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Great Bend's Bryce Hofmeister (left) wrestles Garden City's Zach Finch at 160 pounds on Thursday. Hofmeister, the No. 3 wrestler in Class 5A, defeated Finch, the No. 4 wrestler in Class 6A, 5-3. (Mike Courson / January 31, 2013) |
The Hays High wrestling team has been the dominant force in the Western Athletic Conference for the past two seasons. This year, Garden City has been the front-runner as the No. 1 team in Class 6A. Thursday, the Buffaloes picked up two more conference wins in a double-dual at Great Bend to end Hays’ run atop the WAC.
“I can’t remember the last time we were WAC champions,” said Garden City Coach Carlos Prieto. “It was nice to finally bring it home.”
The duals provided some key match-ups against ranked opponents in Classes 5-6A. Some wrestlers were missing in action to prevent other big matches. At 132 pounds, Great Bend’s Greg Burley (No. 4 in 5A) was absent, leaving Garden City’s Tevin Briscoe (No. 1 in 6A) to run the field with a 13-1 major decision against Great Bend’s Zack Schridde, and a first period pin against Hays’ Dylan McKinney. Briscoe improves to 33-4 on the year.
At 138 pounds, Great Bend’s Kade Sander (No. 2 in 5A) went uncontested without a Hays wrestler or Garden City’s returning state champion AJ Hurtado (No. 2 in 6A) in the lineup Thursday.
There was plenty of action at 170 pounds. Garden City’s Anthony Gardner (No. 2 in 6A) improved to 22-8 with a fall against Darion Yager (GB), but lost an 11-5 decision to No. 4 (5A) Kyler Meyers from Hays.
“That was a big win for us,” Hays Coach John Hafliger. “(Gardner) is extremely strong and athletic. I thought Kyler wrestled a very smart match. Other than one time he put himself in bad position and got reversed. Other than that, I thought he wrestled a really smart match and that’s what you have to do to beat a kid of that caliber.”
At 195 pounds, Hays junior Preston Weigel (No. 1 in 5A) remains unbeaten at 35-0 after pinning both of his opponents, including Garden City’s Sam Reyes (No. 5 in 6A).
For Great Bend, No. 1 Chris Burley at 126 pounds picked up two wins, defeating Garden City’s Alex Castillo by fall in the second period, and pinning Liberal’s wrestler late in the third period.
“Guys have learned if they’re aggressive against him, he’ll usually pick them apart,” said Great Bend Coach Norbert Muth. “Guys have gotten to where they sit back and try to slow down the match a little bit. He’s had to learn to be patient and take what’s there. You’re not always going to pin or tech fall someone. You just have to be patient and take what they give you sometimes.”
Garden City remains unbeaten in dual competition this year with a 42-15 win against Great Bend, and a 57-15 win against Hays.
“Rankings don’t mean anything,” Prieto said. “It’s nice to get the recognition. The No. 1 ranking we want is at the end of the year, and that’s coming up here pretty soon. We’ve got to get healthy. We have some kids who are banged up. If we get healthy, I like our chances.”
Great Bend defeated Liberal 51-10, and Hays beat Liberal 39-26. Muth knows his squad is capable of doing more, as two of his wrestlers beat Garden City wrestlers just a week ago in Garden City.
“We had a couple matches down below where we beat the guy last week and he beats us this week,” he said. “They were close matches at the Garden City tournament so they could have gone either way. They’re tough. They probably are the best team in 6A. If they wrestle well, they should win it and I hope they do.”
Results by match
Garden City 42, Great Bend 15
106 – Michael Prieto (GC) – open
113 – Efrain Sanchez (GC) def. Ryan DesLauriers 14-6.
120 – Matt Uritia (GC) def. Cody Liles 3-2.
126 – Chris Burley (GB) pinned Alec Castillo.
132 – Tevin Brisco (GC) def. Zack Schridde 13-1.
138 – Kade Sander (GB) open
145 – Trevor Kennedy (GC) pinned Brett Roberts.
152 – Chris Adler (GC) def. Emerson Campbell 12-4.
160 – Bryce Hofmeister (No. 3 in 5A, GB) def. Zach Finch (No. 4 in 6A) 5-3.
170 – Anthony Gardner (GC) pinned Darion Yager.
182 – Juan Rodriguez (GC) def. Joe Lindenberger 8-6.
195 – Sam Reyes (GC) def. Justin Henry 9-3.
220 – Gunar Brewer (GB) pinned Samson Adalco.
285 – Montana Fuller (GC) def. Jacob Crane 2-1.
Garden City 57, Hays 15
106 – Michael Prieto (GC) pinned Rance Rumbaugh.
113 – Efrain Sanchez (GC) open
120 – Matt Uritia (GC) pinned Jacob Thorell
126 –Alec Castillo (GC) pinned Russ Kohl.
132 – Tevin Brisco (GC) pinned Dylan McKinney.
138 – Tathan Burkhart (HHS) open
145 – Trevor Kennedy (GC) def. Jake Sedbrook 10-6.
152 – Chris Adler (GC) def. Leroy Franco 5-3.
160 –Zach Finch (GC) tech fall Kaelan Dietz.
170 – Kyler Meyers(HHS) def. Anthony Gardner 5-3.
182 – Juan Rodriguez (GC) pinned Joe Pfeifer.
195 – Presto Weigel (HHS) pinned Sam Reyes.
220 – Samson Adalco (GC) open
285 – Montana Fuller (GC) def. Vincent Scott 13-5.
Great Bend 51, Liberal 10
106 – open
113 –Ryan DesLauriers (GB) open.
120 –Cody Liles def. Kyler Thompson 6-5.
126 – Chris Burley (GB) pinned Gregg McClurg.
132 – Cody Smith (LHS) def. Zack Schridde 10-6.
138 – Kade Sander (GB) open
145 – Ayodale Braimah (LHS) def. Brett Roberts 8-6.
152 – Trenton Wilson (LHS) def. Emerson Campbell 11-0.
160 – Bryce Hofmeister (GB) pinned Beau Vick.
170 –Darion Yager (GB) pinned Edgar Sandoval.
182 –Joe Lindenberger (GB) pinned Shaun Lay.
195 - Justin Henry (GB) def. Ryan McClurg 6-3.
220 –Gunar Brewer (GB) pinned Jorge Nunez.
285 – Jacob Crane (GB) def. Sergio Boras 2-1 (3OT)
Hays 39, Liberal 26
106 –Rance Rumbaugh (HHS) open
113 –open
120 – Kyler Thompson (LHS) pinned Jacob Thorell
126 –Gregg McClurg (LHS) tech fall Russ Kohl.
132 – Cody Smith (LHS) pinned Dylan McKinney.
138 – Tathan Burkhart (HHS) open
145 –Jake Sedbrook (HHS) def. Braimah 3-2.
152 –Leroy Franco (HHS) def. Trenton Wilson 18-17.
160 –Beau Vick (LHS) def. Kaelan Dietz 11-4.
170 – Kyler Meyers(HHS) pinned Edgar Sandoval.
182 –Joe Pfeifer (HHS) pinned Shaun Lay.
195 – Presto Weigel (HHS) pinned Ryan McClurg.
220 – Jorge Nunez (LHS) open.
285 –Vincent Scott (HHS) def. Sergio Borjas 9-5.
