Feb 03, 2025

No. 7 Lady Panther wrestlers place fifth at loaded Rocky Welton in Garden City

Posted Feb 03, 2025 7:59 PM

Great Bend Post Sports

While the boys were wrestling their 67th Annual Rocky Welton Classic in Garden City Friday and Saturday, the girls were pushing through their fourth. The ladies' side featured 25 teams from Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. Seventh-ranked Great Bend, with just nine wrestlers in action, scored 94.5 points to tie with Hays in fifth place. Nationally-ranked Garden City and Dodge City duked it out for the team crown with Garden scoring 270.5 points and Dodge scoring 216. Kearney (Neb.) finished a distant third with 120 points.

Third-ranked Kirra Stevens was the lone Lady Panther to reach the finals. The senior pinned her first two 170-pound opponents from Salina and Colorado to reach the finals. Dodge City's top-ranked Naomi Orozco pinned her first three opponents in 53, 24, and 100 seconds, respectively. She needed a second period to pin Stevens for the championship.

Micah Ellegood pulled off a third-place finish at 125 pounds. Ranked No. 2, the freshman beat a quality Ulysses wrestler 3-1 in the quarters. Top-ranked Crystal Loera of Garden City was able to pin Ellegood in the semifinals on her way to the title. Ellegood closed out her tournament with a tech-fall and pin.

Second-ranked Camdyn Post had to settle for fifth place in a tough 105-pound bracket. The sophomore needed less than a minute to pin each of her first two opponents, including fourth-ranked Genesis Orrantia of Liberal (6A). Post went the distance in a 15-6 loss to top-ranked Elizabeth Ramirez of Dodge City in the semifinals. On the back side, Post was pinned by third-ranked Kaira Acosta of Garden City. Post needed just 27 seconds to pin her Colorado opponent in the fifth-place match.

Freshman Brooklynn Kelly turned in an impressive performance for third place at 130 pounds. She was pinned by unbeaten Ashlyn Hahn of Stockton, who defeated two-time 6A state champion Maya Tarbet 3-0 in the finals. Kelly answered by pinning her next three opponents, then edging a quality Colorado wrestler 8-7 to reach the consolation finals. There, she defeated Garden City 11-6 to secure third place.

Lea Nokes placed sixth at 155 pounds. She made it to the third period of round one before getting pinned by Garden City's eventual third-place finisher. Nokes pinned her next opponent in 54 seconds before losing an 11-1 major to Liberal. Nokes was pinned by her Kearney opponent in the fifth-place match.

Sophia Bauer won her first match by fall but was pinned by Kearney in the first round of the bracket. She pinned her next opponent and won a 6-5 decision against Ulysses before bowing out with a fall against a Colorado opponent.

Keira Leyva posted a 1-2 record at 110 pounds. Her one win was a 52-second pin. Tara Newton went 1-2 in contested matches at 145 pounds. She opened her tourney with a fall against fourth-ranked Liliana Arroyo Alba of Dodge City, who pinned her way to the title. Newton was able to pin her Colorado opponent. Kayle Baldwin went 0-2 in contested matches at 115 pounds, including an opening loss to fourth-ranked Miranda Alvarez of Dodge City.