COLUMBUS — Taevyn Baylor would not be denied.
One year after a concussion injury meant missing her regional wrestling tournament — and thus a state wrestling bid — Baylor made the most of her second chance. The Humboldt High sophomore placed third Saturday in the 155-pound weight class, thus earning a berth to next week’s Class 4-1A State Tournament in Salina.
She’ll be joined by sophomore teammate Savannah Koch, who placed fourth in the 235-pound division.
The top four finishers in each weight class advance to state.
“I’m super excited for both of them,” Humboldt head coach Kent Goodner said. “I knew Tayven was going to get top 3, with the way she’s been wrestling all year.”
Baylor (29-6) pinned Neveah Partridge of Caney Valley in the first round of her opening match, setting up a showdown with Kaylen McAtee of Girard. McAtee, who emerged from Saturday with a 26-2 record and the regional title, pinned Baylor in the second period.
Undaunted, Baylor pinned Jayhawk-Linn’s Gracee Willard in the second period of the consolation semifinal to punch her state ticket. She then repeated the effort with a pin of Dylann Hoffman of Douglass to take third.
KOCH’S route was a bit more daunting.
She fell in her first match of the day, by being pinned by Labette County’s Zoey Davis, but recovered to defeat Mayeta Fraco of Field Kindley and Cami Lewis of Independence, both with second-period pins.
With fourth place secured, Koch came up short in her rematch with Davis, this time with a third-period pin.
“This was Savannah’s best tournament of the year, and she did it when it counted most,” Goodner said.
THERE was a bit of heartbreak as well.
Tori Melendez, a sophomore, won a first-round win over Bri Sams of Frontenac and got a two-point reversal against Ella Guernsey of Chanute in the second period of their quarterfinal matchup in the 100-pound weight class.
But Guernsey worked her way free to get a point with her escape, and then got the edge with a two-point takedown with 16 seconds left in the period.
Guernsey then parried all of Melendez’s charges in the third and final period to win, 3-2.
