Wrestlers gird for regionals

By RYAN RICHTER
and NICHOLAS KIMBALL

Staff writers

Hillsboro and Marion wrestlers competed in weekend tournaments as warm-ups for regional competition.

The Trojans’ wrestling team spent Friday competing at the Hoisington Tournament after a dual Thursday night at Council Grove. 

The Braves prevailed over Hillsboro, 45-24. 

The tide turned for Hillsboro the next day, though, as the Trojans finished third out of nine schools with all nine of their competitors capturing medals. 

Hillsboro’s 100 points was 26.5 behind runner-up Beloit as the hosting Cardinals topped the competition with 151.5. 

“This was a great stretch of competition for us to learn a bit more about where we are, what we need to work on, and how we need to prepare for the next few weeks of the season leading up to the regional tournaments, coach Scott O’Hare said. “We had several wrestlers compete very well in the dual at Council Grove and the tournament in Hoisington.”

David Schafer and Sutton Redger spearheaded the Trojan onslaught with championships, and the trio of Anthony Fickes, Dallas Whorton, and Rachel Schafer captured silver medals. 

Aaron Hein was Hillsboro’s sole third-place finisher. Aidan Simmons took fourth, Logan Rogers fifth, and Kaden Pawlowski sixth. 

On deck for the Trojans this weekend is Friday and Saturday action at Circle in Towanda.

Marion’s JV finishes in top 3

Sickness as well as playing host to a junior varsity meet the next day left the Warriors with a small team Friday night at Hoisington.

Chance Shults, 132 pounds, went 3-2 and placed third. Colby Lollar, 138 pounds, finished 1-3. And Caleb Darrow, 157 pounds, ended 1-4 for the night.

“Friday was a bit of a rough night for the Warrior wrestlers,” coach Tyler McMichael said. “We were able to see some teams that were from the western side of the state, and that is always a great way for us to see where we are in the last few weeks of the season.”

Saturday turned for the better as Warriors were hosts for a JV meet in which three of its wrestlers competed, two of them placing in the top three of the competition.

Kellen Waner, 120 pounds, ended 1-1 and placed second. Wyatt Soyez, 126 pounds, finished 2-2 and placed third. Eldon Smith, 144 pounds, went 0-2 and had to cut his day short because of injury.

“It was a great day to see some of our younger guys compete against others around their age,” McMichael said.

“We saw a lot of good things this weekend, but there is still plenty that we have to fine tune in the next few weeks before Regionals.”

Warrior wrestlers will be back in action and hit the road Friday to compete at Onaga.