Warriors dominate invitational
Staff writer
Marion High School Wrestling Head Coach Chad Adkins said Thursday that it was business time for the Warriors.
At the Chase County invitational, the MHS wrestlers performed Saturday like a Fortune 500 Company.
Eight Warrior wrestlers made the final round of the tournament, and Marion easily won the team trophy.
Brody Carroll (130 pounds), Andy Shipman (135), Cody Wildin (140), Dillon Wildin (145), and Colten Johnson (160) won their respective weight classes.
Randy Regnier (119) lost in the championship match and Tylor Neil (152) won a third-place contest. Brayden Putter (112) and Evan Slater (189) lost in third-place matches, placing fourth.
“This was exactly what we needed,” Adkins said. “It’s fun to see these guys put it together.”
While the performances of the Wildins, Neil, and Regnier were to be expected, Adkins had been waiting all year to see Carroll, Shipman, and Johnson on the podium.
Adkins relished Johnson’s victory because Johnson wrestled the match of the night against Nick Trapp of Herington.
Johnson was down 6-3 going into the final round of the 160-pound championship match. Trapp looked to be in position to win the match, holding Johnson’s face to the mat, but Johnson was able to escape his grasp and bring his score within 2 points of a tie. With 40 seconds remaining on the clock, Johnson tied the score by swinging around Trapp. In overtime, Johnson gained the final advantage, 8-6.
“He doesn’t quit,” Adkins said of Johnson’s prowess in overtime matches; it was his second in as many meets. “He doesn’t score a lot of points but he works hard. He’s finally putting his stuff together. He controlled the match.”
Just as impressive as Johnson’s come-from-behind win was Carroll’s dismantling of Burlingame’s Bryan Lockard, 15-9.
The match was evidence of Carroll’s increase in aggression and confidence. Carroll tossed Lockard around, completing several successful throws.
“He’s a lot more confident,” Adkins said. “He’s really getting good on his feet. He’s getting better at his transitioning moves. You can get those back points a lot easier if you think a couple steps ahead.”
At one point late in the match, Adkins yelled at Carroll to get going. Early in the season, the freshman wrestler would have responded timidly, but he responded to Adkins’ challenge by ratcheting up his effort.
“He gets it now,” Adkins said of Carroll’s response. “Brody’s for real.”
Adkins believes that the success the team had at Chase County will transfer into confidence and motivation going into regionals beginning Friday in Marion.
“Every kid over there was wanting some of that,” Adkins said of the Marion wrestlers who cheered for Johnson.
Adkins persuaded every Warrior to stay until the final matches were over so they could bask in the team’s success because he believes strongly in spreading the confidence to the entire team.
“You helped us earn this title,” he said to the team. “Stay down here and get the glory.”
Warriors defeat Hillsboro
The Marion High School wrestling team defeated its neighbors Thursday at Hillsboro, 34-22.
Although the Marion-Hillsboro wrestling rivalry is subdued because the teams see each other in tournaments and meets almost every week, the dual was closely contested.
Colten Johnson’s match against Aaron Bina in the 160-pound weight class was representative of the battle between the two teams. Johnson and Bina spent the entire first round of their match feeling each other out and ended the period with the score knotted at 0.
Johnson started the second round in the down position and was able to escape Bina’s grasp to score a point and Johnson held his 1-0 lead until 34.3 seconds remained in the third round. With Johnson in the up position, Bina was able to wriggle free and swing around the Marion wrestler to score 2 points. With the seconds quickly draining off the clock, Johnson fought through Bina’s clutches and was able to escape to tie the score at 2-2.
In overtime, Bina again started in the down position and was able to swing around Johnson to win the match in sudden-death fashion, 4-2.
Ultimately, the Warriors top wrestlers were victorious. Cody Wildin (140) pinned Dimitri McClelland and Dillon Wildin (145) scored a technical fall, defeating Justin King 18-2. Evan Slater (189) pinned Evan Just, but every other Marion wrestler won on points.
Tylor Neil (152) narrowly edged Jared King, 2-1. Neil was able to hold King in the up position for the entire third round to win the match. Randy Regnier (119) defeated Bret Mueller, 12-0, and Brody Carroll (130) defeated Darren Mueller, 10-1.
The Warriors were not as lucky against Hoisington and Smoky Valley in their first two matches of the night.
Marion lost to Hoisington, 38-34. Regnier, Cody Wildin, Dillon Wildin, and Neil all won by pin, but it was not enough to overtake the Cardinals.
The Warriors were dangerously close to overtaking a strong Smoky Valley squad, tying the score, 24-24, going into Johnson’s match at 160, but the Warriors were unable to edge the Vikings, eventually losing, 40-36.
Regnier, Carroll, and Cody Wildin all won by pin. Dillon Wildin defeated Ian Lemon, 6-3, and Neil defeated Lars Peterson, 4-1.
“We just left too many points out there,” Marion Head Coach Chad Adkins said.
Area students earn HCC honors
Seven area Hutchinson Community College students made honor roll for the fall semester. Students on the Dean’s Honor Roll earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the semester.
Marion County students named to the list were Jaclyn Ulery and Nick Walls, Hillsboro; Ellen Ray and Lindsey Richmond, Marion; Adam Benson and John Carroll, Peabody; and Matthew Klenda, Tampa.