Heights qualifies 12 to state, wins regional
By Rick Peterson
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, February 17, 2008
Shawnee Heights' wrestling team didn't bat 1.000 in Saturday's Class 5A regional at Seaman, but the T-Birds were darn close.
Heights won the team championship, 184-162 margin over Lansing, and the qualified for next weekend's 5A state meet at Hutchinson in 12 of 14 weight classes, including three regional champs.
"I'm happy we qualified 12," said T-Birds coach Chad Parks, who was named the regional coach of the year. "I wanted to qualify 14, I hate leaving two guys at home."
Leading the way for Heights were regional champions Joe Newberry at 135 points, Austin Willis at 145 pounds and Atticus Disney at 285 pounds.
Newberry, a junior, improved to 27-7 with a 5-3 decision against Highland Park's Stefan Andrews in the finals.
Willis, a sophomore, pinned Lansing's Tyler Baughman in the finals, while Disney, a senior, pinned Seaman's Dwayne Lee. Willis is now 26-8 on the season. Disney is the city's lone unbeaten wrestler, taking a 30-0 record to state.
"I'm happy with what we did today, we came in and we wrestled well," Parks said. "We're finally healthy again. We've been beat up, but hopefully we're looking good going to state. That's what matters."
Seaman finished third as a team and equaled Heights' three champions.
The Vikings got wins from sophomore Hunter Garrett (23-10) at 103 pounds, junior Scott Carlat (12-14) at 130 and senior Bryson Conaway (28-13) at 160.
Garrett pinned Heights' Aspen Kmiec in the finals, while Carlat pinned Heights' Jesse Poff and Conaway earned an 8-7 decision against Lansing's Grant Hinckley.
"We had a great day," said Seaman coach Troy Keiswetter.
Highland Park didn't have a champion, but qualified nine wrestlers for state, led by second-place finishers Tyrell Carstarphen (119) and Stefan Andrews (135).
Topeka West qualified four wrestlers for state, led by senior 119-pound champion Austin Lorson.
Lorson, now 23-6 on the season, pinned Highland Park's Carstarphen in the finals.
TEAM SCORES
Shawnee Heights 184, Lansing 162, Seaman 117, KC-Sumner 78, Highland Park 74, Topeka West 59, KC-Washington 53, KC-Schlagle 29.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
103 — Garrett, Sea, pinned Kmiec, SH, 4:53; 112 — Wauer, KC-Wash, pinned Martinez, SH, 1:57; 119 — Lorson, TW, pinned Carstarphen, HP, 1:18; 125 — Blew, Lan, pinned Rhone, KC-Sch, 1:20; 130 — Carlat, Sea, pinned Poff, SH, 0:42; 135 — Newberry, SH, dec. Andrews, HP, 5-3; 140 — Terron, Lan, dec. Rickabaugh, SH, 6-5; 145 — Willis, SH, pinned Baughman, Lan, 1:52; 152 — Flynn, Lan, maj. dec. Brantingham, SH, 10-0; 160 — Conaway, SH, dec. Hinckley, Lan, 8-7; 171 — Wessel, Lan, pinned Selleck, KC-Sum, 1:11; 189 — Cox, KC-Sum, pinned Ceazer, SH, 5:25; 215 — Sharp, KC-Sum, dec. Calovich, SH, 10-4; 285 — Disney, SH, pinned Lee, Sea, 1:31.
CONSOLATION FINALS
103 — Wilson, KC-Sum, dec. Brown, Lan, 7-3; 112 — Keith, HP, third by bye; 119 — Trevino, SH, dec. Hinckley, Lan, 13-7; 125 — Kidwell, Sea, dec. Flowers, HP, 3-1 (OT); 130 — Scanlon, Lan, pinned Barksdale, HP, 1:24; 135 — Gueary, TW, dec. Schreiner, Sea, 6-5; 140 — Douglas, HP, pinned Brown, KC-Wash, 0:27; 145 — Jefferson, KC-Wash, dec. Pusch, HP, 3-1; 152 — Roath, KC-Wash, pinned Smith, Sea, 4:42; 160 — Cooper, TW, dec. Ming, KC-Sch, 7-2; 171 — Moore, HP, dec. Mason, SH, 8-3; 189 — Soroko, TW, tech fall Singer, Sea, 15-0; 215 — Strouhal, Lan, pinned McMillin, Sea, 2:13; 285 — Berry, KC-Sum, pinned Robbins, HP, 0:28.
