FORT SCOTT — Iola senior wrestler Wyatt Westervelt qualified Saturday to compete in the upcoming 4A state championship meet.
Westervelt defeated Prairie View’s Trevor Brooks in the consolation semifinal round of the 190-pound class by a 7-6 decision at the 4A Regional in Fort Scott.
“Being our only senior, it means a lot that he’s a two-time state qualifier,” said Iola head coach Jason Bates. Westervelt also competed at the state level as a junior.
“It is emotional. He’s a hard worker and he puts his heart into it so it’s always going to be emotional,” Bates said.
Iola’s Korbin Cloud was one win shy of reaching state after falling to Anderson County’s AJ Schaffer in the consolation semifinal. Isaac Hopkins and Xander Sellman each came within two wins of making it to state while a trio of other Mustangs also competed at regionals.
Westervelt knocked off Paola’s Sam Shore by a 12-6 decision in the quarterfinal round to begin his day. He then fell to Osawatomie’s Seth Carrow, a wrestler Westervelt has gone back and forth with all season, in a 5-0 decision.
Westervelt snuck by Brooks in the semifinal round by a one-point decision before he fell to Independence’s Isaiah Melugin by a 9-7 decision in the third place match.
Cloud scored eight team points in his 138-pound weight class.
He first won by fall over against Coffeyville’s Jaylon Hall in 1:29 in the championship round one. The Mustang was then flung down by Indy’s Josh Lawrie in a 14-3 major decision in the quarterfinal round. Cloud wasn’t done as he toppled Prairie View’s Jacob Mills in a 2:04 fall in a consolation second round matchup.
“The 138-pound weight class at this tournament is the hardest bracket out there,” Bates said. “There’s two kids that are ranked in state and two others that are above Korbin that aren’t ranked. It just didn’t go our way.”
Cloud won his consolation third round matchup over Fort Scott’s Cody Geiger by a 9-2 decision. He then fell in his final match of the day, the consolation semifinal, to Anderson County’s AJ Schaffer on a fall over in four minutes.
Hopkins scored three team points in his 150-pound weight class.
The Iolan fell to Paola’s Sheldon Martin in a 38-second fall over in the quarterfinal round. Hopkins won by fall over Chanute’s Nathan Wilson in a 4:43 fall in the consolation second round. He then lost to Labette County’s Nick Little in a 3:38 fall in consolation round three.
Sellman scored three team points in the 144-pound weight class.
Sellman, a junior, lost to Fort Scott’s Brody Gomez in a 20-second fall in the quarterfinal round. He then beat Chanute’s Owen Luttrell in a 3:22 fall in the consolation second round before losing to Frontenac’s Chase Davis in a 2:13 fall in the consolation third round.
Trapper Boren competed in the 106-pound weight class.
