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Bonner’s Tapia and Caballero lead 16 state tourney qualifiers

Sumner senior B.J. Keith reacted joyfully after his last-second win over Pittsburg’s Cruz Lopez earned him a trip to the state tournament. Keith was one of 16 wrestlers from Wyandotte County schools who earned a spot in next weekend’s state tournament based on their finish in the regional tournaments. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Six Wyandotte County schools took part in the KSHSAA 5A regional wrestling tournament Friday and Saturday at Blue Valley Southwest High School.

Twelve wrestlers from four of those schools finished eighth or better to earn a spot in the 5A state tournament next weekend in Park City.

Bonner Springs senior Tony Caballero, top-ranked in the 285-pound class all year, pinned all four of his opponents, including Blue Valley Southwest’s Andrew Farrell in the tournament’s final match. Caballero placed second in last year’s state tournament and heads to this year’s tournament with a season record of 24-1.

Braves’ senior Jace Tapia won the 138-pound weight class, winning two matches by fall and another by decision. He pinned Ty Lewis, from wrestling powerhouse Shawnee Heights, in the championship match.

Caballero and Tapia will be joined at the state tournament by Bonner’s Shane Daniels, who took third in the 152-pound class, and Ethan Cook, who placed sixth at 120 pounds.

The Piper Pirates are sending five wrestlers to the state tournament. Piper’s top finisher was Ja’Diz Simmons, who placed third in the 106-pound class. He pinned three opponents, but was bested by Basehor-Linwood’s Brody Ballard in the semi-finals.

Heading to Park City with Simmons are Piper’s Sawyer Vas, who placed fifth at 170 pounds, and Payton Mills, who placed sixth at 126 pounds. Makao Groneman and Nick Hoover placed eighth in the 113- and 132-pound classes to earn their places at state.

Sumner’s B.J. Keith earned his tournament berth in dramatic fashion. He faced Cruz Lopez of Pittsburg in his third match with a trip to state riding on the outcome. The back-and-forth match was tied at 3 points, with neither wrestler having a clear advantage.

With only six seconds remaining, Keith scooped up Lopez and dropped him to the mat, earning a takedown, a match win, and an opportunity in Park City.

After the close-fought contest, Keith recounted his thoughts in those final seconds.

“I was just thinking to myself, ‘I’ve got to go,'” the Sabres’ senior said. “I’m going to state. I’m going to state. I don’t care what happens or what it takes.”

Turner’s Connor Scott and Mechia Marks placed eighth in the 170- and 195-pound brackets to earn two places at the state tournament for the Golden Bears.

Washington and Schlagle high schools had wrestlers participate in the regional tournament, but didn’t have any qualifiers to the state tournament.

In other regional wrestling action, Harmon and Wyandotte high schools participated in the 6A tournament held at Shawnee Mission South.

Harmon’s Juma Ibrahim and nDoma Gazadikwe placed fifth in the 120- and 138-pound weight classes to qualify for the state tournament. Wyandotte’s C.J. Anderson (113) and Franklyn VanBebber (285) both placed sixth and will represent the Bulldogs in Park City.

Bonner Springs senior Tony Caballero defeated Blue Valley Southwest’s Andrew Farrell in the 285-pound championship match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs senior Jace Tapia wrestled Shawnee Heights’ Ty Lewis in the 138-pound final. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs senior Shane Daniels pinned Spring Hill’s Miles Bell to take third place in the 152-pound class. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Piper’s Ja’Diz Simmons pushed back St. Thomas Aquinas’s Tobius Kriner on his way to winning third place in the 106-pound class. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Piper junior Sawyer Vas took control of Mill Valley’s Holden Zigmant in their fifth place match-up in the 170-pound class. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Piper’s Payton Mills took a ride from Seaman’s Draven Bennett in the fifth place match in the 126-pound class. Bennett won 13-8 decision. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Turner’s Mechia Marks faced off with Draven Pipkin of Spring Hill in a 195-pound match. Pipkin won by major decision (11-1). (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Piper junior Nick Hoover wrestled against Seaman’s Colin Little. Hoover lost by fall in the 1st period, but went on to earn a spot in the state tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs sophomore Ethan Cook sent Basehor-Linwood’s Hudson Strahm flying in their 120-pound match. Cook won by major decision (12-4). (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Sumner freshman Miles Dean wrestled Seaman’s Jayden Foster in a 113-pound match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

The referee signaled two points for a takedown as time ran out in the 132-pound match between Sumner’s B.J. Keith and Pittsburg’s Cruz Lopez. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Four schools qualify wrestlers for state tournament

Bonner Springs sophomore Olivia Stean wasted no time in taking down Shawnee Mission North’s Cheyenne Paden, pinning her in just under 8 seconds in their match at the girls wrestling KSHSAA regional meet, held Saturday at Seaman High School in Topeka. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Eleven Wyandotte County wrestlers earned the opportunity to compete at the KSHSAA girls wrestling state tournament by placing in the regional meet in Topeka on Saturday.

Athletes from Bonner Springs, Harmon, Sumner, and Turner high schools finished fourth place or better to qualify for the tournament coming up on Feb. 23 at Hartman Arena in Park City, just outside Wichita.

Bonner Springs High School will send six wrestlers to the state meet, including Jenna Knight, who won the 120-pound weight class, and Olivia Stean, who won the 170-pound class.

Stean blasted through her two preliminary rounds, pinning her opponents in 8 and then 29 seconds. A rematch against Basehor-Linwood’s highly ranked Mandy Wilson for the title was imminent, but Wilson forfeited the match due to an injury sustained in her semi-final bout. Stean’s season record is now 38-0.

Knight won two matches by fall and a third by major decision to take the 120-pound regional title, pinning Lansing’s Kaylin Dunlap in the second round of their championship match. She heads to the state tournament with a 27-8 record.

Bonner Springs finished third in the team competition, edging past rival Basehor-Linwood in the final round.

After the meet, head coach Dale Taylor was upbeat about the team’s performance, even more about its future.

“I thought we could qualify all nine of us,” the coach said, “but we got six through. And the three that didn’t make it wrestled really hard.”

“We get this whole team back, and more,” Taylor said of his young regional squad that had no seniors and only two juniors.

Turner High School qualified two wrestlers for the state tournament. Arianna Ortiz won the 101-pound class, and Daisy Chavez finished second at 155 pounds. Ortiz defeated Mill Valley’s Raina Frantz in the final, and now holds an 18-1 record for the season.

Harmon High School will send freshman Kamahni Jackson and senior Angelica Aleman to state. Jackson won the 132-pound weight class at the regional, winning all three matches by fall and improving her record to 26-8. Aleman finished fourth in the 155-pound class.

Second-year Harmon athletic director Alma Rosas-Hall talked about her role, and the relatively new sport of girls wrestling.

“My main focus has been to improve our student involvement in activities and in sports,” Rosas-Hall said, “reaching out to the community and establishing that connection.”

Rosas-Hall cheered the team loudly from the floor, and was on hand with the coaches to encourage the Harmon wrestlers after each match.

“I’m very proud,” she said. “We’re tiny but mighty, and it’s just the belief that we can do it, no matter how big or how small you are.”

Sumner Academy’s Alissa Harris finished fourth in the 132-pound bracket to earn her spot at the state tournament.

Full list of state qualifiers:

Bonner Springs
Kylie Enriquez (109 pounds, 3rd place)
Jenna Knight (120 pounds, 1st place)
Emmalee Foya (126 pounds, 2nd place)
Chloie Knapp (155 pounds, 3rd place)
Olivia Stean (170 pounds, 1st place)
Tyler Wild (235 pounds, 2nd place)

Turner
Arianna Ortiz (101 pounds, 1st place)
Daisy Chavez (155 pounds, 2nd place)

Harmon
Kamahni Jackson (132 pounds, 1st place)
Angelica Aleman (155 pounds, 4th place)

Sumner
Alissa Harris (132 pounds, 4th place)

Harmon freshman Kamahni Jackson wrestled Seaman’s Koti Best in the 132-pound final. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs Jenna Knight flipped Seaman’s Jenna Best in their 120-pound match. Knight won by major decision (10-2) on her way to winning the class. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Turner junior Daisy Chavez wrestled against Highland Park’s Monya Dean. Chavez won the match in a 7-3 decision. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Turner junior Arianna Ortiz rolled over Mill Valley’s Raina Frantz in the 101-pound final. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Harmon senior Angelica Aleman wrestled Basehor-Linwood’s MacKenzie Botka in a 155-pound match, winning by fall in the second period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs sophomore Chloie Knapp applied some pressure to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Mackenzie Farkes and won the match in the second period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Sumner Academy junior Alissa Harris boosted Basehor’s Aleksandra Stjepanovic in their 132-pound bout. Harris won by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs sophomore Olivia Stean had the upper hand on Harmon’s Alayna Santos in their 170-pound bout. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Turner coaches M.J. Bland, left, and Paul Hansen encouraged Daisy Chavez during a match. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Turner junior Daisy Chavez wrestled Harmon senior Angelica Aleman in a 155-pound match. Chavez won by fall in the third period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs sophomore Emmalee Foya got a hold on Reece Taylor of Shawnee Heights. Foya won by fall in the third period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Bonner Springs freshman Kylie Enriquez got some leverage on Seaman’s Taylie Heston in their 109-pound match. Enriquez won by fall in the third period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Harmon freshman Kamahni Jackson hauled down Mill Valley’s Rylee Allen-Atchison in their 132-pound match. Jackson won by fall in the second period. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

Lady Cyclones prevail in defensive struggle at KC Christian

Senior forward Tina Rosales pushed past KC Christian sophomore guard Meagan Dekker for a scoring drive in Bishop Ward’s 44-33 win Friday evening. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

The Bishop Ward Lady Cyclones won 44-33 over the KC Christian Lady Panthers Friday evening, taking control in the third quarter with an overpowering defensive effort that fueled a scoring surge.

The teams took some time to find their offensive rhythm early in the game, and the score stood at only 4-2 midway through the first quarter. Ward was briefly ahead 10-4 before a late run from KC Christian closed the score to 10-8 at the end of the quarter. Point guard Jaden Oropeza had success streaking to the basket and tallied 6 points.

The Lady Panthers kept the game close in the second quarter, getting two quick turnovers to push in front 13-12 just two minutes in. Meredith Veer scored all 8 second-quarter points for the hosts, including two 3-pointers, but Ward found opportunities close to the basket to maintain an 18-16 lead at the half.

In the third quarter, Ward’s defensive intensity paid off in stops and baskets. The stops turned into fast break chances and layups for Tina Rosales and Emily Collins.

Rosales, who scored her 1,000th career point in the Lady Cyclones’ last game, hit 3 baskets and scored 3 more at the free throw line in the third quarter. The foul calls stacked up along with the defense, and Rosales had to ride the bench for the last few minutes of the quarter.

Foul trouble caught up with the Lady Cyclones in the fourth quarter as both Tina Rosales and Abby Hill fouled out of the game. The Lady Panthers earned 18 trips to the free throw line in the quarter, but they converted only 4, letting Ward keep the upper hand and finish out the game with a double-digit lead.

After the game, head coach Holland Craise praised her team’s effort.

“They really showed out tonight with defense, and like I said I can’t be more proud of them because not a lot of teams can have that defensive intensity. That’s our thing,” she said.

Rosales finished the game with 15 points for the Lady Cyclones, and Jaden Oropeza scored 12. Ward scored all its points inside the three-point arc.

Ward now has back-to-back wins and a 6-9 season record. They have three games next week: Tuesday at home against Heritage Christian Academy, on the road Wednesday at Cristo Rey, and back at home Friday against Topeka’s Cair Paravel School.