Bonner Springs sophomore Olivia Stean dragged Leavenworth’s Kennedie Miller to the mat in championship match of the 170-pound class at the Leavenworth Inaugural Girls Challenger tournament. Stean won the match by fall in the first round and went 4-0 in the tournament. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
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.
Turner’s Arianna Ortiz defeated Raymore-Peculiar’s Courtney Stevens by fall in the first round of their 101-pound match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
The referee signalled Jenna Knight’s win over Olathe South’s Meriel Brady. Knight won by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs sophomore Chloie Knapp wrestled St. Joseph Lafayette’s Mati Womeldorff. Knapp won by decision 6-0. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Olivia Stean posed with her mom Laura after the awards ceremony. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Turner’s Arianna Ortiz, left, posed with 101-pound class winner Isa-Bella Mendoza of St. Joseph-Lafayette. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Turner’s Daisy Chavez wrestled against Leavenworth’s Jacqueline Goodman. Goodman won the match by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Jaycee Millison tried to pin Kendall Reid of Washburn Rural. Reid won the match by major decision (14-2). (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Jaycee Millison got some encouragement from coach Dale Taylor after a match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs senior Haylie Knapp threw Lawrence Free State’s Ryan Turk in their 132-pound match. Knapp won by fall in the first round. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs junior Gina Acevedo defeated Mission Valley’s Jenna Grame by fall in the third round of their 191-pound match. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs freshman Kylie Enriquez dropped Raymore-Peculiar’s Ashland Kudron. Kudron won the match on a 9-7 decision. (Photo copyright 2021 by Brian Turrel)
