Chieftains, Bobcats to dual at BLHS
Thursday’s wrestling dual between Tonganoxie and Basehor-Linwood will open at 6 p.m. at BLHS with 12 matches featuring members of each program’s kids club. Following the conclusion of the kids matches, BLHS seniors will be recognized in a ceremony tentatively scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
The varsity dual is scheduled for 7 p.m. and includes several of the state’s top Class 4A wrestlers. Neither program is currently present in the team rankings, but each has two individual wrestlers among the top five in their respective weight classes.
Basehor-Linwood freshman Corbin Nirschl sits atop the 106-pound rankings after his Bobcat Classic victory against nationally-ranked Matthew Schmitt. Meanwhile, senior Cory McCleary checks in at No. 5 at 160 pounds.
Tonganoxie senior Clayton Himpel — a Bobcat Classic finalist — is ranked No. 2 at 132 pounds, and junior Asher Huseman is second at 152.
Both teams will continue tournament action Saturday. The Bobcats are headed to the Paola Invitational, while the Chieftains will compete in the Gerald Sadowski Memorial Invitational in Holton.