Great Bend Post Sports
The competition was tough for the Lady Panthers' first wrestling tournament of the season. The Doug Kretzer Classic in McPherson featured 17 schools. Ninth-ranked Junction City won the tournament with 194 points, followed by No. 7 Kapaun with 164 points. Great Bend scored 149 points to edge Newton by three points for third place.
Second-ranked Daizy Gomez made quick work of her opponents all day at 130 pounds for the title. The senior won her second match in just 23 seconds, and she needed just 26 seconds to beat Newton's Jaeann James in the finals.
Sophomore Kaylea McMullen pinned her way to the championship at 125 pounds. She needed just 28 seconds to get by her first opponent from McPherson, and she pinned Junction City's Elaina Twitty 33 seconds into the second period for the title.
Kirra Stevens returned to form after an injury during regionals last year as runner up at 170 pounds. She pinned her first two opponents, including teammate Haley Suchy, to reach the finals. There she was pinned by Kapaun's unbeaten Chinyereug Okafor. Lea Nokes lost her first match but was able to avenge that loss with a 13-3 major decision to reach the consolation finals where she lost a 4-2 decision to Smoky Valley. Nokes finished the day in fourth with a 3-2 record. Suchy pinned her first opponent but lost her final three to place sixth at 1-3. A'Tejia Thomas posted a 1-2 record in the bracket.
Junior Marissa Esparza led a trio of Panther wrestlers at 155 pounds. After a bye, Esparza pinned her next two opponents to reach the finals, including teammate Rylee Schnoebelen. Esparza lost an 11-2 major to McPherson's fifth-ranked Hunter Wilson in the championship match. Danica Cline pinned her first opponent before getting pinned by Wilson. She went 1-1 on the backside with a pin and a loss in the consolation finals to place fourth. Schnoebelen pinned her first two opponents before her loss to Esparza. She was pinned on the backside and won her final match by forfeit to secure fifth place. Freshman Keira Leyva placed fourth at 110 pounds. She wrestled just twice to advance to the consolation finals, losing by fall in round two, then winning a 10-2 major against Southeast of Saline on the backside. She advanced to the third-place match by forfeit against Kapaun.
Trinatty Aumiller finished third at 100 pounds. She was pinned in her first contested match but needed just 34 seconds to win her next match. She followed with an 8-1 win, then pinned her final two opponents, including teammate Kayle Baldwin, to secure third place. Baldwin last 43 seconds against second-ranked Jaidyn Alvarado of Junction City in her first match. She had two byes on the backside before winning a 9-0 major and pinning her McPherson opponent to reach the consolation finals against Aumiller.
Freshman Camdyn Post placed third at 105 points. She pinned her first opponent before getting pinned by Newton. Post pinned wrestlers from Smoky Valley and Hutchinson to secure third place.
Sophomore Braelyn Turner posted a 2-2 record at 120 pounds. She pinned two opponents and was pinned twice. The 140-pound bracket featured a pair of Great Bend wrestlers. Kaydence Demel finished at 0-2, including a loss to top-ranked Jayla Johnson of Kapaun. Shaterah Newton lost her two matches, including an early pin to the runner-up from Smoky Valley. Sophomore Josephine Blevins lost her two matches at 145 pounds.