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)
