SALINA — John Whitworth and Bryce Misenhelter already have seen some of the toughest wrestlers the state has to offer. MISENHELTER, 35-3, also has an opponent from Augusta to open competition. He’ll face Blake Watkins (24-10), Augusta, a junior who finished third at the Winfield regional. THE COMPETITION begins at 10 a.m. Friday at Salina’s Bicentennial Center, with general admission seating opening at 8 o’clock.
Now their road gets even tougher.
The Iola High duo will be in Salina Friday and Saturday for the Class 4A State Wrestling Tournament.
Whitworth, a senior, will wrestle at 160 pounds. Misenhelter, also a senior, will wrestle at 195 pounds.
As can be expected at this level, both are in loaded brackets.
Whitworth will take his 29-12 record into an opening round match against Colton Clayborn (30-6) out of Augusta. Clayborn won his regional tournament in Winfield last weekend. Whitworth finished fourth in the Burlington regional. Clayborn is no stranger to the state tournament. He also qualified last year as a junior.
Regardless of whether he wins or loses, Whitworth will then face either Kossivi Esse (38-5), Kansas City-Sumner Academy, or Stone Hayden (25-11), Chapman.
Clayborn is ranked fifth among Class 4A wrestlers in the state, according to the latest Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings
Misenhelter’s second-round opponent will be either Skyler Hittle (4-0), Concordia, or Sam Shenk (22-14), Meriden-Jefferson West.
Misenhelter ranks third among the state’s 195-pound wrestlers, according to KWCA. Hittle replaces Dalton Weidl of Ottawa as the top wrestler at 195 pounds.
A potential match against Hittle would mean Misenhelter had faced three of the top 195-pound wrestlers in the state. He lost a tough match to Ottawa’s Dalton Weidl in the Burlington Regional. Prior to that, Misenhelter lost to Tristan Speer of Troy, Kansas’ top Class 3-2-1A wrestler.
The championship quarterfinals follow at 2 p.m. before the first round of consolation wrestling begins at 4 p.m.
The championship semifinals will follow immediately after the first consolation round is complete.
Saturday’s action begins with consolation action at 9 a.m., which carries through until the fifth-place matches begin at 2 p.m. The consolation finals begin at 3 o’clock. The parade of champions follows 40 minutes later.
State road a tough one for IHS duo
