KANSAS REGIONAL WRESTLING
Aquinas sending 14 to state tournament
The Kansas City Star
The St. Thomas Aquinas wrestling team has been on a mission to win a state championship all year, and it is on the brink of finishing the job.
The Saints dominated the Bonner Springs 5A regional on Saturday, scoring 267 points - 123 more than any other team - and sending all 14 wrestlers to state.
St. Thomas Aquinas had 13 wrestlers, including seven first-place finishers, in the finals of their weight classes. But the most impressive performance was turned in by junior Phillip Henes.
Henes beat previously undefeated Aldon Isenberg of Gardner Edgerton in the 135-pound championship match, avenging a 9-3 loss to Isenberg in January at the Blue Valley Northwest Invitational.
"Isenberg is an outstanding wrestler, and Phil is proving he's right up there," Saints coach Lorne Parks said. "That's a huge win for him, and he should be proud of it."
Henes said he entered regionals more confident because he'd won his last two tournaments and put in extra work at practice. But more than anything, he was happy that the Saints had everyone in their lineup advance to state, because it improves the chances of taking home a team title.
"This shows that we are good from top to bottom," Henes said.
Entering the finals, Gardner Edgerton and Mill Valley were locked in a battle for second place, with only one point separating them. The two teams went back and forth before senior Keith Curtis' victory in the 215-pound championship match gave the Trailblazers 144 points, three more than Mill Valley.
Wyandotte senior Robert Newbill won regional wrestler of the year, remaining undefeated with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Scott Markey of St. Thomas Aquinas. Gardner Edgerton coach Matt Yeamans, who had nine wrestlers qualify for state, won regional coach of the year.
Blue Valley qualifies nine
Chris Paisley came into the Kansas 6A regional at Blue Valley Northwest on Saturday knowing that his Blue Valley team had a realistic shot at winning a regional title.
Then again, so did five other teams who finished with either eight or nine entrants into this weekend's Kansas 6A state tournament, which begins Friday in Wichita.
Somehow, Blue Valley outlasted its competition. The Tigers scored 153.5 team points and qualified nine wrestlers — three first, second- and third-place finishers each — for the state tournament.
Austin Quarles at 103 pounds, Parker Madl at 112 and Conner Combes at 189 won regional titles for Blue Valley.
Although they won the regional, the Tigers didn't win the most weight classes. That distinction went to Blue Valley North. The Mustangs got victories from Nathan McCormick at 119 pounds, Jake Tanenbaum at 125, Anthony Livengood at 130 and Casey Curran at 171.
Olathe North senior Adam Almaguer, who is 34-1 at 135 pounds, earned the regional’s wrestler of the year honors with two wins.
