By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's hard for Shawnee Heights girls wrestling star Maranda Bell to fathom the fact that her high school career is about to come to an end.
"Yesterday I was just going into high school and then it's already almost over,'' Bell said.
And when that time comes at the conclusion of Wednesday and Thursday's Class 6A-5A state girls tournament at Park City's Hartman Arena, Bell knows it's going to be an emotional time.
"I know I'm going to cry,'' she said. "It's going to be bittersweet.''
Shawnee Heights senior wrestling star Maranda Bell will compete in her final high school state tournament Wednesday and Thursday at Park City's Hartman Arena. [File photo/TSN]
After missing state her sophomore season with a shoulder injury, Bell earned a third-place state finish a year ago.
Now the goal for Bell, No. 2-ranked by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, is to close out her banner prep career with a bang.
"I've made sure I've been working harder than ever to make sure I'm 100 percent ready for state,'' Bell said.
Bell takes a 22-1 record into this week's state tournament and said that lone loss has driven her to improve.
"It sucked to lose, but it's definitely motivation,'' she said.
Shwnee Heights coach Chad Parks also has high hopes for Bell in her final prep event.
"We would love to see Maranda win a title,'' Parks said. "As coaches we know she deserves it. She's battled a lot of injuries in high school, so for her to go out on top would be huge.
"But I 100 percent know that she'll go out and will fight every single match and, at the end of the day, that's all we can ask.''
Bell is one of eight state qualifiers for Shawnee Heights, which won a regional team championship, with 115-pound junior Molly Busenitz also coming off an individual regional title.
"When we get to the state tournament it's show up and wrestle hard,'' Parks said.
Seaman will have seven wrestlers in the 6A-5A state tournament, led by regional champions Taylie Heston and Rylee Murray.
Heston is a 109-pound freshman and Murray a 126-pound senior.
The first round of state competition gets under way at 10 a.m. Wednesday and will continue through the semifinal round.
Competition will resume at 9 a.m. Thursday and will continue through the place matches.
The 4A-1A state tournament will be contested at the Tony's Pizza Events Center in Salina,getting under way with first-round matches at 10 a.m.
Rossville sophomore 120-pounder Kendra Hurla, a state champion as a freshman, leads a eight-wrestler Shawnee County contingent into that state meet.
Rossville sophomore Kendra Hurla is a returning state champion and top-ranked in Class 4A-1A at 120 pounds. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]
Hurla, 35-0 on the season, is top-ranked by the KWCA at 120 pounds.
Hurla was one of three state qualifiers for the Bulldawgs while Silver Lake qualified four wrestlers for state.
Sophomore 101-pounder Elaina Wolff is Hayden's lone qualifier, the first girls state qualifier in school history.
