By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker knows that his Junior Blues still have postseason battles to come this season in Rural's budding girls wrestling rivalry with Emporia.
But after dropping a 1-point decision to the Spartans in last year’s Centennial League meet and a dual loss to Emporia days earlier, Parker wanted to enjoy Friday’s Centennial League championship.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t important to me,’’ Parker said. “I think it’s probably more important to me than it was to the girls because, quite frankly, I don’t like losing. I’m not very good at it, I’m as competitive as they come.’’
Rural’s wrestlers also showed their competitiveness, pulling out a 169-164 win over the Spartans in a battle that was close all day while crowning five league champions.
“We’ve talked about how losing can be good for you and we had the best week of practice we’ve had all year, but I hope that they keep that fire in their belly because we have to see them three more times this year and they’re a handful,’’ Parker said.
Washburn Rural, the defending state champion, got individual championships from Addison Broxterman (120), Elise Romine (132), Rebekah Smith (155), Jaliah Johnson (170) and Dajia Anderson (191).
Romine’s win was a key for the Junior Blues, with the Rural senior bouncing back from being pinned by Emporia’s Caitlin Bolton in the dual loss to the Spartans to pin Bolton in the league meet.
“I had never won a tournament in my life before, I had only placed second, so I was like, “This is the one I’m doing it. I know I can do it,’ ‘’ Romine said.
The Junior Blues got runner-up league finishes from Kristin Rezac (101), Alexis Fredrickson (126), Carmen Alston (138), Laiken Clark (143) and Sophia Ross (235).
Rural got a lift from Clark, a freshman, who was promoted from the junior varsity right before the league meet, with Clark contributing 14 points in the Junior Blues’ 5-point win.
“I was super excited to join the varsity,’’ Clark said. “Everyone on the team is so inviting and loving, so they made me feel at home, like this was a safe space.
“They made me feel really happy, they hyped me up a lot and they just made me enjoy it.’’
Seaman junior Rylee Murray received the award as Outstanding Wrestler of the league tournament after taking the 115-pound championship.
Murray, Seaman’s first-ever girls league champion, was surprised to receive the outstanding wrestler honor.
“I had no clue, I’m super excited about it,’’ Murray said.
Murray went 3-0 on the day, winning her final match by pin, as Seaman finished third as a team in its first league girls meet.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GIRLS WRESTLING
Team scores
Washburn Rural 169, Emporia 164, Seaman 68, Junction City 47.
Individual results
101 — 1. Geronimo, Emporia; 2. Rezac, Washburn Rural.
109 — 1. Lesher, Junction City; 2. Keosybounheuang, Emporia; 3. Morris, Washburn Rural; 4. Dees, Seaman.
115 — 1. Murray, Seaman; 2. Goodwin, Junction City; 3. Reed, Washburn Rural; 4. Obregon, Emporia.
120 — 1. Broxterman, Washburn Rural; 2. Best, Seaman; 3. Renteria Rivera, Emproia.
126 — 1. Griffin, Emporia; 2. Frederickson, Washburn Rural; 3. Tanaka, Junction City; 4. Budge, Seaman.
132 — 1. Romine, Washburn Rural; 2. Boltono, Emporia; 3. Cheney, Seaman.
138 — 1. Munoz, Emporia; 2. Alston, Washburn Rural; 3. Heston, Seaman.
143 — 1. Boa, Emporia; 2. Clark, Washburn Rural; 3. Russell, Seaman; 4. Bailey, Junction City.
155 — 1. Smith, Washburn Rural; 2. Hernandez, Emporia.
170 — 1. Johnson, Washburn Rural; 2. Flores-Delgado, Emporia; 3. Wilson, Seaman; 4. Eagle, Junction City.
191 — 1. Anderson, Washburn Rural; 2. Ervin, Emporia.
235 — 1. Olson, Emporia; 2. Ross, Washburn Rural.
Most outstanding wrestler — Rylee Murray, Seaman.
Newcomer of the year — Charly Goodwin, Junction City.
Coach of the year — Shawn Russell, Emporia.
