by Brian Turrel
The Bonner Springs girls’ wrestling team competed Saturday in the Leavenworth Inaugural Girls Challenger tournament. The team took 3rd place of 17 teams competing in the tournament.
Since KSHSAA voted in 2019 to sanction girls’ wrestling, Bonner Springs has rapidly built up its program.
Longtime youth club coach Dale Taylor is now the head coach of the Lady Braves team and has already recruited a roster with wrestlers in 10 of 12 weight classes. Taylor has a mix of successful club team veterans and rookies getting their first experience with competitive wrestling.
Nationally ranked sophomore Olivia Stean took 1st place in the 170-pound weight class in impressive style, winning all four of her matches by fall (that is, pinning her opponent) and averaging less than 36 seconds to do it.
Multi-sport athlete Jenna Knight placed 2nd in the 120-pound weight class. Kylie Enriquez placed 3rd in the 109-pound class. Sisters Haylie and Chloie Knapp took 3rd place in the 132- and 155-pound classes.
The Bonner Springs girls will face off in a dual meet against Manhattan on Thursday in Bonner Springs.
Turner High School also entered the meet, with a limited roster. Arianna Ortiz took 2nd place in the 101-pound class, and Daisy Chavez placed 7th in the 155-pound class. Turner placed 12th in the team competition.