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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Easton Broxterman
EASTON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
Broxterman captured his second straight Class 6A state wrestling title in his third straight state final Saturday night at Hartman Arena in Park City. Broxterman capped a 49-1 junior season with a 15-0 technical fall over Maize freshman Vincent Rosas in the 132-pound championship match, ending the match with 1:33 left in the second period after building a 13-0 lead in the opening period.
Brody Byrne
BRODY BYRNE, Washburn Rural
A senior 157-pounder, Byrne ended his high school wrestling career with his first Class 6A state championship Saturday night at Hartman Arena in Park City. After finishing fourth as a junior, Byrne scored late in the championship match to take a 6-4 decision over Olathe East junior Ender Rider. Byrne finished his season with a 36-3 record, helping Rural finish third as a team in 6A.
Rykan Carver
RYKAN CARVER, Shawnee Heights
Carver, a senior, ended his high school wrestling career with the Class 5A 285-pound state championship, the first state medal of Carver's prep career. Saturday's title match at Hartman Arena in Park City went to overtime before Carver took a 4-3 decision over St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore Stephen Carroll. With his win in the final, Carver finished his season with a 38-8 record.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A lot -- in fact virtually everything -- had to go Rossville's way down the stretch if the Bulldawgs were going to have a shot at the Class 4A-1A state girls wrestling team championship.
Rossville's girls wrestling team poses for a team picture after winning the Class 4A-1A championship by a half point over Oakley. [Photo by Jeff Reesor]
And that's exactly what happened, with Rossville rallying to claim the school's first state wrestling team title by a scant 82.5-82.0 margin over Oakley while Chanute finished third, just 2.5 points off the winning pace.
“We had to have everything fall our way,'' Bulldawg coach Bryce Gfeller told KSHSAA Covered. "The girls put the hard work in and everything fell into place for them.”
Rossville senior Kendra Hurla celebrates her fourth state championship after recording a last-second pin Saturday in Salina. [Photo by Rick Peterson Jr./KSHSAA Covered]
Bulldawg 120-pound senior star Kendra Hurla captured her fourth state championship in dramatic fashion, trailing twice in the title match beore pinning Mulvane junior Leiannah Landreth as time expired, picking up decisive bonus points while capping a perfect 38-0 season.
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Shawnee Heights senior wrestling standout Rykan Carver earned his first Class 5A state medal Saturday night at Hartman Arena.
Shawnee Heights senior 285-pounder Rykan Carver won a Class 5A state title Saturday at Hartman Arena, taking a 4-3 overtime decision. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Rykan Carver celebrates his 285-pound state title Saturday night at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
And that one medal was THE medal, with Carver winning the 5A 285-pound state championship with a 4-3 overtime win over St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore Stephen Carroll.
"It just feel great,'' Carver said. "It feels like hard work's paying off. I'm very grateful for all my coaches and teammates and family that believed in me and helped me along the way when I didn't really always believe in myself. It feels good.''
Carver said he started thinking he might be able to challenge at state after winning a regional championship a week earlier.
"I was hoping to medal,'' Carver said. "That was really my main goal, just to medal, and then see how far I could take it and I ended up getting all the way, so I'm grateful for that.''
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural junior wrestling star Easton Broxterman admits that he used to be a bundle of nerves before he took the mat for a big match.
These days it's Broxterman's opponents that should be nervous.
Washburn Rural junior Easton Broxterman (top) dominated Saturday's 132-pound championship match en route to a 15-0 technical fall, winning his second straight state title. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Easton Broxterman points up to the Rural cheering section after capping a 49-1 win with his second state title. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
"This year's been different,'' Broxterman said. "I've been pretty confident and I've been wanting to wrestle, but before that I think if you ask any of my coaches, I was always the most nervous.
"I always felt like throwing up. I threw up a lot before all my matches, but this year I've just been anxious, not even been nervous anymore, just ready to go out there.''
On Saturday night at Hartman Arena Broxterman appeared to be as cool as a cucumber as he methodically posted a 15-0 second-period technical fall over Maize freshman Vincent Rosas to earn his second straight Class 6A state championship in his third straight final-round appearance.
From un-ranked to un-equaled: Washburn Rural girls wrestling rolls to repeat Class 6A-5A state crown
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural's Damon Parker loves every team he's coached, but the 2023-2024 Junior Blues girls wrestling team will always hold a special place in his heart.
Washburn Rural junior state runnerup Molly Spader hoists the championship trophy after the Junior Blues won their fourth state team championship in five seasons Saturday at Hartman Arena. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
The Junior Blues spent much of the season-unranked in Class 6A-5A and entered the state meet ranked sixth, but Saturday night Washburn Rural was back on the Hartman Arena floor celebrating their second straight state team championship and an amazing fourth title in five years.
Parker looked at the championship as icing on the cake to what he said has been the most fun he's ever had as a coach.
"Ever,'' Parker said. "It's not like one of the most, it is the most. When you've really got to earn it, it is so much more rewarding, it's so much more valuable and we had to earn everything this year. We have four kids this year that we anticipated having on the roster that weren't able to compete with us this year, and those four kids were state medalists.
"That's worth about 60 team points and you don't take 60 points off the board and then repeat as state champs. It doesn't happen. That's taking Jordan and Scottie Pippen off the Bulls and then expecting them to repeat. It doesn't work that way and (the Junior Blues) somehow found a way. They got it done.''
Washburn Rural junior Molly Spader gains the upper hand on Derby senior Amara Ehsa during Saturday's 105-pound state final. Spader dropped a tough 6-4 decision but Rural won its fourth state team title. [Photo by Selena Favela/Special to TSN]
Junior 105-pound runnerup Molly Spader, who earned her second state medal with a 35-3 record on the year, was one of six Junior Blues to earn state medals as Rural posted a 118-96 win over Garden City, with Dodge City third with 87 points.
