Cimarron’s Seabolt breaks through for first wrestling championship

HAYS, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Cimarron senior Tate Seabolt has wanted to win a state championship his entire life. Seabolt’s older brother, Josh, is the only Bluejay to win an individual wrestling crown after championships in ’17-18.

Tate had taken second the last two seasons, though was not the favorite either year. In 2019, Tate lost by first period fall to Hoxie’s Dayton Porsch in the championship. Dayton was a four-time state titlist. Last year, Seabolt lost twice, both to Norton’s Cole Amlong. Seabolt fell in the regional and again in the state championship.

This season, Seabolt recovered from an ankle injury that cost him the bulk of football. Seabolt returned to wrestling in January. On Saturday, Seabolt, the consensus favorite, captured the 195-pound title at the Class 3-2-1A state championship at Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum. In December, even before he returned, Seabolt was ranked No. 1 in the weight class.

“This year, I was kind of ‘that guy,’ that top dog,” Seabolt said. “That everybody wanted to beat. I felt not much pressure, just go out and wrestle, and perform and just do me.”

Seabolt went 18-0 and was never taken down all year. Known for his ability to control matches, Seabolt won his first state bout, 6-0. Then, he delivered a fall in 3 minutes, 12 seconds. In the championship, Seabolt beat Marion’s Todd Palic, 3-0.

“I finally got it this year,” Seabolt said.

Like Seabolt, Palic was trying to become the second Marion champion in school history – and continue the family tradition. Kyle Palic is Marion’s lone titlist with a 2015 crown.

“I wanted to win the match on my feet,” Seabolt said. “Most matches are won on our feet, and that’s something that I have struggled with a lot in the past, but this year, I have really made huge bounds. And I just wanted to go out there and dominate on my feet. Because I know I am a pretty tough rider on top, and not many people are going to hold me down. So if I go out there, take him down, it’s all in my favor.”

In the fall, Tate plans to join Josh on the Bethel College football team. Josh has become an All-American for Bethel and helped the Threshers enter the NAIA top-25. Josh has served as an influence for his brother. Tate cleared 2,500 career rushing yards for Cimarron in his career. On Saturday, Tate said the brothers talked “five or six” times.

“Every time he would go do something extra, I would go with him,” Tate said. “And every time he wasn’t wrestling and he was there, he would always try to help me – and help me fix what I was doing wrong. So, he has just been there.”

Seabolt suffered the ankle injury in Week 3 last fall. He was cleared right before Christmas. He returned Jan. 4. Seabolt felt like he returned to form at districts, which started four weeks of postseason competition.

“That (first) practice, it was awful,” Seabolt said. “I had to get my conditioning where it should have been. That was probably the worst part. And I had to start cutting weight. And it was just everything that you need to take care of at the beginning of the season was in the middle – and everything was 20 times worse. It was bad.”

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