By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
State champions Easton Broxterman, Landen Kocher-Munoz and Jaxson Thomas headline the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County boys wrestling team.
EASTON BROXTERMAN
LANDEN KOCHER-MUNOZ
JAXSON THOMAS
TONY PENA
Washburn Rural sophomore Broxterman, a two-time state finalist, won the Class 6A 113-pound state title while his freshman teammate, Kocher-Munoz, won the 120-pound crown in his first state tournament and Seaman senior Thomas won the 5A 285-pound championship after jumping up two weight divisions for his final high school season.
Washburn Rural put a county-high six wrestlers on the all-county first team, with Broxterman selected as the wrestler of the year and Kocher-Munoz named newcomer of the year.
Seaman coach Tony Pena was named the TSN Shawnee County coach of the year after leading the Vikings to the United Kansas Conference team title in his first season as Seaman's head coach.
Broxterman, 49-3 on the season, won his first individual state championship after finishing second at 106 pounds as a freshman, taking the title with a 12-4 major decision over Junction City junior Ezekiel Witt in the finals. Witt defeated Broxterman in the 106-pound title match in 2022.
Kocher-Munoz capped a 37-5 freshman season with an 11-4 decision over Olathe East sophomore Aiden Stewart in the 120-pound final while Thomas, 46-5 on the season, avenged a regional loss in the championship match, pinning Blue Valley Southwest senior Tarin Forsyth in the second period.
The TopSports.news all-county team is based in part on selections made by the seven Topeka head coaches as well as at large selections for county schools Rossville and Silver Lake.
Also earning All-Shawnee County first-team honors for Rural were senior 126-pounder Henri McGivern (19-5), junior 138-pounder Blaine Baird (37-19), junior 157-pounder Brody Byrne (39-13) and junior 190-pounder Chase Calhoon (14-11).
Shawnee Heights put six wrestlers on the All-Shawnee County first team, led by senior multi-time 5A state placer Sean Wunder.
Wunder, who posted a 43-4 record on the season, finished third at 215 pounds after posting a fourth-place finish at 195 pounds as a junior.
Also named to the all-county first team for the T-Birds were freshman 106-pounder Tristan Buce (22-18), junior 132-pounder Andrew Bonebrake (37-12), senior 150-pounder Nick Freeland (41-10) and junior 175-pounder Allen Baughman (40-14).
Rossville is represented on the first team by Class 3A-1A state placers Paxton Willett and Jacob Carver while Topeka West's Mason Vickers and Topeka High's Jaxson Johnson also earned first-team spots.
Willett, a freshman, finished third at 157 pounds to finish his season 30-9 while senior Carver (24-5) finished fourth at 285 pounds after a runnerup state finish as a junior.
Rossville senior Jacob Carver posted a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A-1A state tournament at 285 pounds after a second-place finish as a junior. [Submitted]
Vickers, a senior, earned first-team recognition at 144 pounds while Johnson, a senior, was the first-team pick at 165 pounds. Vickers went 27-6 on the season while Johnson posted a 17-12 record.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS WRESTLING
First team
Blaine Baird, jr., Washburn Rural; Allen Baughman, jr., Shawnee Heights; Andrew Bonebrake, jr., Shawnee Heights; Easton Broxterman, so., Washburn Rural; Brody Byrne, jr., Washburn Rural; Tristan Buce, fr., Shawnee Heights; Chase Calhoon, jr., Washburn Rural; Jacob Carver, sr., Rossville; Nick Freeland, sr., Shawnee Heights; Jaxson Johnson, sr., Topeka High; Landen Kocher-Munoz, fr., Washburn Rural; Henri McGivern, sr., Washburn Rural; Jaxson Thomas, sr., Seaman; Mason Vickers, sr., Topeka West; Paxton Willett, fr., Rossville; Sean Wunder, sr., Shawnee Heights.
Second team
Zack Adams, sr., Seaman; Draven Bennett, sr., Seaman; Rykan Carver, jr., Shawnee Heights; Nick Davis, so., Topeka High; Tyree English, sr., Topeka High; Ryder Harrison, fr., Washburn Rural; Gavin Hartman, fr., Shawnee Heights; Garret Holmes, fr., Silver Lake; Zach Jowers, sr., Seaman; Barrett Lietz, jr., Rossville; Kristjan Marshall, so., Washburn Rural; Hunter Reno, jr., Seaman; Cole Rosenberger, fr., Seaman; Caleb Seelbach, jr., Shawnee Heights; Cooper Stivers, fr., Washburn Rural; Samson Tootle, so., Seaman
Honorable mention
Hayden: Hunter Diedrich, so.; Jameson Kennedy, sr.; Jude Krenz, fr.; Brayden Rice, fr.; Jacob Waldy, fr. Highland Park: Adrian Burney, so.; Myles Curry, sr.; Myyeah Darr, sr.; Diego De La Torre, jr.; Angel Vargas, sr. Rossville: Aryon Klesath, sr. Seaman: Lain Anderson, sr.; Jason Foster, so.; Colin Little, jr. Shawnee Heights: Carson Anderson, so.; Evan Johnson, fr.; Kael Westgate, so. Silver Lake: Brady Cook, sr.; Trenten Harris, so.; Trenton Rollenhagen, so.; Jayden Waterer, fr. Topeka High: Luis Morones, fr.; Rehabiah Williamson, fr. Topeka West: Malachi Kuebler, so.; Vincent Redmond, jr.; Michael Weatherly, fr. Washburn Rural: Joe Clark, sr.; Nathan Miller, jr.; Aiden Newberry, fr.
Wrestler of the year -- Easton Broxterman, Washburn Rural.
Newcomer of the year -- Landen Kocher-Munoz, Washburn Rural.
Coach of the year -- Tony Pena, Seaman.
