Area wrestlers begin their journey to glory Friday while competing in state tournaments in Salina and Hays.
Kevon Loving, 144 lbs., Iola High School sophomore, will be the first male wrestler to take the mat in Salina. After finishing fourth at last weekend’s regional tournament in Paola, Loving (30-11) will take on Chapman High School junior Colton Bell (34-12).
The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association ranks Bell fourth in the state after he won the Beloit regional last weekend. Regardless of Loving’s outcome in his opener, he will face either Hugoton junior Cooper Nix 25-13, who finished third in his regional, or Wabaunsee sophomore Duke Beggs (24-13), who finished second in his regional.
Over in Hays, Humboldt junior Broc Ivy (21-10) will open the tournament facing senior Dayton Fromholtz (36-5) of St. Francis. Fromholtz is ranked No. 2 ranked and was the Regional D runner-up in Norton. He will either face fourth-ranked regional D champion Silver Lake senior Jayden Waterer (30-9) or Minneapolis freshman Blayde Pagel (25-21) in the second round.
In the girls state tournament, Iola sophomore Addilyn Wacker, the returning state bronze medalist and No. 1 ranked 130 lbs., will enter state as the No. 1 seed after winning her regional last week in Tonganoxie. She opens against Nickerson senior Brooklyn Schnieder (21-22). She will either face Augusta junior Sophie Jester (33-12) or Nemaha Central junior Harper Foster (27-18) in the second round.
Staying in Salina, Iola junior Zoie Hesse will be the top seed in the 190 lb. weight class after winning the Tonganoxie regional. She faces Concordia junior Isabelle Alexander (21-16) in her opener, then either Fort Scott senior Ali Simhiser (21-7), who has traded wins with Hesse this season and defeated Hesse at state last season, or Clearwater junior Livia Miller (24-11).
Making her state debut at heavyweight, Iola freshman Kailyn Rodriguez (20-18) opens with No. 6 ranked El Dorado junior Izzy Greer (14-10). She will either face No. 1 ranked Nickerson senior Elizabeth Dick (25-1) or Perry-Lecompton junior Taylee Williams (6-16) in round two. Rodriguez finished fifth at the Tonganoxie regional.
In Hays, Humboldt senior Victoria Melendez (22-14) opens her run at the 100 lb. title against No. 4 ranked Plainville senior Kaeleigh Klein (31-4). She will either face No. 5 ranked Stockton senior Carolina Northup (30-7) or West Franklin sophomore Baylie Wieneke (23-17) in round two.
Humboldt sophomore Willow LaCrone (26-6) enters the 155 lbs. weight class as the No. 1 seed after winning her regional tournament in Silver Lake. Breaking into the state rankings this week at No. 3, LaCrone opens against Harper-Chaparral freshman Alivia Haggard (13-12). She will either face No. 4 ranked Council Grove senior Savannah Johnson (29-8) or Philipsburg senior Johnna Ebner (21-13) in round two.
Savannah Koch, who won the 190 lbs. Silver Lake title earlier this month, enters the tournament ranked sixth in Kansas.
She opens against Solomon senior Maddison Sudermann (10-12). In round two, she will either face Sylvan-Lucas senior Brecklyn Gosvener (18-16) or fifth-ranked Douglas junior Layton Roberts (22-17).
