Schroeder places second at state tournament

SALINA — Jumping up two weight classes from a season ago, Concordia High School junior Hunter Schroeder climbed up two spots on the podium at the Class 4A state wrestling championships.
After placing fourth in the 160-pound class last year, Schroeder finished second in the 182-pound class in the state tournament that wrapped up Saturday at the Tony's Pizza Event Center.
Schroeder, who finished the season 32-6, won his first three matches before falling 7-3 to Braydon Dillow (44-1) of Chanute in the championship match.
“Hunter came into the state tournament with the goal of being a state champion. Getting fourth at regionals meant he was going to have to battle through some quality opponents, but he was up for the challenge. He put a great tournament together and made the finals. Unfortunately, he was unable to reach his goal of being a state champion,” Concordia coach Josh Brown said
Concordia had three others wrestlers competing at state.
Seniors Layton Kindel and Jordan Anguish picked up one win each. Junior Sajen Kemling captured one win.
Chanute won the team title with 151 points. Defending champion Marysville was a distant second with 94 points and Andale was third with 88.5 points.
Qualifying as a fourth-place finisher in the Concordia regional, Schroeder faced Cole Daughhetee, Rose Hill, the first-place finisher in the Wellington regional.
Schroeder won a 13-2 major decision. He then edged Daidrien Aho, Ottawa, 4-3 in the quarterfinals.
Advancing into the semifinals, Schroeder won a 6-2 decision over Durbie McReynolds, Girard.
Dillow won by technical fall, 16-0, over Connor Bruch, Tonganoxie in the first round. He won a 13-4 major decision over Dax Hopp, Smoky Valley, and then defeated Branden Martin, Kansas City-Piper, in sudden victory, 3-1.
In the title match, Dillow was able to post the 7-3 win over Schroeder.
Kindel, making his first appearance in the state tournament, defeated Stephan Robert, Santa Fe Trail, 9-3 in the opening round. He then lost in sudden victory, 6-4, to Eli Aouad, Andale, in the quarterfinals.
Dropping into the consolation bracket, Kindel downed Nakia Holmes Ulysses, 7-3.
Drew Burenheide, Rock Creek, won a narrow 6-4 decision over Kindel, who finished the season 34-15.
“Layton lost a heartbreaker in overtime to a tough wrestler from Andale,” Brown said, “In his backside match he won a 7-3 decision over a wrestler from Ulysses. The next match was against the Rock Creek wrestler he wrestled in the regional semifinals. It was back and forth and tied up with less than 10 seconds in the period. Unfortunately, we gave up a takedown in the last few seconds and lost the match 6-4. Layton had a great senior year. He won 34 matches. Sometimes it doesn't work out the way we want it to. He will be missed next year.”
Anguish (33-11) won an 11-0 major decision over Shawn Barrager, Fort Scott, in the opening round.
Third-place finisher Grady Fox, Augusta, pinned Anguish in the second period in the quarterfinals.
“The score was tied at 0-0 midway through the second period when Jordan went to return him (Fox) and got caught in a whip back and got pinned,” Brown said.
Anguish, competing at state for the second straight year, won a 14-0 major decision over Dustin Robison, Tonganoxie. He then fell 4-2 to Caleb Pavlacka, Andale.
“Jordan wrestled a great match (against Pavlacka) but gave up a reversal in the last part of the third period and lost the match 4-2. He had a great season. Unfortunately, it did not end the way he wanted it to. Jordan played a crucial role in our team success this year, and will be missed next year.”
Kemling, also making a second appearance at state, won a 7-5 decision over Andy Lin, Augusta, in the first round.
Eventual champion Trent Clements, Chanute (43-1) pinned Kemling in the quarterfinals.
Kemling suffered a 4-3 loss to Hunter Dietrich, Mulvane, and finished the season 29-12.
“On the backside he (Kemling) wrestled and lost to a Mulvane kid. Sajen came into the season with the goal of reaching the podium. Not reaching his goal is going to be fuel for his senior year,” Brown said.