National Wrestling TournamentWyandotte County Kids Wrestling Club produces national championBy Donovan Corrigan
Marcus Walker fell short of his goal of winning a state championship his final two seasons in high school. Walker, a senior wrestler from Schlagle, made up for it by winning a national championship on the mat instead.
Walker, representing the Wyandotte County Kids Wrestling Club, captured a national title by earning a hard-fought 5-4 (decision) victory over Carson Powell of Oklahoma in the 128-pound finals of the Brute/Adidas Folk style Nationals in Kansas City, Missouri, over the weekend.
“Marcus has an outstanding tournament,” said Schlagle and Coronado Middle School head coach and Wyandotte County Kids Wrestling Club Director Travius Stokes said. “Most of the wrestlers in his bracket were state champions and state placers from other states. He had a lot of tough battles that came to (last) minute takedowns to win them.”
Walker, who finished second in Kansas Class 5A as a senior, went 4-0 with one pin at the national tournament. Walker, who placed in 5A as a junior, is looking at potential four-year universities to continue his wrestling career.
Walker wasn’t the only Wyandotte County Kids Wrestling Club team member to bring home a medal from the national championships. Myron Sanders Jr., a student at Coronado Middle School, placed third in the eight-grade division at 148 pounds.
Sanders defeated Zach Anderson of South Dakota, 4-0 in the third-place match. Sanders finished the tourney with a 4-1 record with one technical-fall victory.
“Myron is a control wrestler,” Stokes said. “He dominates his matches and rarely allows his opponent to score points.”
Walker and Sanders earned All-American honors for their performances at the Brute/Adidas Folk style Nationals.
“It is an honor to coach and develop great kids, who work hard and are willing to sacrifice to get better,” Marcus and Myron are cousins and as they have gotten older, they have really been there to work together, weather it be in the practice room or at home. This is the second year (our) wrestling club has had two All-Americans. Marcus is the first national champion.”
For more in-depth Wyandotte County coverage, read the Wyandotte West newspaper
Also I would like to thanks Donovan Corrigan for taking the time to publish wrestling articles in the sports section of the Wyandotte West.