By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural wrestlers Easton Broxterman and Landen Kocher-Munoz put on a show in Saturday's Class 6A state tournament at Hartman Arena ... and the show could just be getting started.
Washburn Rural star Easton Broxterman gains the upper hand in Saturday's Class 6A 113-pound title match on the way to a 12-4 major decision. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural freshman Landen Kocher-Munoz has his hand raised as the 120-pound Class 6A state champion at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Broxterman, a sophomore who was making his second straight appearance in the state finals, won the 113-pound state championship with a 12-4 major decision over Junction City junior Ezekiel Witt before freshman Kocher-Munoz took the mat and delivered an 11-4 decision over Olathe East sophomore Aiden Stewart to cap his first state appearance with the 120-pound title.
And Broxterman promised that there's more to come from the Junior Blue young guns.
Washburn Rural sophomore Easton Broxterman, a two-time state finalist, won the 113-pound Class 6A state title Saturday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural freshman Landen Kocher-Munoz stands atop the victory stand at Hartman Arena after winning his first state title Saturday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"He'll be the first four-timer for Washburn and I'll be the first four-time finalist,'' Broxterman said.
Broxterman finished off his sophomore season with a 49-3 record while avenging his loss to Witt in the 106-pound title match in 2022 and he said he had been preparing for Saturday's championship match since walking off the mat a year earlier.
"It went well,'' Broxterman said. "I knew I was the best since he pushed me so hard last year and I knew I didn't want that to happen again. I've been the best a long time now and it's nice to finally show it.''
In retrospect, Broxterman said last year's title loss to Witt really helped him progress in his career.
"I'm twice the wrestler I am now as opposed to if I would have won last year because it sucked real bad and I thought about it a lot,'' Broxterman said.
None of Broxterman's four state tournament matches were close, with Broxterman taking a 15-0 technical fall, a first-period pin and 10-0 and 12-4 major decisions.
"I felt confident and I felt really good,'' he said. "I wrestled really good and it's nice to come out on top.''
Kocher-Munoz finished his freshman season with a 37-5 record and took control early against Stewart after needing overtime to post a semifinal victory and advance to the Saturday's championship match.
"I got a good night's rest and I was feeling good,'' Kocher-Munoz said. "I finally got some food in me and I tell you what, I put on the performance of a lifetime. I'm so happy.
"Yesterday wasn't the best. I was dehydrated a little bit making weight and today I was able to eat and put on a show like that.''
Kocher-Munoz agreed with Broxterman that his aim now is to add three more titles.
"That's the goal, that sounds about right,'' Kocher-Munoz said. "I love Easton. He pushes me each and every day and and we're going to the top together, I tell you that.
"Every tournament's a building block to this master plan of being a four-timer so every tournament, every practice, everything is in mind for this.''
In addition to Broxterman and Kocher-Munoz, Washburn Rural had four other state medalists en route to a sixth-place team finish with 119 points.
The Junior Blues got fourth-place finishes from 138-pound junior Blaine Baird (37-19), 150-pound sophomore Kristjan Marshall (31-16) and 157-pound junior Brody Byrne (39-13) as well as a sixth-place finish from 132-pound freshman Cooper Stivers (23-10).
