Seven Marion wrestlers are headed to state
Staff writer
The Marion High School wrestling team won its regional meet Saturday at Marion, scoring 143 total team points.
It is the first regional win in the 11-year history of the Marion wrestling program. As a tangible mark of this accomplishment, Marion Head Coach Chad Adkins was named, as voted by the coaches at the tournament, as the regional coach of the year
Seven Warriors placed fourth or better in their respective weight classes and will wrestle next weekend at the state tournament at the Busch Gross Coliseum in Hays.
Four Warriors — Cody Wildin, Dillon Wildin, Tylor Neil, and Colten Johnson — wrestled in the championship matches of their weight classes Saturday. Each wrestler faced a familiar foe.
Cody has been dominant in the 140-pound weight class, amassing a 29-3 record. However, Cody has lost all three of his matches to Tyler McMichael of Central High School (Burden), including a 6-2 defeat in the 140-pound championship match on Saturday.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Cody is a state champion caliber wrestler,” Dillon said. “Cody is going to flip the script at state.”
Much like his twin brother, Dillon also faced the only opponent to best him on the year in the 145-pound weight class final. Nick Hockett of Cherryvale got the better of Dillon, 4-2, in the final of the Halstead invitational; it stands as the only loss in Dillon’s 36-1 record this season.
As soon as he knew whom he was facing in his final match, Dillon felt determined to avenge his one loss. But, it would not be easy. The three-round epic would be the match of the day.
The match was tied 2-2 going into the second round. Dillon started in the down position and was able to use his strength to stand up and release himself from Hockett’s grasp. He then grabbed Hockett’s leg and brought him crashing to the mat, scoring 2 points. But, Dillon’s 3-point lead would not last long. Hockett escaped from Dillon and won a face-to-face battle in the center of the mat to score 2 points of his own.
The contest was tied, 5-5, going into a third round that would see a flurry of points from both sides. After setting up Hockett early in the third round, Dillon had Hockett’s back to the mat and was only a count or two away from ending the match, but Hockett scrambled out from Dillon’s grip and suddenly had Dillon face down on the vinyl surface.
Dillon was down 9-8 when both wrestlers met at the center with Dillon in the down position. He wriggled free from Hockett, and forced Hockett to the floor to score 2 points. The maneuver brought the entire crowd at the USD 408 Sports and Aquatic Center to their feet; it would be the winning points of the match, 10-9.
“We’re two top-caliber wrestlers,” Dillon said. “I wanted that match. I just said, ‘It’s my time; it’s time to do something.’”
Adkins said that Dillon and Hockett wrestle with similar styles, which is why a combined 3 points decided their two matches.
“Hockett is just really good defensively. He doesn’t let you score any easy points,” Adkins said. “He scrambles well.”
Dillon was awarded the regional wrestler of the year award at the end of the tournament Saturday.
Neil faced Jared King of Hillsboro in the final match of the 152-pound weight class. Although Neil bested King Feb. 11 in Hillsboro, the two wrestlers carried nearly identical records — 32-8 for Neil and 28-6 for King — into their championship battle. King defeated Neil Saturday 12-10, even though Neil fought valiantly from an 8-3 deficit in the third round.
Colten Johnson was the final Marion wrestler to face an opponent in the championship round, but, as in two other previous tournaments, Johnson ran into the 160-pound buzzsaw known as Nick Thibault of Halstead, who is 30-1 on the season and the No. 1-ranked 160-pounder in Kansas. Johnson lost by technical fall, 17-2.
The three Warriors who climbed the consolation bracket were much more fortunate in their third-place matches.
Randy Regnier pinned Cody Ray of Eureka in the 119-pound consolation final; Brody Carroll defeated Jordan Walker of Caney Valley, 11-5, in the 130-pound third-place match; and Andy Shipman defeated Zach Wiedmeyer of Fredonia, 11-4, in the third-place match of the 135-pound weight class.
Seven Warriors is the largest number of wrestlers Marion has ever sent to the state wrestling tournament, and just through the force of sheer numbers Adkins believes that Marion has a chance to place at the state tournament.
“Everyone is capable of placing (at state),” Adkins said. “All seven of the guys wrestled really tough (this weekend).”
One Warrior is definitely not satisfied with just taking a trip to the dance.
“For me this isn’t even a sprinkle on the cake. My goal is to be a state champion,” Dillon said. “For the team, this may be the batter of the cake, but the cake isn’t even cooked yet.”
In their first round match ups at state:
- Regnier will face Adrian Lange (23-7) of Lyons.
- Carroll will face Kregg Clarke (34-5) of Lyons .
- Shipman will face Eddie Creek (23-11) of Marysville.
- Cody will face Nathan Deeds (26-5) of Goodland.
- Dillon will face Ryan Canaan (9-19) of Ellsworth.
- Neil will face Dylan Bainter (29-14) of Hoxie.
- Johnson will face Nick Hellerud (24-14) of Hoisington.
USD 408 officials will provide a bus to Hays for the tournament. Those who are interested should call Marion High School at (620) 382-2168.