Five of six Wildcats still alive at state wrestling

Louisburg junior Austin Moore gets a pin in his opening round match Friday at the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships. Moore finished 1-1 on the day at 195 pounds.

It was a successful first day for the Louisburg High School wrestling team Friday at the Class 4A Kansas State Wrestling Championships as five of six Wildcats are still alive for a state medal.

Although all five are on the consolation side of the bracket, each of the wrestlers each garnered a victory at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.

Freshman Cade Holtzen (113 pounds) and junior Austin Moore won their first match of the day and ventured in to the quarterfinals. Holtzen won by technical fall in his opening bout against Tonganoxie’s Hunter Harris, but was later pinned by Abilene’s William Stroda. Stroda is currently ranked No. 2 in the state.

Holtzen (42-4) will wrestle McPherson’s Landon Crews (30-14) to start the day Saturday and will need two victories to guarantee himself a medal.

As for Moore, he pinned Wichita Trinity’s Tucker Trevett in the first period of his opening match. However, Moore went up against El Dorado’s Braden Morgan, the No. 1 wrestler at 195 pounds, and lost by technical fall.

Moore will face off with Atchison’s Riley Smith (21-11) to start the consolation round and he must also win two victories to garner a state medal.

Senior Thad Hendrix (106), senior Ryan Adams (145) and junior Blue Caplinger (160) all suffered losses in the first round, but all three bounced back to win their first consolation match. Like Holtzen and Moore, all three wrestlers will need to win two matches on Saturday to guarantee themselves a spot on the medal stand.

Hendrix (31-16) responded to beat Hays’ Jordan Zimmerman by a 10-6 decision and will wrestle Marysville’s Isaac Novotny (29-12) to start consolation wrestlebacks.

Adams (33-7) was nearly eliminated in his consolation match as he found himself down 7-2 to McPherson’s Jonah Clarke, but opened the third period with the pin after he was pinned in his first match by Basehor-Linwood’s Kaden Jacobson, the state’s No. 3 ranked wrestler. He will face off with Andover Central’s Christian Hannon (15-9) to begin tournament action tomorrow.

Caplinger (34-13) battled hard in his first match against the state’s No.1 wrestler in Storm Slupianek from Marysville and lost by a 3-1 decision. He then found himself down 2-0 to Bishop Miege’s Drew Perez in the second period of his consolation match, but bounced back to record a pin. Caplinger will meet Pratt’s Jadon Koehler (28-9) tomorrow.

Senior Tucker Batten (138) suffered losses in both of his bouts today. Batten was pinned by Clearwater’s Darryl Rylant, the No. 2 wrestler in the state and then was pinned by Bonner Springs’ Jose Lopez. He ended his season with a 30-14 record.

The consolation round will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

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