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For some teams, qualifying one wrestler for state is a big accomplishment. For others, trying to get as many people qualified as possible to chase a team title is the goal. And then there is Arkansas City.
When the Bulldogs rolled into Andover Central, all 14 wrestlers that got off the bus qualified for state, helping Ark City take the team title with 251 points, 105 more than second place Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
“This is probably one of the deepest teams I have ever coached,” said Ark City head coach Greg Buckbee. “They are just tough up and down the lineup.”
The Bulldogs didn’t just qualify wrestlers, but conquered the regional tournament and set it ablaze. Of the 14 total weight classes, Ark City placed 10 wrestlers in the regional finals. Of the 10 Ark City regional finalists, eight of them took first place.
“We just had a game plan to have as many as we could in the finals,” said Ark City senior and 145-pound No. 1 Cody Eastman. “I guess we’ve got a tough practice room. All of us just push each other and it makes us tougher I guess.”
Scorching regional tournaments is fine, but for the Bulldogs, the real measure will come next week when Ark City looks for a second-straight team state championship. The Bulldogs won the team title a year ago, but left a little room for improvement. Last year’s team won the tournament without an individual champion. This season, Ark City is looking to change that.
“Coming into next weekend, it’s all about the placing at regionals,” said Buckbee. “It’s all about where you end up on that bracket. The higher you place, the lower the seed of the wrestler you face next week. It’s huge.”
Below is a list of all the state qualifiers from the Andover Central regional in each weight class.
106
1. Logan Terrill (Ark City) def.
2. Andrew Egan (Kapaun) by fall
3. Dakota Rodd (Andover Central) def.
4. Konnor Dugan (Bishop Carroll) 18-7
113
1. Parker Howell (Kapaun) def.
2. Joey Defore (Ark City) by fall
3. Griffin Bossingham (Andover) def.
4. Sam Roy (Bishop Carroll) 6-0
120
1. Zac Gentzler (Andover Central) def.
2. Dakota Leach (Goddard) 10-4
3. Marco Perez (Ark City) def.
4. Marcus Phillips (Wichita West) 6-5
126
1. Dalton Dietrich (Ark City) def.
2. Ben Lightfoot (Andover Central) 12-4
3. Jacob Mills (Kapaun) def.
4. Jay Pacha (Bishop Carroll) 3-1
132
1. Lukas Maki (Andover) def.
2. Patrick Burrus (Kapaun) 3-2
3. Kendal Biddle (Ark City) def.
4. Nic Augustin (Andover Central) 7-3
138
1. Joe Umscheid (Andover Central) def.
2. Joel Sponsel (Bishop Carroll) 10-2
3. Bryson Nuckles (Ark City) def.
4. Denton Russell (Goddard Eisenhower) 5-0
145
1. Cody Eastman (Ark City) def.
2. Paul Suhr (Andover Central) 5-0
3. Christian Frame (Goddard) def.
4. Devin Moore (Bishop Carroll) 3-2
152
1. Wyatt Villers (Ark City) def.
2. Brett Woodruff (Goddard) 16-3
3. Nick Nece (Kapaun) def.
4. Jared Brown (Andover ) by fall
160
1. Michael Helms (Ark City) def.
2. Dakota Driskill (Goddard) 2-0
3. Jesse Oliver (Wichita West) def.
4. Brandon Williams (Kapaun) by fall
170
1. Trevon Mitchell (Wichita West) def.
2. Bryson Teufel (Ark City) by fall
3. Tom Hand (Kapaun) def.
4. Christopher Dugan (Bishop Carroll) 2-1
182
1. Nick Nolting (Bishop Carroll) def.
2. Dalton Rodd (Andover Central) by fall
3. Nick Heiland (Kapaun) def.
4. Alex Breckenridge (Ark City) 5-1
195
1. Malcolm Pink (Ark City) def.
2. Tommy Marquez (Bishop Carroll) forfeit
3. Ethan Harp (Kapaun) def.
4. Mike Lopez (Andover) forfeit
220
1. Dylan Cox (Ark City) def.
2. Sam LaFluer (Kapaun) by fall
3. AJ Scholfield (Andover) def.
4. Patrick Dugan (Bishop Carroll) 1-0
285
1. Matt McGrew (Ark City) def.
2. Zack Befort (Bishop Carroll) by fall
3. Carter Gragg (Goddard) def.
4. Porfirio Flores (Wichita West) by fall.