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Washburn Rural senior 120-pounder Bishop Murray was named the Shawnee County wrestler of the year after capturing his third Class 6A state wrestling championship. [Submitted]

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After a dominating 2020-21 season that produced the first state boys team title in Washburn Rural history, five state finalists and three state champions, it's probably not a big surprise that the Junior Blues also dominate TopSports.news' inaugural All-Shawnee County boys wrestling team.

The Junior Blues put eight wrestlers on the all-county team and swept the individual awards, with senior Bishop Murray selected as county wrestler of the year, freshman Jonathan Morrison named newcomer of the year and Rural coach Damon Parker earning the coach of the year honor.

Murray, 29-1 on the season, won the third Class 6A state championship of his career as a senior, taking the 120-pound championship, while Morrison (29-3) won the 106-pound title in his first state meet and Parker swept the Shawnee County girls and boys coach of the year awards after leading the Junior Blues to a sweep of the 6A state championships.

Washburn Rural junior Jacob Tangpricha won his second straight 6A state title, helping lead Rural to the team championship. [Submitted]

Washburn Rural freshman Jonathan Morrison is the Shawnee County wrestling newcomer of the year after winning a 6A state title. [Submitted]

Rural junior 113-pounder Jacob Tangpricha (33-2) won his second straight state title while senior 285-pounder David Huckstep (27-5) and junior 170-pounder Austin Fager (30-4) posted runner-up finishes at state.

Also representing the Junior Blues on the all-county team are senior 138-pounder Bowan Murray (31-4), junior 152-pounder Nick Vincent (27-9) and senior 182-pounder Remington Stiles (26-11).

Bowan Murray placed third in the 6A state meet while Vincent was fourth and Stiles fifth.

Shawnee Heights put five wrestlers on the all-county first team -- sophomore 106-pounder Tyler Lincoln (37-5), junior 120-pounder Brock Ferguson (39-5), junior 160-pounder Caden Walker (37-2), junior 182-pounder Preston Hartman (37-8) and junior 220-pounder Garrett Peery (36-8).

All five T-Birds earned state medals in the 5A meet, with Lincoln, Ferguson, Walker and Hartman all posting fourth-place state finishes and Peery taking fifth.

Rossville senior 145-pounder Layne Hurla (29-4) was a state finalist in 3A-1A, while Silver Lake senior 138-pounder Kai Allen (40-4) and junior 170-pounder Daigan Kruger (50-2) both posted third-place state finishes and Rossville junior 152-pounder Sam Twombley (19-5) and Silver Lake junior Justin Rakestraw (18-7) both finished fourth at state.

Seaman earned a pair of all-county first team berths -- senior Kyle Adams at 126 pounds and sophomore Jaxson Thomas at 195 pounds.

Adams went 14-3 on the season while Thomason compiled a 23-4 record.

ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS WRESTLING

First team

Kyle Adams, sr., Seaman; Kai Allen, sr., Silver Lake; Austin Fager, jr., Washburn Rural; Brock Ferguson, jr., Shawnee Heights; Preston Hartman, jr., Shawnee Heights; David Huckstep, sr., Washburn Rural; Layne Hurla, sr., Rossville; Daigan Kruger, jr, Silver Lake; Tyler Lincoln, so., Shawnee Heights; Jonathan Morrison, fr., Washburn Rural; Bishop Murray, sr., Washburn Rural; Bowan Murray, sr., Washburn Rural; Garrett Peery, jr., Shawnee Heights; Justin Rakestraw, jr., Silver Lake; Remington Stiles, sr., Washburn Rural; Jacob Tangpricha, jr., Washburn Rural; Jaxson Thomas, so., Seaman; Sam Twombley, jr., Rossville; Nick Vincent, jr., Washburn Rural; Caden Walker, jr., Shawnee Heights.

Second team

Allen Baughman, fr., Shawnee Heights; Aiden Boline, jr., Washburn Rural; Conner Botts, so., Washburn Rural; Preston Gillen, jr., Silver Lake; Joey Hilton, jr., Shawnee Heights; Justin Kruse, jr., Seaman; Trace Lawler, jr., Washburn Rural; Ty Lewis, jr., Shawnee Heights; Henri McGivern, so., Washburn Rural; Ewan Mills, sr., Seaman; Cole Parrish, jr., Shawnee Heights; Hunter Reno, fr., Seaman; Clayton Stephenson, sr., Hayden; Tristan VandeVelde, jr., Silver Lake; Sean Wunder, so., Shawnee Heights.

Honorable mention

Hayden: Drew Cready, fr.; J.C. Cummings, so.; Will DeVader, sr.; Ben Holmes, so.; Jameson Kennedy, so.; Braden Rose, so. Rossville: Mason Boce, fr.; Corey Catron, jr.; Colby Hurla, jr.; Krew Lacock, so.; Barrett Lietz, fr. Seaman: Lain Anderson, so.; Garrett Griffin, fr.; Caeden Heydenreich, sr.; Zach Jowers, so.; Colin Little, fr.; Don Russell, so. Silver Lake: Devin Dultmeier, jr.; Kaden Walker, so. Shawnee Heights: Andrew Bonebrake, so.; Dawson Campbell, jr.;Cole Manrose, jr.; Decker Stickelman, sr. Washburn Rural: Christen Ahif, sr.; Ford Brandt, jr.; Chase Calhoun, fr.; Zach Franco, so.

Wrestler of the year -- Bishop Murray, Washburn Rural.

Newcomer of the year -- Jonathan Morrison, Washburn Rural.

Coach of the year -- Damon Parker, Washburn Rural.

Washburn Rural wrestling coach Damon Parker has been named the Shawnee County boys and girls coach of the year after leading the Junior Blues to a sweep of the 6A state titles. [Photo by Jeff Jacobsen/Action Images Photography]