All four Lady Panther wrestlers are still alive into the final day of the season Saturday at Hartman Arena in Park City. Third-ranked junior Daizy Gomez advanced to the Class 6-5A state semifinals before getting pinned. The other three Great Bend wrestlers lost their first matches but won in the consolation rounds.
Wrestling at 125 pounds, Gomez pinned her first opponent in the first period, then avenged an early-season loss to second-ranked Addi Broxterman of Washburn Rural in round two with another first-period pin. After a scoreless first period, Gomez fell behind 8-0 in the second period before getting pinned by Garden City fifth-ranked sophomore Maya Tarbet in the third period of the semifinals. Gomez is just one win away from the third-place match with a possible rematch against top-ranked Ariana De La Rose of Dodge City set for the consolation semifinals.
Freshman Natalee Daniels came up just shy of an upset against third-ranked Alison Coykendall of Salina Central in round one. Coykendall advanced 10-8, and was eventually beat by second-ranked Druzzla Johnson of Wichita West in the semifinals. Daniels pinned fourth-ranked Trinity Williams in the first round on the back side.
Senior Katie Kuhlman went the distance in a 9-0 loss to third-ranked freshman Alayna Slifer of Manhattan in round one. Kuhlman pinned her Bonner Springs opponent to stay alive on the back side.
Freshman Kaylea McMullen was pinned 69 seconds into her state debut at 120 pounds against fourth-ranked Katina Keosybounheuang from Emporia. McMullen pinned her Bonner Spring opponent on the back side to stay alive.
Garden City jumped out to a healthy team lead with 86 points, followed by reigning champion Dodge City with 66 points.
Other area wrestlers at the Class 4-1A State Championships in Salina:
Russell sophomore Jaden Ney, ranked No. 2, pinned her first three opponents to reach the state finals at 135 pounds. She knocked off top-ranked Wendy Candia of Pratt and fifth-ranked Zoey Kessler of Cherryvale to reach the finals.
Hoisington senior Kiana Grandclair, ranked No. 6 at 120 pounds, pinned her first opponent before being pinned by second-ranked Addison Saporito of Columbus. Larned junior Reese Watkins opened the bracket with a 9-7 win, then defeated Pratt 8-4 to advance to the semifinals where she was pinned by Saporito, who will wrestle for a state title Saturday.
Hoisington junior Daijah Jones won her first match by forfeit at 130 pounds before losing a 10-8 decision against second-ranked Brooklyn Burenheide of Rock Creek, who will wrestle for a state title Saturday.
Hoisington senior Tally Wikum pinned her first opponent before getting pinned by top-ranked Audrey Darnell of Baldwin in the quarterfinals. Darnell will face off against Ellis junior Kaydawn Haag in the finals Saturday at 140 pounds.
Hoisington junior Lyrica Orosco, ranked No. 4 at 145 pounds, opened with a 5-2 decision against Rossville before getting pinned by top-ranked and unbeaten Kammie Schanz of Mulvane in the quarterfinals.
Larned sophomore Liliana McKenna went 1-1 on day one, getting pinned in round one and pinning her opponent on the back side at 110 pounds.
Hoisington sophomore Bailey George and Lyons sophomore each dropped their first two matches at 100 pounds. Former Lady Cardinal Sheena Gocela, now wrestling for Winfield, remains unbeaten with a spot in the state finals Saturday.
Lyons junior Alexa Guzman lost her first two matches at 135 pounds. Ellsworth sophomore Riley Rodriguez lost both of her matches to open the 170-pound bracket. Hoisington freshman Amerie Hinz finished at 0-2 at 235 pounds.