Tonganoxie High wrestlers take 3rd in final Kaw Valley League meet
Tonganoxie High participated in its final Kaw Valley League wrestling meet Saturday in Lansing.
The Chieftains, ranked No. 4 in Class 4A, weren’t able to come away with a league crown, but THS still finished third at the league meet.
Bonner Springs, ranked No. 3 in 4A, won the KVL title with 207.5 points.
The BSHS victory came more than a week after Tonganoxie defeated the Braves in a dual at THS.
Turner placed second with 163.5 and Tonganoxie third just behind with 161. Lansing finished fourth (147), while Piper took fifth (87), Basehor-Linwood sixth (83) and Bishop Ward seventh (0).
Tonganoxie had three wrestlers win gold — Aiden McClellan at 126, Korbin Riedel at 138 and Caden Searcy at 160.
The Chieftains had a strong day throughout the weight classes.
Freshman Hunter Harris took third at 113 after defeating Piper freshman Nick Lawson, 5-3, in sudden victory.
McClellan, a senior, won at 126 by defeating Bonner Springs freshman Corbin Bell by technical fall, 16-1, in the final period. McClellan enters regionals with a 31-6 record.
Riedel, a junior, got a big win in his championship match at 138. He defeated Lansing sophomore Joseph Irwin by a 5-0 decision.
At 145, senior Patterson Starcher took third.
Senior Gad Huseman placed second at 152 after falling, 6-2, to Piper freshman Brandon Martin.
Caden Searcy won 160 by defeating Lansing’s Dylan Ward by fall at the 1:35 mark.
At 170, Justin Hand placed third and 182, Devon Duncan also finished third. The senior lost to fellow senior Ricardo Yanez from Turner by fall at the 1:35 mark.
Sophomore Connor Searcy took second at 195 after losing to Turner junior Cameron Bates by a 5-1 decision.
At 220, Brent Carey nabbed a bronze. He took third after defeating Lansing’s Marcus Hester by fall at the 3:44 mark.
Tonganoxie junior Jacob Miller finished out the day with a 1-0 decision against Bonner Springs’ Bonner Springs junior Adam McClure. Miller placed sixth.
Regionals will be Feb. 16 and 17 in Holton.
Other teams at the regional are Atchison, Baldwin, Basehor-Linwood, Bonner Springs, Eudora, Holton, Bishop Ward, Piper, Sumner Academy, Bishop Miege, Hayden and Wamego.
Abilene, Arkansas City and Burlington are the other 4A regionals.