By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By Centennial League girls wrestling standards, Saturday's Washburn Rural championship run was a runaway.
After losing the title by a single point to Emporia in the first girls league meet in 2020 and pulling out a five-point win over the Spartans a year ago, Washburn Rural avoided the drama in Saturday's league tournament at Highland Park, earning the title by a 190-149 margin over Emporia.
Five Rural wrestlers won individual titles, including repeat champion Addison Broxterman, and the Junior Blues got top-four league finishes in all 12 weight classes.
"Winning was goal No. 1 and goal No. 2 was to have a statement victory,'' Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker said. "It's been close the last couple of years and to win today the way that we did, with all 12 kids contributing to the title and winning it emphatically, was pretty important to us.
"The kids sent a message today and it was great.''
Junior Addison Broxterman won her second straight Centennial League wrestling title Saturday, helping lead Washburn Rural to its second straight team championship. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Broxterman, a junior 120-pounder, improved to 35-2 on the season with a win by pin over Junction City sophomore Charly Goodwin while Washburn Rural also got championships from sophomore 101-pounder Kristen Rezac (30-5), junior 132-pounder Alexis Fredrickson (34-4), sophomore 143-pounder Laiken Clark (26-10) and sophomore 170-pounder Ta'Ani Rhoten (17-7).
Washburn Rural junior Alexis Fredrickson (top) captured the 132-pound Centennial League title Saturday, helping Rural repeat as the league team champ. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Broxterman is ranked second in Class 6A-5A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association while Fredrickson is No. 4-ranked and Rezac No. 5-ranked in the current state rankings.
Rural also had a second-place finish from senior Jailyn Johnson (155), five thirds and a fourth on the day.
"I'm real confident with the way the girls are wrestling right now,'' Parker said. "Our girls are wrestling with heart.''
Seaman sophomore Madison Murray won the Centennial League title at 115 pounds, leading the Vikings to a third-place team finish. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman finished third in the team standings with 117.5 points, led by sophomore 115-pound champ Madison Murray, who improved to 24-4 on the season.
The Vikings also got runner-up finishes from freshman Taylie Heston (109), senior Rylee Murray (126), freshman Koti Best (132), junior Journey Jones (143), senior Alex Cannon (191) and Seaman coach Jordan Best was named the Centennial League girls coach of the year.
Highland Park senior Celeste Gonzalez gains the upper hand on Seaman's Alex Cannon in Saturday's 191-pound Centennial League championship match. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
After not being allowed to compete in the 2020-2021 season due to a ruling by the USD 501 school board, Highland Park, Topeka High and Topeka West all had wrestlers win titles on Saturday.
Topeka High junior Marilena Zuniga (22-6) took the 138-pound championship while Highland Park senior Celeste Gonzalez (13-4) won at 191 pounds and Topeka West sophomore Tristyn Johnson (22-5) was the 235-pound champ.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS WRESTLING
Team scores
Washburn Rural 190, Emporia 149, Seaman 117.5, Topeka High 51, Manhattan 43, Highland Park 36, Topeka West 23, Junction City 21.
Individual results
101 -- Championship: Rezac, Washburn Rural, pinned Estrada, Emporia, 2:25. Third: Cabrera, Topeka High, pinned Rodriguez, Highland Park, 2:27.
109 -- Championship: Geronimo, Emporia, dec. Heston, Seaman, Third: Morris, Washburn Rural, pinned Haeusler, Manhattan, 1:26.
115 -- Championship: M. Murray, Seaman, pinned Obregon, Emporia, 5:51. Third: Reid, Washburn Rural, pinned Wright, Manhattan, 1:54.
120 -- Championship: Broxterman, Washburn Rural, pinned Goodwin, Junction City, 3:10. Third: J. Best, Seaman, dec. Keosbounheuang, Emporia, 11-4.
126 -- Championship: Griffin, Emporia, pinned R. Murray, Seaman, 1:55. Third: Gallegos, Washburn Rural, pinned Caycedo, Manhattan, 0:43.
132 -- 1. Fredrickson, Washburn Rural; 2. K. Best, Seaman; 3. Partridge, Emporia.
138 -- 1. Zuniga, Topeka High; 2. Munoz, Emporia; 3. Davison, Washburn Rural; 4. Heston, Seaman.
143 -- 1. Clark, Washburn Rural; 2. Jones, Seaman; 3. Hernandez, Emporia.
155 -- Championship: Rosairo, Manhattan, def. pinned Johnson, Washburn Rural, 5:34; Third: Flores-Delgado, Emporia, pinned Alvarez, Topeka High, 2:45.
170 -- 1. Rhoten, Washburn Rural; 2. Rodriguez, Emporia.
191 -- Championship: Gonzalez, Highland Park, pinned Cannon, Seaman, 1:56. Third: Loggins, Topeka High, pinned Sanchez, Washburn Rural, 2:25.
235 -- 1. Johnson, Topeka West; 2. Olson, Emporia; 3. Ross, Washburn Rural; 4. Soppe, Seaman.
