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Tonganoxie wrestling’s postseason push

By Shawn Linenberger - | Feb 18, 2016

The Tonganoxie High wrestling squad didn’t nab a gold medal Saturday at the Kaw Valley League meet at Bonner Springs, but the Chieftains medaled eight wrestlers at final tuneup before regionals.

THS had three silvers, three bronze medals and two fourth-place finishes. Overall, THS placed fifth with 91 points. Mill Valley won the meet with 191.5. Bonner Springs placed second with 144 and Turner third (131.5).

Basehor-Linwood also finished ahead of THS in fourth with 120.5. All of matches but one ended as decisions at the end of regulation. One match, Korbin Riedel’s championship in the 120-pound division, was a major decision.

Aidan McCllelan got the Chieftains started with a third-place finish at 113. The sophomore (15-7) defeated Bonner Springs sophomore Jacob Sullivan (16-11), 3-0.

Riedel fell to Bonner Springs junior Tanner Hancock (35-2), 11-2. Riedel, a freshman, enters his first regional competition with a 35-7 record.

At 126, sophomore Gad Huseman (30-9) finished runner-up to Mill Valley sophomore Conner Ward (32-6). Ward won the match, 8-1.

Jay Willcutt earned a fourth-place finish at 138. The THS junior lost, 10-3, to Basehor-Linwood senior Ryan Hawthorne (20-17). Willcutt enters regionals with a 17-19 mark.

At 145, THS sophomore Caden Searcy brought home bronze with a 5-2 consolation match against Mill Valley senior Ryan Anderson (23-19). Searcy improved to 27-10 with the 3-1 mark at the league meet.

THS sophomore Justin Hand nabbed Tonganoxie’s final silver medal at the meet after facing Bonner Springs senior Kolbe Seaton in the 152-pound division title match. Seaton improved to 17-12 on the season, while Hand now is 24-15 entering regionals.

In the 160 consolation match, Tonganoxie’s Kody Knight placed fourth after losing, 4-3, against Turner senior Julien Winters (21-14). The THS sophomore now is 13-18 on the year.

And at 170, Tonganoxie sophomore Devin Duncan (15-11) defeated Mill Valley freshman Ethan Koepke (9-20), 3-0, for third place.

The Chieftains now direct their attention at the postseason.

THS competes Friday and Saturday in a Class 4A regional in De Soto against DHS, Atchison, Baldwin, Basehor-Linwood, Eudora, Holton, Bishop Ward, Piper, Sumner Academy, Jefferson West, Ottawa, Santa Fe Trail, Bishop Miege and Spring Hill.

The top four finishers in each weight division will advance to the state tournament Feb. 26 and 27 in Salina.

Friday’s competition begins at 2 p.m. and Saturday’s starts at 11 a.m. in the De Soto gymnasium.

Other regional sites are Columbus, Smoky Valley (Lindsborg) and Rose Hill.

Team scores3

  1. Mill Valley, 191.5; 2. Bonner Springs, 144; 3. Turner, 131.5; 4. Basehor-Linwood, 120.5; 5. Tonganoxie, 91; 6. Lansing, 88; 7. Piper, 11; 8. Bishop Ward, 0.