On Saturday, Feb. 21, the wrestling team won its second-straight regional championship, besting seven other teams, including second-place defending state champion St. James Academy.

According to sophomore Jett Bedure, the team went into Saturday’s competition set on beating St. James. They did so by a 45-point margin.

“It was good competition, but our guys went out there and just dominated,” sophomore Alec Derritt said.

To qualify for the state tournament individually, a wrestler has to place in the top four individuals in their respective weight class at regionals. All thirteen wrestlers qualified for the state meet, held on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28 in Park City-Hartman Arena in Wichita.

The team’s championship came as a result of repeated individual successes.

“We had a lot of heart; we had a lot of pins and we really competed,” junior Ryan Anderson said.

Head Coach Travis Keal attributed the success to the team’s effort and focus.

“The kids wrestled good; they wrestled smart,” Keal said. “They wrestled together as a team.”

The state meet will be available on a live web stream. Wrestling begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 27.

Individual results are as follows:

Sophomore Dylan Gowin– Regional Champion, 106

Freshman Conner Ward – Regional Champion, 113

Freshman Jarrett Bendure – Regional Champion, 126

Freshman Hayden Keopke – Regional Champion, 145

Senior Bryan Burnett – Regional Champion, 152

Sophomore Jett Bendure – Regional runner-up, 120

Junior Seth Burnett – Regional runner-up, 170

Sophomore Alec Derritt – Regional runner-up, 285

Junior Ryan Anderson – 3rd place, 132

Junior Peyton Bendure – 4th place, 182

Senior Logan Marx – 4th place, 138

Senior Nathan Anderson – 4th place, 160

Senior Jared Ayers – 4th place, 195