HUMBOLDT —Taevyn Baylor was afraid, if ever so briefly, that history was repeating itself.
Baylor was in the midst of her Class 4-1A Regional Wrestling Semifinal against Girard’s Kaylen McAteee Saturday.
The winner would earn a championship match berth, and a bid for the upcoming state tournament in Salina.
McAtee, the third-ranked 155-pound girls wrestler in the state, slammed Baylor to the mat midway through the first period, leaving Baylor dazed, enough that the referee halted the action to ensure Baylor could continue.
Within seconds, it was apparent Baylor was fine, and the ref allowed the action to continue.
And while she wound up losing the match to McAtee — “I’ve never seen somebody with as much knowledge as she had,” Baylor said — the Humboldt sophomore’s hopes for a state tournament berth were still alive.
That was the only opening Baylor needed. She pinned her final two opponents of the day to secure third place in her weight class, and a trip to Salina next week.
The state bid coincides with Baylor’s selection in an online vote as the Iola Register’s Female Athlete of the Month.
“I went into regionals knowing I was going to give it my all, and try to not get hurt this year,” Baylor said with a smile.
As a freshman, Baylor’s season was derailed with a concussion suffered during the league meet, thus denying her the opportunity to wrestle at regionals.
“It really pushed me to do better this year,” she said.
Now, she’s allowed to refocus her goals. She hopes to earn a state medal, or at the least, win enough matches to last until the second day of the two-day tournament.
Baylor, an avid softball player, has a family connection to wrestling.
Her uncle, Curtis Baylor, was a state champion grappler from Columbus.
“Somebody told me I should try the wrestling team last year,” Baylor said. “So I signed up and found out I love it.”
