BURLINGTON — Iola sophomore Addilyn Wacker proved her No. 1 state ranking is not just hype after defeating No. 2 ranked Wellsville senior Kynlie Stevenson 5-2 in overtime during the finals of Saturday’s ninth annual Burlington Invitational.
Wacker was one of three Iola High School finalists, landing the Mustangs 10th as a team out of 24 competitors.
The sophomore’s overtime thriller came after stuffing a double-leg and circling for 3 points.
“I need more confidence. I wrestled pretty good up until my last match, but there is always room to improve,” Wacker said.
She went on a tear before ending the tournament in overtime. She opened with a pin of Silver Lake sophomore Sydney Derby (8-9) with a first-period pin, then pinned Independence senior Dannee Anderson (12-5) in the semifinals before her showdown with Stevenson (20-3).
Iola freshman Kailyn Rodriguez turned more than a few heads with her first appearance in a wrestling finale. After showing potential with a silver medal at the Coffeyville Invitational to wrap up 2025, Rodriguez picked up her second consecutive second-place finish while facing opponents three classes her senior Saturday.
She opened with a first-period pin of Turner sophomore Jaci Burnett via first-period pin, then pinned Holton senior Christina Kucan after finding a butcher for a pin to put her in the finals. She fell to No. 3 ranked Baldwin senior Finley Kellerman in the finale by first-period pin.
“I feel great. It’s great to be in a great environment, where everyone is pushing each other,” Rodriguez said. “It was just the right talk and the right motivation. Just placing at all feels great.”
Junior Zoie Hesse, 190 lbs., (9-2) will likely maintain her top five status in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings after taking second place to No. 4 ranked Holton junior Marley Gilliland (10-1). Hesse fell in the final after slipping to her back while attempting to counter Gilliland’s fireman’s throw in the second period.
Before the final, Hesse was on a tear after opening with a first-period pin of Independence junior Taylor Melugin (9-7). She next avenged state tournament 2025 bronze medalist junior Ali Simhiser (5-1) after running a chicken-wing in the second period — putting her in the finals. 
Humboldt puts four on the podium
Senior Victoria Melendez, 100 lbs., (5-6) opened with a loss to Neodesha junior Maely Pipkin (13-4), then threaded her way through the consolation bracket with a 9-3 decision over Burlington freshman Bella Matney, then a 16-5 decision over Caney Valley freshman MaKenzee Dryer.
Melendez fell in the consolation semifinals to Osawatomie senior bronze medalist Shylann Thomas by second-period pin but ended her day by avenging her previous loss to Pipkin by 8-4 decision for fifth place.
At 190 lbs., senior Savannah Koch (5-8) took fifth after opening with a loss to Gilliland by first-period pin.
She rebounded with a second-period pin of Turner’s Jaycee Crummett, then fell to Simhiser in the consolation semifinals by first-period pin before rebounding with a third-period pin of Neodesha freshman Annalee Winters (8-3).
Junior Willow LaCrone, 10-5, took fifth place in the 155 lbs. weight class after opening with a first-period pin of Burlington freshman Abby Kelly, but fell to eventual champion MaKayla Connor (13-3), a Silver Lake senior, in the semifinals. LaCrone fell to eventual bronze medal Natalie Peel (14-6), a Wellsville senior, by first-period pin before ending the day with a first-period pin of Neodesha junior Peyton Carrier (5-8).
