Concordia has six wrestlers qualify for state

MCPHERSON — Led by individual champions Koby Tyler and Daniel Vines, the Concordia High School wrestling team had six competitors place in the top four in their respective weight classes in the Class 4A regional tournament on Saturday and qualify for the state tournament.
Tyler, a sophomore, captured first place in the 120-pound class and Vines, a senior, was first in the 132-pound class.
Concordia had junior Christian Belden, 106 pounds; sophomore Caleb Hanson, 175 pounds; and sophomore Tracer Murdock, 190 pounds, place second.
Senior Michael Ashland, 285 pounds, placed fourth for the Panthers.
Concordia was third in a tight race for the team championship with 146 points.
Abilene narrowly won the team title with 154.5 points and Clay Center was second with 153.
Tyler received a bye in the opening round of the tournament. He pinned Julius Raygoza, Chapman, in 2:16 in the quarterfinals and pinned Hayden Kalivoda, Clay Center, in the semifinals.
Advancing to the championship match, Tyler got an escape in the second period and rode out the final period to defeat Sammy Herschberger, Buhler, 1-0.
Tyler will take a 34-3 record into the state tournament, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Tony's Pizza Event Center in Salina.
Vines (38-5) also received a bye in the first round. He pinned Talon Wark, Colby, in 1:57 in the quarterfinals and pinned Keagan Warders, Marysville, in the semifinals.
Moving into the finals, Vines defeated Octavio Gonzalez, Goodland, by technical fall, 15-0.
Belden, after receiving a bye, pinned Eli Sedlacek, Marysville, in 1:25 in the quarterfinals. Belden won by technical fall, 15-0, over Trenton Frank, Scott City, in the semifinals.
Ryder Dempewolf, Colby, pinned Belden in the third period in the title match.
Belden heads to the state tournament with a 24-5 record.
Hanson (29-10) received a bye and then pinned Gannon Couture, Wamego, in 2:21 in the quarterfinals and won a 4-2 decision over Mason Hernandez, Goodland, in the semifinals.
Top-seeded Tucker Jackson, Clay Center, pinned Hanson in the championship match.
Murdock (26-13) pinned Cameron Lilly, Colby, in 54 seconds in the first round. He pinned Brock Richardson, McPherson, in 3:01 in the quarterfinals and then pulled out a 4-2 win over top-seeded Jake Meyer, Wamego, in the semifinals.
Maverick Spresser, Goodland, pinned Murdock in the finals.
Ashland (22-14) pinned Danny Parker, Rock Creek, in 1:23 in the first round. He lost by fall to Logan Haggard, Colby, in the semifinals.
In the consolation bracket, Ashland pinned Braden Dwerlkotte, Marysville. He lost a 10-7 decision to Angel Lazo, Goodland, in the third-place match.
Concordia had sophomore Drew Sterrett, 126 pounds, and junior Cody Trost, 138 pounds, each come within one win of advancing to state.
Sterrett (26-11) received a bye and then lose a 2-0 decision to eventual champion Christopher McClanahan, Abilene.
In the consolation bracket, Sterrett pinned Alec Wald, Hesston, in 2:25 and won a 12-10 decision in sudden victory over Jayce Spencer, Buhler.
Connor Barnes, Smoky Valley, pinned Sterrett in the consolation semifinals.
Trost (8-6) pinned Mark Buus, Chapman, in 47 seconds and then lost by fall to eventual champion Tucker Wark, Colby.
Dropping into the consolation bracket, Trost pinned Kaeson Curtis, McPherson, in 59 seconds and pinned Austin Meyer, Wamego, in 3:36.
Trost lost by fall to Joseph Welsh, Abilene, in the consolation semifinals.
Junior Ashton Dooley, wrestling at 113 pounds, for Concordia, received a bye and then lost a 5-2 decision to Addrick Nelson, Nickerson.
Dooley (27-11) pinned Zach Dye, Rock Creek, in 1:20. He then lost by fall to Jayden Krinhop, Abilene.
Senior Torxsten Kindel, 144 pounds, won his first match for Concordia by pinning Andrew Young, Smoky Valley, in 1:45. He lost a 9-0 major decision to Carter Trimble, Marysville, in the quarterfinals and was pinned by Kristopher Monroe, Nickerson.
Dustin Sterrett, a junior, received a bye in the first round in the 150-pound class. He lost by fall to Landon Taplin, Abilene, and lost a 7-5 decision to Camron Wetter, Marysville.
Senior Bergun Kindel, 157 pounds, lost by technical fall to Aidan McKinney, Rock Creek, and lost by fall to Henry Busenbark, Buhler.
Junior Mason Eickmann, 165 pounds, pinned Brock Crome in 1:01. He lost by fall to eventual champion Brett Loader, Clay Center.
Eickmann pinned Kaedyn Vanderford, Chapman, in 2:41 and then lost by fall to Landon Thompson, McPherson.
Freshman Max Johnson, 215 pounds, lost by fall to Braylon Berry, Clay Center, who went on to place second, and lost by fall to Cooper Bittle, Rock Creek.