Junior Grayson Sonntag (126), senior Gabe Bailey (152) and senior Branden Martin (195) all won gold Saturday at a Class 4A substate in Chanute.

Sophomore Brock Coleman (106) and freshman Braeden Moore (113) took second in their respective classes, while freshman Noah Bailey also punched his ticket to state at 132 with a third-place finish, as did senior Derek Duffett at 145.

Sonntag will try to make it back-to-back state titles Saturday. He goes into this year’s tournament with a perfect 27-0 record. He won state a year ago at 120 with a 43-2 record.

Gabe Bailey placed third last year for the Chieftains at 145. He enters state at 152 with a 26-2 record this year. He also clinched win No. 100 as a high school wrestler at Chanute. He went 33-16 his freshman year and 41-8 last year.

Martin is 25-3 at 195 this year. He returns to state after taking third at 182 last year while competing for Piper. He went 34-1 last year.

Coleman enters state with a 16-4 record, while Moore is 14-2 and Noah Bailey 24-6.

“By qualifying seven we are giving ourselves a chance to have a very successful state tournament,” THS coach Brett Delich said Tuesday. “That being said we are focused on getting better daily and getting our mindset in the right place to achieve what we can. We will have to wrestle hard and good things will come.”

Senior Nick Lawson at 138 and freshman Colton Brusven at 160 also placed at substate, but just missed out on nabbing state berths. They both placed sixth at Chanute. The top four wrestlers in each class at substate advance to state Feb. 27 at Tony’s Pizza Events Center. Lawson just missed out on a return trip to state, as he was a state qualifier while at Piper.

“By making the substate tournament those wrestlers all made the final 16 at their respected weights, which is a normal qualifying number in a normal year,” Delich said.

In previous years, the postseason consisted of regionals and state, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, smaller tournaments were conducted over two more weeks.

In all, Tonganoxie sent 10 wrestlers to the substate championships. Hunter Benedict was Tonganoxie’s 10th team member, as he competed at 182.

He went 0-2 at substate, losing to Chanute senior Brayden Dillow by fall (1:35) and then Osawatomie sophomore Seth Carrow, 7-1, in the consolation bracket. Benedict, a sophomore, finished the year 11-6.

Tonganoxie led the team standings much of the day Saturday, but Chanute pulled ahead in the championship round.

The Blue Comets won the substate title in their home venue with 154.5 points.

Tonganoxie, which won district and regional titles the previous two weekends, placed second at substate with 130 points.

Fort Scott placed third with 101, Holton fourth with 92, Ottawa fifth with 90 and Frontenac sixth with 62. Louisburg finished seventh (62), Perry-Lecompton eighth (54.5), Paola ninth (46), and Coffeyville and Eudora tied for 10th (44 each). There were 12 other teams that scored points at the substate.

The 4A state tournament starts at noon Saturday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center.

Colvert qualifies for 2nd state tournament

Holly Colvert is headed back to state.

The Tonganoxie High sophomore finished as substate runner-up Friday at Anderson County.

Colvert, who placed at state last year as a freshman in the first year of girls wrestling as a varsity high school sport, finished second Friday in Garnett in a Division II substate match at 191 pounds.

Colvert, who entered substate with a 12-2 record, pinned Fort Scott sophomore Jaylee Roark in the opening round 61 seconds into the match. She then pinned Baldwin’s Jasmine Renyer in 35 seconds, setting up a championship match against Atchison County senior Tannah Forbes. The Tiger senior earned the title with a pin 1:16 into the first round.

Tonganoxie High junior Taylor Lux also placed at substate.

Lux fell to Eureka sophomore Rylee Shepherd with one second left in the second period in her opening match.

She bounced back in the consolation bracket with a pin of Clay Center’s Alissa Cowling 1:11 into the first period. Fort Scott senior Ryelee Cagle pinned Lux in the next consolation round 17 seconds into the match. Lux bounced back with a pin of Holton freshman Piper Robinson for fifth place. A victory against Cagle would have guaranteed Lux a state berth, but only the top four teams advance to state.

“Taylor made the top 12 in the state as a junior so we are looking for her to use the summer to improve and we look for big things from her next year,” Delich said. “Holly making the tournament for the second consecutive year is a great accomplishment.

“She needs to focus on getting mentally ready and she will be great this Friday in Salina. Each day she will get better at practice and will be ready to do her best.”

Baldwin won substate with 129 points, while Fort Scott placed second with 70.

Paola finished third as a team with 67.

Pratt won the other Division II substate Friday.

The Greenbacks scored 92 points at the Ellis substate for first place, while Oakley placed second (64) and Wellington third (61).

Colvert will take a 14-3 record to state this coming Friday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.