Hillsboro wrestlers dominate in Lyons
Trojan wrestling team takes first
Staff writer
Despite a slow start, the Trojan wrestling team got on track at the right time Friday, competing at the Lyons Round Robin tournament.
Behind first-place finishes from Jordan Bachman and Lane Flaming, and seven-second place finishes, the Trojans finished on top out of six schools.
Hillsboro beat out 5A runner-up Hutchinson, 172-158 for first.
“Although we came out fairly sluggish to start the day, we were able to turn up the level of intensity and wrestle much better as the day went on,” Trojan coach Scott O’Hare said. “Obviously, I am very proud of them for winning the team championship. It has been a few years since we’ve brought back a team plaque from a tournament.
“However, I am more excited about how some of them are starting to compete. We are seeing each of them doing some subtle things much better. These details are helping them remain in better positions and to compete against better wrestlers.”
Bachman and Flaming completed the tournament unbeaten, with Bachman picking up a second consecutive tournament championship as well as his third of the season.
Charlie Major, Raymond Johnston, Tristan Rathbone, Kyle Horton, Andre Patton, Austin Rempel, and Jared Janzen all finished second.
Friday also saw Horton become the Trojans’ single-season record holder for 3-point near falls, breaking Carson Greenhaw’s 17-year old mark of 35 with 38.
Eli Dalke, Garrett Helmer, Connor Morey, and Zach Dittert all finished third.
Taryn Norstrom went 1-4 in her final tuneup before the girls’ state tournament Saturday at McPherson.
Morey competed in the combined 195-220-pound class, being awarded the first-place finish at 220 since he was the highest placer of the 220-pound wrestlers.
The round robin format let participants medal as if they were separated into their own classes based on the order they finished within the combined bracket.
With the 138- and 145-pound bracket combined, Bachman had to beat Rathbone, the champion of the 145-pound bracket.
“My hope this week is that their level of success on Friday does not lead to complacency, but rather it elevates a level of confidence and acts as a building block for the challenges ahead,” O’Hare said.
“Our goal will be to make sure that we continue to improve and prepare for tougher challenges over the next couple of weeks at the CKL and regional tournaments.”
The Trojans face a busy week starting Thursday at Larned with the CKL meet before traveling Saturday to the Chapman tournament.