By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

PARK CITY -- Washburn Rural's girls wrestling team doubled its fun Thursday en route to a dominating performance in the Division I state wrestling tournament at Hartman Arena.

Rural, which captured the championship in the inaugural girls state tournament in 2020, made it team title No. 2 Thursday while the Junior Blues got a pair of individual titles, from seniors Rebekah Smith at 155 pounds and Dajia Anderson at 191, and Anderson won her 2nd state championship in two different weight classes.

Rural sophomore Addison Broxterman also made it to the finals, finishing second at 120, and the Junior Blues had six medalists overall.

And while Damon Parker's Junior Blues had needed Anderson's win to pull out a 4-point decision in the '20 state meet, there was no such drama Thursday, with Rural clinching the championship before the final round even began on the way to a decisive 100-74 margin over Wichita North.

Washburn Rural coach Damon Parker hoists Rebekah Smith in the air after Smith won the 155-pound state title Thursday night. [Submitted]

Washburn Rural senior Rebekah Smith (right) captured the 155-pound state title Thursday night, helping lead the Junior Blues to their second straight state team championship. [Submitted]

"We were able to pull those (three finalists) in the hallway before the finals and let them know, 'We've already won this thing,'" Parker said. "So there was no pressure, 'Just go out and have fun.'

"This is pretty special because there was some doubt coming in and we knew we'd have our hands full with (Wichita) North and Garden City," Parker said. "But the girls showed up. We thought we'd show up with eight qualifiers and leave with eight placers. I know there are a couple girls who didn't make it on the podium who were disappointed, at least at first. But I watch them over there cheering their hearts out for their teammates.''

Smith, who had finished third at 170 pounds as a junior after a tough 1-point loss in the semifinals, pinned her way to her 155 state title, capping her 3-0 day and a 20-1 season with a pin of Dodge City sophomore Ashley Arroyo (22-2) late in the first period (1:48).

""When I was on the mat and I felt everybody watching me, that moment of last year in the semifinals came to mind," Smith said. "I just said, 'No! This is my moment.' ''

Smith made sure she enjoyed her moment, leaping into Parker's arms and then going up in the stands to celebrate with her Rural teammates and family.

"I did it!" Smith exclaimed. "I just felt that moment and when I tied up that headlock all my emotions rushed through and I pinned her."

Senior Dajia Anderson notched her second straight state title Thursday night, winning the 191-pound crown after taking the 235 championship as a junior. [Submitted]

Unlike last season, Anderson went into her championship match pressure-free and wrapped up her repeat title and a 30-4 season when she pinned Wichita North freshman Meya Howell (26-4) in their 191-pound final at the 2:44 mark. 

"I was still super-nervous, but it was so much fun,"  Anderson said. "Last year was stressful, like 'Oh my gosh, I have to do this.' So this was a lot of fun."

In addition to its three finalists Washburn Rural got a 3rd-place finish from junior Jaliah Johnson at 170 pounds, a 5th from sophomore Alexis Fredrickson at 126 and a 6th-place medal from junior Shayne Miles at 115.

Johnson finished 3rd at state for the second straight season.

BELL, THOMPSON PLACE FOR T-BIRDS

Shawnee Heights junior 191-pounder Maranda Bell and 120-pound sophomore Riley Thompson both ended up on the medal stand, with Bell finishing 3rd and Thompson earning a 5th-place medel in the first state tournaments for both wrestlers.

Bell's third shot at Rural's Anderson ended when the T-Bird standout was pinned by Howell in the semifinals, but she bounced back to post two first-period pins to take 3rd.

Shawnee Heights' Maranda Bell bounced back from a semifinal loss to finish 3rd in the Division I state tournament. [Submitted]

Thompson notched a big upset in her first match of the day, needing just 50 seconds to pin sub-state champion Kate Jennings of Salina Central. After losing back-to-back matches, including a loss to Broxterman in the semis, Thompson received a medical forfeit in the 5th-place match.

DIVISION I GIRLS STATE WRESTLING

At Hartman Arena.

TEAM SCORES

Waashburn Rural 100, Wichita North 74,Garden City 71, Dodge City 69,  Emporia 51, Olathe West 50, Gardner-Edgerton 44, Goddard 44, Wichita West 42, Olathe East 30, Salina Central 29, Great Bend 29, Shawnee Heights 29, Basehor-Linwood 27,Piper 26, Free State 26, Wichita South 25, Olathe South 24.5, Bonner Springs 24, Olathe North 21, Hays 20, Piper 20, Leavenworth 20, Andover Central 19, Kansas City-Sumner Academy 18, Valley Center 18, Junction City 16, Shawnee Mission West 16, Blue Valley Southwest 14, Eisenhower 12.5, Turner 11, Derby 10, Campus 6, Pittsburg 6, Newton 4, Spring Hill 4.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

101 -- 1. Larisa Garcia, Wichita North; 2. Erin Wetterstrom, Olathe-East; 3. Chloe Sullivan, Garden City; 4. Arianna Ortiz, Turner; 5. Amara Ehsa, Derby; 6. Breckyn Elliott, Great Bend.

109 -- 1. Dialeen French, Wichita North; 2. Sarah Zimmerman, Hays; 3. Olivia O'Donnell, Basehor-Linwood; 4. Lainie Burkhart, Eisenhower; 5. Laila Lesher, Junction City; 6. Julie Yoder, Spring Hill.

115 -- 1. Ryasia McDougle, Wichita West; 2. Audrie Felkins, Goddard; 3. Alaina Johnson, Shawnee Mission West; 4. Rodah Bengi, Wichita North; 5. Erin Jackson, Campus; 6. Shayne Miles, Washburn Rural.

120 -- 1. Nicole Redmond, Olathe South; 2. Addison Broxterman, Washburn Rural; 3. Lily Kepler, Gardner-Edgerton; 4 Ariana DeLaRosa, Dodge City; 5. Riley Thompson, Shawnee Heights; 6. Kate Jennings, Salina Central. 

126 -- 1. Breanna Ridgeway, Great Bend; 2. Belle Hernandez, Garden City; 3. Madelynn Griffin, Emporia; 4. Hannah Glynn, Blue Valley Southwest; 5. Alexis Fredrickson, Washburn Rural; 6. Lydia Dong, Salina Central.

132 -- 1. Madyson Gray, Free State; 2. Anjelina Serrano, Garden City; 3. Jadyn Bond, Kansas City-Sumner Academy; 4. Elle Fishburn, Olathe West; 5. Alecandria LaForge, Wichita South; 6. Leslie Garcia, Dodge City.

138 -- 1.Sara Lake, Piper; 2. Xara Bacci, Andover-Central; 3. Shelby Davis, Gardner-Edgerton; 4. Virginia Munoz, Emporia; 5. Bethanie Cruz, Garden City; 6. Brooke Swango, Junction City.

143 -- 1. Ashlynn Goodwin, Goddard; 2. Autumn Perez, Dodge City; 3. Cadence Christenson, Basehor-Linwood; 4. Dakota Konzem, Gardner-Edgerton; 5. Hannah Boa, Emporia; 6. Delilah Sherbin, Wichita South.

155. -- 1. Rebekah Smith, Washburn Rural; 2. Ashley Arroyo, Dodge City; 3. Grace Timmons, Valley Center; 4. Laney Finazzo, Olathe West; 5. Alondra Guzman, Garden City; 6. Jaymie Murry, Newton.

170 -- 1. Olivia Stean, Bonner Springs; 2. Hannah Jackson, Leavenworth; 3. Jaliah Johnson, Washburn Rural; 4. Joette Almaraz, Dodge City; 5. Trinity Williams, Wichita South; 6. Mercedes Angeles, Pittsburg.

191 -- 1. Dajia Anderson, Washburn Rural; 2. Meya Howell, Wichita North; 3. Maranda Bell, Shawnee Heights; 4. Elizabeth Ruggles, Olathe North; 5. Trinity Ervin, Emporia; 6. Ashley Martinez, Dodge City.

235 -- 1. Makayla Rivera, Olathe West; 2. Dru Johnson, Wichita West; 3. Rebekah Franklin, Salina Central; 4. Akaiya Tinsley, Olathe East; 5. Hailey Conley, Olathe North; 6. Megan Olson, Emporia. 

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