By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Despite losing senior returning state medalist and team leader Molly Busenitz to a season-ending knee injury earlier in the year, Saturday resulted in another United Kansas Conference team championship for Shawnee Heights' girls wrestling team.
Shawnee Heights, which has now won all four UKC girls titles that have been contested, had three individual champions crowned Saturday at Seaman, but it was the T-Birds' depth that made the difference in a 78-52 win over runner-up Seaman, with Heights adding eight runner-up finishes.
Shawnee Heights' girls wrestling team won its fourth straight United Kansas Conference team title Saturday at Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights sophomore Madison Freeland celebrates her 135-pound United Kansas Conference championship Saturday at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Heights coach Chad Parks admitted that losing Busenitz was a blow for the team but said that Busenitz and the T-Birds have done a great job of handling that setback.
"They've responded well,'' Parks said. "One thing is Molly had ACL surgery and literally was at practice that afternoon. She's still there, the girls love her, they look up to her, so she's still in there supporting them and cheering them on.
"They were all upset but then just jumped right back into business, which is what she wants.''
Shawnee Heights got individual titles from sophomore 135-pounder Madison Freeland (27-5 on the season), senior 155-pounder Cianna Graves (13-4) and senior 190-pounder Lilly Blair (16-9) while freshman Connie Burns (100 pounds), junior Odessa Schmidt (110), freshman Anissa Gonzales (115), freshman Addison Cooper (120), sophomore Reece Taylor (125), sophomore Isabel Reyes (130), senior Hannah Sixkiller (140) and junior McKenna Haltom (145) posted runner-up finishes and junior Emberlynn Phillips (105) finished third.
"Our girls battled,'' Parks said. "We know Seaman's really good and they're really good in a lot of weights we're good at, but we have depth. The thing I love about our girls is they come out and battle every single time no matter what and they're supporting each other. And to see their work ethic in the room pay off on the wrestling mats is big.''
Seaman coach Jordan Best, who was named the UKC girls coach of the year, congratulates 120-pound league champion Makenna Stuke Saturday at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka West junior Nepthali Lenth won the United Kansas Conference title at 105 pounds Saturday at Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman posted a tournament-high six individual championships, with sophomore Taylie Heston (110), sophomore Natalie Smith (115), freshman Makenna Stuke (120), junior Madison Murray (125), sophomore Koti Best (130) and senior Kaidence Heston (140) all making it to the top of the awards stand for the Vikings while sophomore Abagail Soppe (190) posted a third-place finish.
Heston is currently 25-5 on the season, while Smith is 23-4, Stuke 22-8, Murray 31-5, Best 29-5 and Heston 23-9.
Topeka West, which finished fourth as a team, got an individual title from junior Nepthali Lenth at 105 pounds while the Chargers got runner-up finishes from junior Dadriona Anderson (135) and junior Trystyn Johnson (235). Lenth improved to 13-17 on the season.
Seaman will host a Class 6A-5A regional tournament next Saturday, with competitors vying for state tournament berths. Shawnee Heights will compete in the Seaman regional while Topeka West will compete in the Wichita Southeast regional.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE GIRLS WRESTLING
Team scores
Shawnee Heights 78, Seaman 52, Leavenworth 48, Topeka West 39, KC-Turner 27, Basehor-Linwood 25, Piper 4.
Indiviual results
100 -- 1. Arianna Ortiz, Turner; 2. Connie Burns, Shawnee Heights; 3. Narissa Hampton, Basehor-Linwood.
105 -- 1. Nepthali Lenth, Topeka West; 2. Abby Everson, Piper; 3. Emberlynn Phillips, Shawnee Heights.
110 -- 1. Taylie Heston, Seaman; 2. Odessa Schmidt, Shawnee Heights; 3. Maia Dolinar, Piper.
115 -- 1. Natalie Smith, Seaman; 2. Anissa Gonzales, Shawnee Heights.
120 -- 1. Makenna Stuke, Seaman; 2. Addison Cooper, Shawnee Heights; 3. Mackenzie Waters, Leavenworth.
125 -- 1. Madison Murray, Seaman; 2. Reece Taylor, Shawnee Heights.
130 -- 1. Koti Best, Seaman; 2. Isabel Reyes, Shawnee Heights; 3. Jasmine Leonard, Piper.
135 -- 1. Madison Freeland, Shawnee Heights; 2. Dadriona Anderson, Topeka West; 3. Shyann Herring, Turner.
140 -- 1. Kaidence Heston, Seaman; 2. Hannah Sixkiller, Shawnee Heights; 3. Savannah Morris, Turner.
145 -- 1. Avari Johnson, Leavenworth; 2. McKenna Haltom, Shawnee Heights; 3. Makayla Faulkner, Basehor-Linwood.
155 -- 1. Cianna Graves, Shawnee Heights; 2. Annalia Escalante, Piper.
170 -- 1. Jacqueline Goodman, Leavenworth; 2. Malia Martin, Piper.
190 -- 1. Lilly Blair of Shawnee Heights; 2. Kennedie Miller, Leavenworth; 3. Abagail Soppe, Seaman.
235 -- 1. Hannah Jackson, Leavenworth; 2. Tristyn Johnson, Topeka West; 3. Izzy Renfro, Basehor-Linwood.
