By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural, the top-ranked boys wrestling team in Class 6A, lived up to that billing in Friday's regional meet at Wichita Southeast, with the Junior Blues winning the team championship by a 251.5-198.5 margin over Derby while advancing 13 wrestlers to next week's sub-state tournament.
Leading the way for the Junior Blues were six regional champs -- junior Jacob Tangpricha (27-2) at 113 pounds, senior Bishop Murray (23-1) at 120, senior Bowan Murray (26-2) at 138, junior Austin Fager (25-3) at 170, senior Remington Stiles (22-7) at 182 and senior David Huckstep (23-3) at 285.
Huckstep, who began the week second-ranked in 6A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, turned in what was arguably the performance of the day for Washburn Rural, knocking off No. 3-ranked Tai Newhouse of Free State 14-7 in the semifinals before taking a 7-4 win over No. 1 Damian Ilalio of Manhattan in the championship match.
Washburn Rural senior 285-pounder David Huckstep was named co-outstanding wrestler in Friday's Class 6A regional. [Photo courtesy of Eustacia Fager]
Huckstep was named co-oustanding wrestler of the tournament with two-time state champion Bishop Murray, top-ranked at 120. Murray claimed his title with a 3-0 decision over Free State's Darius Shields, a former 3A-1A state champ.
Washburn Rural 120-pounder Bishop Murray was named co-outstanding wrestler in Friday's Class 6A regional tournament, improving to 23-1 on the season. [Photo courtesy of Eustacia Fager]
Tangpricha, No. 1 at 113, took a 10-0 major decision over Free State's Eric Streeter, No. 5 in 6A in the finals while No. 2-ranked Bowan Murray took a 2-0 win over No. 3 Caleb Streeter of Free State at 138, No. 2 Austin Fager pinned No. 5 Matthew Marcum of Free State at 170 and No. 4 Remington Stiles knocked off No. 2 Miles Wash of Derby with a 6-2 decision at 182.
The Junior Blues got second-place finishes from Jacob Morrison (106), Henri McGivern (126), Nick Vincent (152), Chase Calhoon (195) and ZachFranco (220) while Trace Lawler (145) and Aidan Boline (160) finished third.
Washburn Rural will compete for state berths next Saturday in the 6A sub-state tournament at Wichita Heights.
CLASS 6A AT WICHITA SOUTHEAST
Team scores
Washburn Rural 251.5, Derby 198.5, Free State 188, Junction City 186, Manhattan 175, Wichita Southeast 28, Wichita East 20, Wichita Heights 14.
Individual results
106 -- 1. Woods, Derby; 2. Morrison, Washburn Rural; 3. Bradley, Free State; 4. Witt, Junction City.
113 -- 1. Tangpricha, Washburn Rural; 2. E. Streeter, Free State; 3. Z. Petrusky, Junction City; 4. Borge, Manhattan.
120 -- 1. Bishop Murray, Washburn Rural; 2. Shields, Free State; 3. Blake Junction City; 4. Agnew, Manhattan.
126 -- 1. Rusher, Derby; 2. McGivern, Washburn Rural; 3. Foxworth, Junction City; 4. Birdashaw, Free State.
132 -- 1. Taylor, Manhattan; 2. Egan, Derby; 3. A. Petrusky, Junction City; 4. Goodman, Free State.
138 -- 1. Bowan Murray, Washburn Rural; 2. C. Streeter, Free State; 3. Brunner, Manhattan; 4. Villanueva, Junction City.
145 -- 1. Neuman, Junction City; 2. Bammes, Manhattan; 3. Lawler, Washburn Rural; 4. Allen, Derby.
152 -- 1. Lindsey, Derby; 2. Vincent, Washburn Rural; 3. Seibert, Manhattan; 4. Bohanan, Junction City.
160 -- 1. Rusher, Derby; 2. Biddle, Free State; 3. Boline, Washburn Rural; 4. Padilla, Junction City.
170 -- 1. Fager, Washburn Rural; 2. Marcum, Free State; 3. Jenkins, Derby; 4. Nabus, Junction City.
182 -- 1. Stiles, Washburn Rural; 2. Wash, Derby; 3. Burenheide, Free State; 4. Everett, Wichita East.
195 -- 1. Zinkan, Junction City; 2. Calhoon, Washburn Rural; 3. Allison, Free State; 4. Bernstorf, Derby.
220 -- 1. Peterson, Junction City; 2. Franco, Washburn Rural; 3. Frehn, Manhattan; 4. Rorick, Free State.
285 -- 1. Huckstep, Washburn Rural; 2. Ilalio, Manhattan; 3. Newhouse, Free State; 4. Maples, Wichita Southeast.
