SALINA — Bryce Misenhelter got a rough taste of his own medicine Friday.
Squaring off against the defending state wrestling champion at 195 pounds, Concordia’s Skyler Hittle, Misenhelter quickly found himself at a disadvantage when Hittle lunged at his legs.
In practically one swoop, Hittle finagled Misenhelter into a cradle position — in which a wrestler has his opponent by the knock with one arm and the knees in the other, holding his foe in a near fetal position.
It’s a move Iola’s wrestlers are fond of, one Misenhelter has used to his advantage occasionally.
This time the shoe was on the other foot. Hittle, the top ranked 195-pounder in Class 4A, pinned Misenhelter 27 seconds into their quarterfinal match.
“Bryce tends to give up his legs, because he’s so long and lanky that he can get out of it,” IHS head coach Brad Carson said. “That doesn’t work against a defending state champion.”
The loss in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A State Wrestling Tournament ends one of Misenhelter’s dreams — a state championship.
But his other dream, to medal at state, is alive and well.
Meanwhile, teammate John Whitworth started on a rough note, losing via pin to Colton Clayborn.
But Whitworth rebounded nicely, defeating Stone Hayden of Chapman, 6-2, in a consolation bracket matchup.
Both wrestlers remain alive for a state medal, although the road ahead is daunting.
Each must win twice today at Salina’s Bicentennial Center in order to be guaranteed a medal; three times to make it to the third-place match.
Misenhelter wrestles first against Bradley VanHoose of Columbus before a potential rematch against Luke Carey of Tonganoxie looms in the consolation quarterfinals. It was Carey who eliminated Misenhelter from the 2013 state tournament — that time at 182 pounds. A win there guarantees a medal.
“Bryce still has a great shot at a medal,” Carson said. “But sometimes you can get a tough draw.”
Misenhelter’s loss was the polar opposite of his first-round match, against Blake Watkins of Augusta.
After a quiet minute and a half, Misenhelter got a takedown with 29 seconds left in the first period. He added three points for a near fall as the period expired.
