Five Wildcats earn all-tournament team honors at December Duals

By Andy Brown
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Updated: December 14, 2022

Photos courtesy of Heather Eslinger

Louisburg senior Jesse Murphy works for a pin Friday during the December Duals, held at Louisburg High School. Murphy was one of five Wildcats to earn all-tournament team honors.

The Louisburg wrestling team had its home opener Friday as it hosted the December Duals, which brought four strong wrestling programs to town.

Baldwin, Burlington, Concordia and Independence provided a competitive round robin dual tournament.

Although Louisburg finished fourth overall, the Wildcats had several individuals who had a big night.

Seniors Kaven Bartlett, Elijah Eslinger and sophomore Jay McCaskill each finished the tournament undefeated. Seniors Jesse Murphy and Trace Eslinger went 3-1 in their respective weight classes.

All five Wildcat wrestlers were named to the December Duals All-Tournament Team.

Bartlett, who jumped up to No. 3 in the KWCA Class 4A state rankings at 138 pounds, took care of business with three pins and a major decision of Independence’s Josh Lawrie.

Elijah Eslinger, who is currently ranked as the No. 5 heavyweight in Class 4A, also had a strong showing with four pins — three of which were under a minute.

McCaskill thrived at 157 pounds on Friday. The Louisburg sophomore finished with three pins and a 16-4 major decision of Concordia’s Bergun Kindel.

At 150 pounds, Murphy suffered just one loss, which was by pin to Baldwin’s Jaiden Michael. Murphy went on to record three pins of his own.

***Louisburg senior Trace Eslinger works for a pin during a 215-pound match. Eslinger earned all-tournament team honors.***

Trace Eslinger also put together a strong performance at 215 pounds. Trace finished with two pins, before falling by pin to Baldwin’s Conner Murry.

As a team, the Wildcats with a 54-30 victory over Burlington, but the competition grew as the night went on. Louisburg would fall to Concordia (53-28), Baldwin (60-21) and Independence (48-32) to take fourth place.

Also earning multiple wins on the night for Louisburg was junior J’Lee Collins at 126 pounds and sophomore Brayden Yoder at 190 pounds.

The Wildcats are back in action at 6 p.m. tonight as they host Olathe West in dual at Louisburg Middle School. Louisburg will then travel to Tonganoxie for a tournament Saturday in its final action before the holiday break.

Match #1 Round 1

Louisburg defeated Burlington 54-30

106 – Will Showalter (Louisburg) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
113 – Ryan Hoyt (Burlington) over Hayden Heffernon (Louisburg) Fall 1:59
120 – Greysen Dixon (Louisburg) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
126 – J`Lee Collins (Louisburg) over Ethan Bartley (Burlington) Fall 1:28
132 – Owen McManus (Burlington) over Mika McKitrick (Louisburg) Fall 1:23
138 – Kaven Bartlett (Louisburg) over Lincoln Wright (Burlington) Fall 0:53
144 – Tucker Williams (Burlington) over Colin Robinson (Louisburg) Fall 2:25
150 – Jesse Murphy (Louisburg) over Aden McManus (Burlington) Fall 0:25
157 – Jay McCaskill (Louisburg) over Hunter Cole (Burlington) Fall 1:33
165 – Karson Bangs (Burlington) over Vance Hahn (Louisburg) Fall 1:38
175 – Sabian Mann (Burlington) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
190 – Brayden Yoder (Louisburg) over Brayden Riggs (Burlington) Fall 5:48
215 – Trace Eslinger (Louisburg) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
285 – Elijah Eslinger (Louisburg) over Mason Neff (Burlington) Fall 0:38

Match #2 Round 2

Concordia defeated Louisburg 53-28

106 – Christian Belden (Concordia) over Will Showalter (Louisburg) Fall 0:57
113 – Ashton Dooley (Concordia) over Hayden Heffernon (Louisburg) Fall 0:35
120 – Koby Tyler (Concordia) over Greysen Dixon (Louisburg) Fall 1:00
126 – Drew Sterrett (Concordia) over J`Lee Collins (Louisburg) Fall 4:18
132 – Daniel Vines (Concordia) over Mika McKitrick (Louisburg) Fall 1:57
138 – Kaven Bartlett (Louisburg) over Easton Swihart (Concordia) Fall 2:22
144 – Torxsten Kindel (Concordia) over Jonas Briley (Louisburg) Fall 1:38
150 – Jesse Murphy (Louisburg) over Dustin Sterrett (Concordia) Fall 2:37
157 – Jay McCaskill (Louisburg) over Bergun Kindel (Concordia) Maj 16-4
165 – Mason Eickmann (Concordia) over Vance Hahn (Louisburg) Fall 0:17
175 – Caleb Hanson (Concordia) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
190 – Tracer Murdock (Concordia) over Brayden Yoder (Louisburg) Fall 0:50
215 – Trace Eslinger (Louisburg) over Max Johnson (Concordia) Fall 1:20
285 – Elijah Eslinger (Louisburg) over Michael Ashland (Concordia) Fall 0:39
Concordia’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for unsportsman like

Match #3 Round 3

Baldwin defeated Louisburg 60-21

106 – Asher Englert (Baldwin) over Will Showalter (Louisburg) Fall 2:26
113 – Jayden Westgate (Baldwin) over Hayden Heffernon (Louisburg) Fall 0:19
120 – Ayedin Johnson (Baldwin) over Greysen Dixon (Louisburg) Fall 1:08
126 – J`Lee Collins (Louisburg) over Gunnar Reichard (Baldwin) Dec 12-5
132 – Dalton Dempsey (Baldwin) over Mika McKitrick (Louisburg) Fall 1:51
138 – Kaven Bartlett (Louisburg) over Dayton Peterson (Baldwin) Fall 3:21
144 – Jesse Hopper (Baldwin) over Jonas Briley (Louisburg) Fall 1:18
150 – Jaiden Michael (Baldwin) over Jesse Murphy (Louisburg) Fall 1:00
157 – Jay McCaskill (Louisburg) over Ian Bryan (Baldwin) Fall 1:58
165 – Dylan Williams (Baldwin) over Vance Hahn (Louisburg) Fall 0:33
175 – Wesley Martin (Baldwin) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
190 – Jack Harvey (Baldwin) over Brayden Yoder (Louisburg) Fall 1:11
215 – Conner Murry (Baldwin) over Trace Eslinger (Louisburg) Fall 1:13
285 – Elijah Eslinger (Louisburg) over Jonathan Wren (Baldwin) Fall 3:28

Match #4 Round 4

Louisburg received a Bye

Match #5 Round 5

Independence defeated Louisburg 48-32

106 – Mason Gibbons (Independence) over Will Showalter (Louisburg) Fall 1:53
113 – Keith Sanders (Independence) over Hayden Heffernon (Louisburg) Fall 0:45
120 – Jack Fairbank (Independence) over Greysen Dixon (Louisburg) Fall 5:59
126 – Javius Gullick (Independence) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
132 – Kohen Wright (Independence) over Mika McKitrick (Louisburg) Fall 2:21
138 – Kaven Bartlett (Louisburg) over Josh Lawrie (Independence) Maj 10-2
144 – Bryson Fulk (Independence) over Colin Robinson (Louisburg) Fall 1:30
150 – Jesse Murphy (Louisburg) over Michael Williams (Independence) Fall 0:31
157 – Jay McCaskill (Louisburg) over Josh Hogge (Independence) Fall 0:43
165 – Luke Benedict (Independence) over Vance Hahn (Louisburg) Fall 1:49
175 – Josh Foreman (Independence) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
190 – Brayden Yoder (Louisburg) over Isaiah Melugin (Independence) Maj 18-5
215 – Trace Eslinger (Louisburg) over Copeland Musgrove (Independence) Fall 1:03
285 – Elijah Eslinger (Louisburg) over Jake Garris (Independence) Fall 0:35