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Chargers get past wrestlers

By Shawn Linenberger - | Dec 19, 2001

Santa Fe Trail wrestlers simply have “Trail” written across the chests of their maroon singlets.

Tonganoxie coach Bill DeWitt wished every team the Chieftains wrestled had the same garb.

THS traveled to Santa Fe Trail on Thursday and faced the Chargers, ranked No. 7 in 4A.

Tonganoxie’s Andy Koontz started the match off with a 10-8 overtime win against SFT freshman Tyler Cordts. The Chieftain freshman scored an escape in the extra stanza for the 103 pound win. Ross and Chad Starcher posted pin and forfeit wins in the next two contests, and the Chieftains had a 15-0 lead.

The Chieftains though, couldn’t maintain it down the stretch, and the Chargers won the Kaw Valley League match, 45-30.

“We need to wrestle like that all the time,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt said that was the closest his team has come to Santa Fe Trail in his five years at THS.

“They’re starting to wrestle the man and not the uniform,” DeWitt said.

Senior Josh Ferris didn’t seem concerned with the wrestler or the uniform. Ferris, wrestling in the 125 pound division, took Charger wrestler Cody Betsworth to the wire. Betsworth, ranked No. 2 in the state, claimed a slim 6-5 decision. Other ranked Santa Fe Trail wrestlers were Max Connelly and Travis McBurney. Connelly, ranked No. 6 in the 135-pound division, pinned THS’ Garrett Palmer. McBurney, ranked No. 2 in the 140-pound class, pinned Jerry Hartshorn.

DeWitt said Tonganoxie wasn’t far from beating Santa Fe Trail.

“Where they were weak, we were unfortunately a little weaker.”

The Chieftains were without Travis Andrews and Steve Adcox at Santa Fe Trail. Andrews was out with a back injury and Adcox didn’t compete because of a school policy violation.

Andrews did recover and compete in Saturday’s junior varsity meet at Leavenworth.

The Chieftains also competed against Piper at Santa Fe Trail. Tonganoxie won 53-27, thanks in large part to 11 pins. Andy Koontz, Ross Starcher, Lance Thompson, Pat and Matt Weyer, Andrew Miller, James Hartshorn and Jerad Starcher all scored pins. The Chieftains also won two decisions.

Tonganoxie is off until Jan. 3 when the Chieftains take on Basehor-Linwood and Immaculata in a double dual at Basehor-Linwood.

The Chieftains enter the winter break with a 6-3 dual record and a first-place finish in the Onaga XII Classic.

Junior varsity at Leavenworth

Andrews took first in the 130-pound class at the junior varsity meet Saturday in Leavenworth. Brad Nickel (119), Garrett Palmer (125) and Alan Bauerly (215) also picked up silver medals.

Tonganoxie 53, Piper 27

103 Koontz, Tonganoxie, pinned Stone, Piper. 112 R. Starcher, T, pinned Moore, P. 119 C. Starcher, T, def. Kerns, P, 16-1. 125 Losenski, P, def. Ferris, T, 11-9. 130 Thompson, T, pinned Montgomery, P. 135 Greathouse, P, pinned Palmer, T. 140 Link, P, def. Je. Hartshorn, T, by disqualification. 145 Montgomery, P, pinned Price, T. 152 P. Weyer, T pinned Dulaney, P. 160 Jobe, P, pinned Eisman, T. 171 M. Weyer, T, pinned Schweinfurth, P. 189 Miller, T, pinned Williams, P. 215 Ja. Hartshorn, T, pinned Reed, P. 275 J. Starcher, T, pinned Myer, Piper.

Santa Fe Trail 45, Tonganoxie 30

103 Koontz, T, def. Cordts, SFT, 10-8 (OT). 112 R. Starcher, T, pinned Fulton, SFT. 119 C. Starcher, T, won by forfeit. 125 Bellsworth, SFT, def. Josh Ferris, T, 6-5. 130 Schmale, SFT, pinned Thompson, T. 135 Connelly, SFT, pinned Palmer, T. 140 McBurney, SFT, pinned Je. Hartshorn. 145 Wiscombe, SFT, pinned Brian Price, T. 152 Eden, SFT, pinned P. Weyer. 160 Baird, SFT, pinned Eisman. 171 M. Weyer, T, def. Bretsnyder, SFT, 19-12. 189 Miller, T, pinned Ward, SFT. 215 Ja. Hartshorn. 275 DeWitt, SFT, pinned J. Starcher, T.