The Hays High School varsity boys and girls wrestling teams started their season on Dec. 7, with the boys going to Junction City and the girls going to Valley Center.
On the boys’ side, there were a lot of placers. Senior Roberto Macias, junior Jonathan Rigler and sophomore Cyler Luck won their respective tournaments, with all three scoring 23 points for the team.
Senior Brungardt Boston placed fourth and scored 21 points for the team. Sophomore Camden Luck placed fifth and scored 20 points for the team. Sophomore Ethan Branaman and freshman Gabriel Campbell placed sixth and scored 18 points for the team. Freshman Lane Geist placed eighth and scored 17 points for the team. And freshman Jacinto Carillo and freshman Brian Prough placed ninth and scored six points for the team.
“We put in a very young lineup,” head coach Heath Meder said. “We had fill-ins at weights, and it’s not our lineup that we’ll probably have at the end of the year. So, performing as well as we did was really nice. You always want to come away with a winning record. I honestly felt like the guys stepped up. Overall, for a really tough dual tournament, I think we came away with some good wins.”
On the girls’ side, junior Lexi Barnett, sophomore Timber Lovewell and sophomore Eleanor Stoffel won their tournaments, with Barnett scoring 22 points, Lovewell scoring 25 points and Stoffel scoring 20 points for the team.
Junior Addison Neuberger, sophomore Emersyn Copper and sophomore Kenlee Vehige placed second, with Neuberger scoring 18 points, Copper scoring 12 points and Vehige scoring 16 points for the team.
Junior Jenessa Carrillo placed fourth overall with 11 points for the team. And, junior Emily Casas, junior Reese Vehige and freshman Chassidy Carlisle placed fifth, with Casas scoring nine points for the team and Carlisle and Vehige scoring 11 points.
“There were multiple wrestlers with injuries,” Meder said. “I think it’s a tough tournament to start with. There are some really good teams, and a lot of bigger schools, too, that are solid. To come away with second place overall as a team was a good way for the girls to start the season. So, I am happy with the team overall.”
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