous week.

“It helped me out,” Palmer said about the Kearney tourney. “I knew I had to do better in this tournament. I need to do better in Goodland (Saturday’s tournament).”

Fellow senior Ross Starcher also registered a quality win against a 6A opponent. Starcher defeated St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore Jed Mamie, 11-6, in the 171-pound class. Mamie is rated No. 1 in the state at 160 and placed sixth at state last year in 6A.

With the win, Starcher placed first at Eudora and became the first Chieftain grappler to win a gold medal at the tournament.

Starcher now stands at 10-1 on the season. Before heading to Goodland for another big tournament Saturday, Starcher must first direct his attention to Thursday’s dual matches against Santa Fe Trail and Piper at SFT.

Starcher will face SFT’s Justin Wiscombe, who won state last year in 4A at Wichita.

After finishing in last place at Kearney’s 13-squad tournament, Tonganoxie placed 10th out of a 24-team field at Eudora. Aquinas won the tournament with 353.5 points

“I was really pleased with everyone,” Goebel said. “They turned it around in a week’s time.”

Tonganoxie’s third senior, Hunter Samuels, finished the day at 4-3 and placed seventh at 130.

Overall, Samuels is 7-5 after two tournaments and has 24 takedowns on the year — 20 of which came Saturday.

Also placing for Tonganoxie was Josh Maxon (189) who also placed seventh in his weight class.

Tournament results

1. Overland Park Aquinas, 353.5; 2. Blue Valley, 276; 3. Emporia, 247; 4. Lansing, 233.5; 5. Baldwin, 194; 6. Holton, 171; 7. Mill Valley, 163; 8. Lawrence, 137; 9. Chanute, 127; 10. Tonganoxie, 125.5; 11. Free State, Spring Hill, 124.5 (tie); 13. Eudora, 123; 14. De Soto, 122.5; 15. Louisburg, 102.5; 16. Olathe Northwest, 67.5; 17. Prairie View, 64; 18. Rossville, 57.5; 19. Sumner Academy, 44.5; 20. KC-Washington, 42; 21. Wellsville, 32.5; 22. Perry-Lecompton, 31; 23. Hiawatha, 29; 24. Central Heights, 28.

Current THS records
103 Beau Waters 0-5
119 Ryan Stockman 1-4
125 Jacob Ferris 2-2
130 Hunter Samuels 7-5
135 Shawn Everhart 1-5
140 Shane Banks 2-4
145 Garrett Palmer 8-3
152 Wyatt Coffin 1-5
152 Jonathan Ferris 0-2
171 Ross Starcher 10-1
189 Josh Maxon 4-6
215 Cameron Adcox 1-7
275 Jeff Frank 1-7