McDonald ends state run with silver

SALINA — Stephen McDonald’s run through the Class 4A state wrestling tournament came to a “tough, but rewarding” end Saturday.
McDonald garnered a berth in the 220-pound championship match after a thrilling late pin of Pratt High’s Austin Gates in his semifinal match earlier in the day.
He then faced Justin Scott of Jefferson West High in the finale.
Scott was undefeated on the 2013 season, and quickly showed his powerful combination of speed and strength against McDonald.
The two fighters clinched early in the first period before Scott was awarded two points for a takedown at the 30-second mark.
McDonald, as he had done earlier in the day — all season, for that matter — did not go down without a fight. He strained and twisted, looking for any means of escape.
None was to be had.
Scott found enough torque to push McDonald onto his back about a minute later, and was rewarded with a pin at the 1:34 mark.
McDonald settled for a silver medal, ending his season at 24-4.
In other state wrestling action, Iola’s Trey Colborn was eliminated in consolation action Saturday, falling to Cooper Zeller of Holton, 9-6. Bryce Misenhelter’s state run ended Friday with a loss to Luke Carey of Tonganoxie.
“The Scott kid is tough,” said Iola High wrestling coach Brad Carson, complimenting him as being a “mauler.”
The loss did little to diminish the luster of McDonald’s unprecedented run through the tournament for an Iola High wrestler. He earned the first state medal in the school’s five-year history.
“I think what Stephen showed us throughout the season was his intensity,” Carson said. “Every match, every practice, he approached the same intensity as he would if it was for a state title. He’s one of the most competitive wrestlers I’ve ever seen at the high school level.”

NOWHERE was the competitive spirit more in evidence than in McDonald’s semifinal win over Gates, culminating with a whirlwind sequence in which McDonald entered the last 30 seconds of the match down in points and with Gates seemingly in control, having scored four straight points to make up a 3-1 deficit. Gates’ reversal and takedown of McDonald had given him a 5-3 lead as the seconds ticked away.
Even worse, McDonald was growing visibly exhausted.
“I was pretty tired by then,” McDonald said. “I knew I had to do something.”
He was able to emerge from Gates’ grasp using what he described as a “Peterson move” — only possible from a sitting position — and twisted out of Gates’ grasp. He scored two points with a reversal, then continued pushing Gates to the mat with a pin with 12 seconds remaining. The move drew a hearty roar from his small but vocal cheering squad in the Bicentennial Center’s upper deck.
“Stephen deserved that win,” Carson said. “He worked hard and stayed focused every single day” to the point that Carson would frequently use McDonald’s example on the mat to Iola’s younger wrestlers.
“He’s just so good at his escapes and on bottom, partly because he’s so physical, and he’s so intense,” Carson said. “I hope our other wrestlers were able to use his example to see how they can improve.”

COLBORN’S run through the 285-pound bracket ended with a consolation match loss to Holton’s Cooper Zeller, 9-6.
The bulk of the action occurred during a frenetic second period, which started with a 0-0 score and ended with Zeller on top 7-6.
The wrestlers went through a whirlwind sequence of reversals, with neither able to fully gain control.
Zeller secured the match with a two-point reversal early in the third quarter. An exhausted Colborn could never escape.
Colborn exited with a 1-2 record at state. On Friday, he lost to Brendan Neal of Perry-Lecompton, 5-2, before winning 8-1 over Steven Degollado of Ullyses.
“I gave it everything I had and then some,” Colborn said. “It was a good experience, although I wish I could have won some more matches.”
The experience left Colborn hungry to return as a junior in 2014.
“Oh, definitely, I want to make it back,” he said.
Colborn ended 2013 with a 19-11 record.

MISENHELTER, too, said he hopes to use the experience of his state tournament as motivation to improve. He lost to eventual 182-pound champion Levi Eck in the first round, then dropped a 12-2 decision to Carey.
“I was glad to make it to state,” he said. “I was a little nervous at the start. I settled down in my second match. I hope to do better next year.” Misenhelter went 31-14 this season.

SEVERAL other schools with names familiar to local wrestling fans also claimed state medals.
Chanute High’s Adam Cole and Jared Fiscus each placed third at 126 and 145 pounds, respectively, while Nick Ornelas and Will Divine both finished sixth at 113 and 285 pounds.
Fort Scott High’s Victor Hughes took third place at 138 pounds, while Jerad Heckman and Jacob Durossette were fourth at 126 and 145 pounds, respectively. John Metcalf finished fifth at 195 pounds.
Prairie View’s Kaleb Konitzer earned a state championship at 132 pounds by debating Kyle Wilson of Wamego in the finale. Matt Kellerman placed second at 285 pounds, losing to Joe Pomatto of Paola in the championship. Jake Bradley claimed third at 182 pounds.
Osawatomie’s Matt Lofing was fourth at 182 pounds, while Andrew Cannon placed fifth at 138 pounds.
Holton took home the team championship with 104.5 points, followed by Colby with 96 and Andale with 90.5. Iola placed 28th with 24 points. Fifty-six schools participated in the state tournament.