The Tonganoxie High boys wrestling team won a Class 4A regional Saturday in Paola, marking the Chieftains’ third straight meet title. THS scored 202.5 points thanks in part to five individual titles.

It marked Tonganoxie’s third straight meet title, but if they would make it four connective at the state championships this coming Saturday, it would mark the program’s first state team title in school history.

Braeden Moore at 126 pounds, Noah Bailey at 132, Grayson Sonntag at 138, Tyler Pankey at 170 and Gabe Bailey at 182 all won regional gold.

Colton Brusven placed second at 160, Wyatt Harris took third at 195 and Hunter Benedict second at 220.

Moore (31-4) won all of his matches at Paola by fall, in 36 seconds, 2 minutes, 56 seconds and the finals in 26 seconds. Noah Bailey (30-9) won by fall (1:12), technical fall (15-0), major decision (15-4) and fall. He pinned Baldwin senior Benton Nakos (28-8) in 39 seconds in the finals.

Grayson Sonntag, the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association’s Regional Wrestler of the Year, improved to 35-1 after winning the 138 title. He pinned all three of his opponents Saturday, in 33 seconds in the first match, 1:06 in the second and 2:35 in the third.

THS coach Brett Delich also was named KWCA Coach of the Year.

All of Pankey’s victories at 170 also were by fall. He takes a 24-4 record into state as a sophomore after winning all of his regional matches in the first period: 57 seconds, 20 seconds, 1:49 and 1:32.

Senior Gabe Bailey, meanwhile won by fall (0:39) and then by 9-3 and 7-1 decisions. The championship victory came against Baldwin sophomore Jack Harvey, who will take a 34-3 record to state.

Brusven is 31-9 and heads to state as a sophomore. He lost to Holton junior Jayden Fletcher (35-2) by a 9-1 major decision after defeating Atchison senior Jake Rebant (35-3) in the semifinals.

Benedict also finished as regional runner-up after losing, 7-2, to Holton sophomore Dalton Roush (30-6). The THS junior takes a 21-11 record to the state championships in Salina.

Harris lost in the championship semifinalals, but won twice in the consolation bracket for third place. He improved to 17-9 after a 9-0 major decision against Baldwin senior Zayne Now (21-16) in the consolation finals.

THS sophomore Jordan Bauswell just missed a state berth. He won his first match at 106 and then lost in the next round.

He won two straight matches in the consolation bracket, but needed one more to guarantee a run of four state berths in his weight class. He got two pins and then lost to Baldwin sophomore Jayden Westgate (15-9) by a 2-1 decision in the consolation semifinals. He finished his season at 15-20.

Sophomore Pressley Herrig (9-21) went 0-2 at regionals at 113, while Grant Kelly (16-14) went 3-2, falling one match short of a state berth in the consolation bracket. Sophomore Tommy Messersmith (4-14) went 0-2 at 152, while Cooper Jones finished his high school career at regionals Saturday.

The senior won his first match by fall (1:03) and then lost in the next round. He won a consolation match in 17 seconds, but then fell to Ottawa junior Cooper Stone defeated Jones, 6-2. Jones needed two more victories to get to the consolation finals. He ended his final season at 16-15.

Tonganoxie won the regional by nearly 40 points. Host Paola scored 163.5 for second, while Holton was third with 155.

Ottawa placed fourth (148.5), Baldwin fifth (118), Louisburg sixth (111.5), Santa Fe Trail seventh (98.5), Perry-Lecompton eighth (64), Atchison ninth (46.5) and Jeff West 10th (38).

The rest of the field was Eudora and Royal Valley both with 35, Hayden 25, Bishop Miege 22 and Bishop Ward 14 at the 15-team regional.

Of the four regional champions, Tonganoxie ranked No. 3 in points with 202.5.

Augusta had the most with 239 and then Chanute scored 219.5. Scott City scored 180.5 in winning its regional.

Comparing regional scores doesn’t mean too much when projecting chances at a state title, though each team will have varying opportunities to score points heading into the 4A state championships Friday and Saturday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.

Augusta qualified 11 for state, while Chanute advanced 10. Scott City will have nine at state and as was previously mentioned, Tonganoxie qualified eight.

Chanute finished second and Tonganoxie third at state a year ago, while Augusta placed sixth.

McLouth boys wrestlers compete at Silver Lake regional

The McLouth High boys team had four wrestlers compete at a Class 3-2-1A regional Saturday at Silver Lake.

MHS was unable to get a victory, but the wrestlers also were young.

Freshman Drennan Cantrell finished the season 2-15 at 132, while fellow freshman Makade Daniels ended the season 4-15 at 138. Sophomore Gavyn Perry was 0-10 at 145, while freshman Uchenna Orji finished up the season at 220 with a 7-10 record.