By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Chad Parks' Shawnee Heights boys wrestling team has dominated the United Kansas Conference ranks since the league's inception and the T-Birds will be favored again Saturday when the UKC boys and girls tournaments at held in Leavenworth.
Shawnee Heights' boys enters the UKC tournament as the No. 6-ranked team in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association's All-Class Rankings and No. 7 in Class 5A.
Two-time Class 5A state medalist Caden Walker is No. 3-ranked in the state by the KWCA heading into Saturday's United Kansas Conference tournament at Leavenworth. [File photo]
Shawnee Heights senior Caden Walker is currently ranked No. 3 in 5A and No. 7 in the all-class rankings at 160 pounds while senior Brock Ferguson is No. 4-ranked in 5A and No. 9 in the all-class rankings at 120 pounds.
T-Bird junior 220-pounder Garrett Peery is No. 5 in 5A and No. 10 overall while junior Sean Wunder is No. 5 at 195 pounds, senior Ty Lewis No. 6 in 5A at 138 pounds and senior Preston Hartman No. 6 in 5A at 182 pounds.
Ferguson, Hartman and Walker all placed fourth in the 5A state meet a year ago while Peery placed fifth.
Shawnee Heights' girls team is led by senior Maranda Bell and junior Molly Busenitz, who are both state-ranked in 6A-5A by the KWCA.
Shawnee Heights senior Maranda Bell is No. 2-ranked in the Class 6A-5A state rankings by the KWCA after placing third at state last season. [File photo/TSN]
Bell is currently second-ranked at 191 pounds while Busenitz is fifth-ranked at 115.
Bell placed third in the Division I state tournament last season and posted a 31-5 record on the season while Busenitz posted a 22-8 record last season and qualified for the state meet.
