Wildcat boys medal four at Randy Starcher tourney in Tonganoxie

The Louisburg boys wrestling team tested itself against a deep field last Saturday at the Randy Starcher Invitational in Tonganoxie, finishing tied for seventh place as the Wildcats balanced competition with an emphasis on health early in the season.

Louisburg scored 75.5 team points to tie Lincoln Northeast (Neb.) for seventh in the 11-team tournament. Savannah claimed the team title with 212.5 points, edging host Tonganoxie (206.0), while Lansing finished third with 179.5.

“It’s a tough, early season tournament,” Louisburg head coach Shawn Crossley said. “We erred on the side of caution with some of our athletes nursing some injuries, and held them out of the tournament. We have an extended break coming up with the holidays, so our goal is to get healthy. We understand that February is more important than late December.”

Individually, senior Vance Hahn delivered the Wildcats’ top performance, placing second at 190 pounds. Hahn went 5-1 on the day with four pins, advancing to the championship bout and anchoring Louisburg’s scoring effort.

“Obviously, Vance Hahn had a great day,” Crossley said.

Freshman Sylas Weichert continued to impress at 120 pounds, finishing third with a 3-2 record that included two technical falls and a major decision.

“Sylas Weichert continues to make an impact as a freshman,” Crossley said. “His wrestling style is a lot of fun to watch. He wrestles free, isn’t afraid to make mistakes, and is always looking to score points. Sylas is going to beat some kids this season that may surprise a lot of people, but it won’t be a shock to us.”

At 106 pounds, Brooks Rankin went 2-3 with two pins and earned a fourth-place finish, while Levi Cotter also placed fourth at 113 pounds with a 2-4 record and two pins.

“Brooks continues to get better every week,” Crossley said. “He was dominating his consolation finals match, but just got himself out of position and ended up giving that match away to a very talented wrestler. Brooks has a good mindset, and I know he’s already looking to see that kid again down the road. Levi wasn’t feeling well but still gave it everything he had. I was very proud of his efforts.”

Other Louisburg placers included Keegan Rogers (seventh at 126), Myke McKitrick (seventh at 132), Josiah Clayton (seventh at 150), James Langner (ninth at 175), while several Wildcats gained valuable mat time in a competitive bracket.

Louisburg girls take seventh at Effingham, medal three overall

On Saturday, the Louisburg girls wrestling team traveled to Effingham to compete at the ACCHS Girls Invitational, where the Wildcats turned in their best team finish in the event’s history.

Louisburg placed seventh out of 17 teams with 62.5 points. Sabetha won the team title with 107.0 points, followed closely by Washburn Rural (104.0) and Royal Valley (92.0).

“It was our best team finish ever at this tournament,” Crossley said. “The girls are kind of in the same boat as the boys as far as regulating participation due to injuries, so again, we erred on the side of caution with a few of our girls.”

Leola Eslinger highlighted the girls’ effort with a strong performance at 155 pounds, going 3-0 with three pins to capture first place.

“Leola took first in dominant fashion,” Crossley said.

Brooklyn DeWeese placed second at 135 pounds with a 2-1 record in her season debut, while Maliya Collins continued her strong start by taking third at 125 pounds after going 3-1 with three pins.

“Brooklyn got second in what was just her first action of the year,” Crossley said. “Maliya continued the hot start to her season, and took third.”

With the holiday break approaching, Crossley said the focus now shifts to recovery and preparation for the stretch run.

“We’ll look to get healed up over the break, enjoy some down-time with family and friends, and be ready to hit the ground running on Dec. 29 when we get back to practice,” he said.

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