GIRLS STATE WRESTLING STORYLINES
CLASS 6-5A
At Hartman Arena, Wichita
HISTORY AWAITS … OR DOES IT?
Technically, Olivia Stean, Nicole Redmond and Kendra Hurla won’t accomplish anything that hasn’t been done before if they are to capture their fourth straight state championships this weekend – Stean and Redmond in Class 6-5A and Hurla in 4-1A.
Two girls in state history have already blazed that trail – Onaga’s Morgan Mayginnes and Free State’s Madyson Gray.
But if one or all of this year’s trio bidding to join that company get it done, they will in a sense be making history. They would become the first four-time champions since girls’ state wrestling championships became a KSHSAA-sanctioned event in 2020.
Their predecessors each won one or more of their titles when the state tournament was run by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association before the sport became a KSHSAA activity.
But the road to history will be as tough as ever for the senior trio. The 2023-24 season has come with its share of trials and tribulations for each of them.
Bonner Springs' Olivia Stean went undefeated as a sophomore and junior but has taken losses this season as she goes for her fourth straight Class 6-5A 170-pound title.
Over the past two seasons, Stean has been one of the most dominant girls’ wrestlers in the state, going a combined 71-0 as a sophomore and junior. She pinned all four opponents at state last year in the first period and as a sophomore, she pinned all four of her state opponents in 49 seconds or less.
This season, however, Stean has battled injuries that has limited her to just 19 matches. She took an injury default loss to Chanute’s Kiley Dillow early in the season and then suffered a 4-0 loss to Leavenworth’s Jacqueline Goodman in the semifinals of the Washburn Rural Invitational, forfeiting her third-place match.
Though 121-6 in her high school career and a three-time champion at 170 pounds, Stean doesn’t necessarily carry the favorite tag into this weekend’s state tournament at Hartman Arena in Wichita. She’s ranked No. 2 in the final KWCA rankings and seeded second behind Olathe Northwest’s Chloe Harris, who is 30-1 – her lone loss coming to Dillow.
Stean will also have to get past Washburn Rural’s TaAni Rhoten, who is 32-2 and won a title at the Council Bluffs Classic in Iowa earlier this season.
Olathe South's Nicole Redmond is back at 120 pounds where she won the first of three straight state titles. She's looking to win a fourth this season.
Redmond, meanwhile, has won state titles at three different weight classes in her career, taking the 120-pound title as a freshman, 126 as a sophomore and 130 last year as a junior. Though she’s never had an undefeated season, Redmond holds a 144-6 career record.
This season, she’s back and 120 pounds and owns a 37-2 mark. While that is her most losses since her freshman year and gives a sense of vulnerability, both of those losses were high quality.
One came to Hurla, who pinned her in the finals of the LadyCat Classic at Basehor-Linwood in December. The other was to Hurla’s top challenger for the 4-1A 120 title, Mulvane’s Leiannah Landreth, who took a 7-1 win in the semifinals of the Baldwin Invitational. That duo is ranked 1-2 in 4-1A.
"I knew as I entered high school, pressure was going to be my biggest enemy," Redmond said. "I’ve felt pressure all through my four years of highschool, but I don’t let it stop me from achieving my goals. This season especially, the pressure has been really high. People were already telling me my freshman year I’m going to be a four-timer. Putting that high of an expectation on a freshman, it made my anxiety spike every time I stepped on the mat. Just hearing I’m going to be a four-timer every time I talk to someone, puts such a high standard for me to try and accomplish and makes me put so much pressure on myself.
"Every year it’s always been a challenge trying to win a state title. My goal is the same as everyone else’s. The competition has gotten better each year, but this year’s challenge will be how I control my mindset, not my opponent. Im battling myself out on that mat. If I believe I can then I will."
Redmond’s top challenger for the 6-5A crown could come from a wrestler looking to start her own quest to become a four-time state champion. Manhattan’s Kayla Cramer is ranked No. 2 and has a 37-2 record with her losses coming to Josaline Blevins of Stilwell (Okla.) and Chanute’s Kaydence Axelson.
Wichita Northwest’s Samya Slater (31-3) and Hays’ Tionna Napue (30-3) also are ranked in the top four and Redmond could meet Napue in the quarterfinals after Napue lost to Slater at regionals.
Rossville's Kendra Hurla has three straight Class 4-1A 120-pound state titles and is looking to add a fourth this weekend in Salina.
Hurla is the lone unbeaten of the trio this season, taking a 34-0 mark into the state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. But it hasn’t come easily.
Hurla was trailing Redmond 5-0 early in their match at Basehor after getting taken to her back before rallying to pin Redmond in the third period with 43 seconds left.
Twice this season, she’s pulled out wins over Landreth, whose only two losses in a 33-2 season have come to Hurla. Hurla pinned Landreth in the finals of the Eureka Invitational, but in a rematch in the finals at Baldwin the following week, Hurla needed a three-point near fall in the closing seconds to pull out an 11-10 win.
Chanute’s Kaydence Axelson also is in a deep 120 field in 4-1A, owning a 38-1 record with her lone loss coming to Avaeh Smith of Lewis Central (Iowa).
History awaits.
Garden City's Maya Tarbet will look to defend her 125-pound title.
WAC STACKED WITH TITLE CONTENDERS
The Western Athletic Conference has the potential to make a strong statement at the Class 6-5A tournament.
The WAC has no shortage of contenders, with four of the five schools in the conference having No. 1-ranked wrestlers.
Garden City and Dodge City each have two top-ranked wrestlers. For the Buffaloes, Kaira Acosta and Maya Tarbet are No. 1 at 100 and 125, respectively, while Ashley Alonso (110) and Ariana De La Rosa (130) are No. 1 for Dodge City.
Tarbet is the lone wrestler from the WAC who is going for a repeat state title.
Hays’ Lexi Burton is No. 1 at 140 while Liberal’s Hayleen Martinez is top-ranked at 190.
On the team side, Dodge City is the favorite to take home the title after being ranked No. 1 throughout the season. The Red Demons, who are looking for their first individual state champion, have nine state qualifiers while Garden City, ranked No. 2, has eight.
CLASS 4-3-2-1A
At Tony's Pizza Events Center, Salina
Clay Center's Alissa Cowing (top) pulled off an upset of No. 1 and undefeated Kimber Crabbs of Buhler in the 105-pound regional finals at McPherson.
NCKL FLEXES MUSCLE WITH REGIONAL UPSET CHAMPIONS
A tradition-rich boys wrestling league for decades, the North Central Kansas League has no shortage of power when it comes to the girls’ side of things as well.
Clay Center’s Gabi Koppes burst on the scene as a freshman, capturing the 126-pound state title and backed it up with another state title at 125 last year. The Tiger standout is undefeated in her high school career, taking a 32-0 record this season and 94-0 overall record into this weekend’s Class 4-1A state meet in Salina.
Just down the road, Chapman’s Alyssa Calovich became the next sensation in the league, capping her freshman season last year with a state title at 110 pounds. Like Koppes, Calovich is undefeated this year (30-0), owning a 52-3 career record.
While both are favorites to bring home titles again this season, they’ve also got some company from NCKL counterparts that could make it a big year for the league.
At the McPherson regional on Feb. 10, the league claimed six of the 14 weight class titles. And in the process, established some new potential favorites who opened eyes with their winning performances.
At 100 pounds, Abilene freshman Charlie Elliott knocked off defending champion Sheena Gocela with semifinal pin before also pinning Circle freshman Alexis Wall in the finals. One weight class later, Clay Center senior Alissa Cowing upset No. 1 and unbeaten Kimber Crabbs of Buhler with a 9-7 win in the 105-pound finals.
“I feel like it was an upset,” Cowing said. “I went in there nervous and I didn’t know how I would do. I managed to just push through and got first.”
Cowing was ranked just No. 6 in the KWCA 105-pound rankings going into regionals. And just to get into the finals, she first had to get past No. 2 Ryleigh Page of Rose Hill in the tourney’s semifinals.
She made her first statement of the day with a pin of Page in the second period of their semifinal match, earning a shot at Crabbs, who was 26-0 going into the finals. But Cowing came out the aggressor and got a takedown and three-point near fall for a 5-0 lead after the first period and then added another takedown in the second to go up 7-0.
Crabbs responded and got an escape, takedown and got Cowing to her back. But Cowing fought off the pin and after Crabbs tied the match with an escape midway through the third period, the Tiger got a winning double-leg takedown with 39 seconds left in the third period to hand Crabbs, last year’s state runner-up at 105, her first loss of the season.
“I just listened to my coaches and I watched them wrestle which gave me an idea of what I should look out for,” Cowing said. “(Pinning Page) was a big confidence boost. After I beat her, I felt really relaxed all the way until I had to get warmed up for the finals.”
Clay Center's Alissa Cowing jumped from No. 6 to No. 1 in the Class 4-1A 105-pound rankings after her regional championship.
Cowing had qualified for state each of the past seasons, going 2-2 in 2022 and then 1-2 last year. That showing got her fired up for her senior season at a time where she was almost to the point of being burned out on wrestling.
“I was very disappointed with last year because I felt I did worse than the year before,” she said. “It motivated me a lot and I was kind of getting tired of wrestling in some way because of how irritated I was. I ended up sucking it up and wrestled all summer and now here I am and I’m excited to see how I do at state.”
Now Cowing goes to state ranked No. 1 at 105. What’s more, the bracket sets up very nicely for her to wrestle for a state title. Four of the other five ranked wrestlers at 105 are on the opposite side of the bracket with only No. 5 Veronica Greene of Cimarron on Cowing’s side.
She’s 28-4 this season with two of her four losses coming at 110 pounds early in the season to Chapman’s Calovich. Her other losses were to El Dorado’s Trinity Motter, who is ranked No. 5 at 100 pounds, and a 5-4 loss to Wichita County’s Jentri Porter, who is ranked No. 6 at 105.
Cowing said she relished facing off against Calovich to toughen her and also credits her daily battles with Koppes in practice for elevating her into a title contender.
“She has pushed me a lot,” Cowing said. “I’ve been her partner since her freshman year and wrestling her has helped me improve a lot. I’m very grateful for being her partner and I try my best to push her as well.”
Cowing and Koppes were joined by teammate Ezri Catlin at 115 as a regional champion, giving the Tigers three overall.
Abilene's Charlie Elliott (bottom) turned the tables on Circle's Alexis Wall (top) in their 100-pound regional final at McPherson, pinning her to move to No. 1.
Abilene’s Elliott came into the season with high expectations for her freshman year.
“She’s been in the kids program for the past seven, eight years and has had some great success there,” Abilene coach Curtis Rein said. “She’s had some great coaching at that level with Ross Taplin guiding that. … She is mentally tough and she really doesn’t care who she’s wrestling. She goes out and goes hard and that’s the Ross Taplin attitude – go out, do your best and dominate all you can.”
Her only losses this season have come to Junction City’s Jaidyn Alvarado, who was undefeated and No. 1 in Class 6-5A before being disqualified at regionals, and Augusta freshman Mylee Renville at an early dual.
Elliott avenged that loss in the regional quarterfinals with a second-period pin of Renville, setting up a shot at Winfield’s Gocela, last year’s 100-pound state champion and the season-long No. 1 at 100.
“That match, I just hadn’t seen her at all, even wrestling anybody else,” Elliott said. “I just had it in my mind that if I haven’t seen her, I don’t know what to expect so go out and do what I can. It was my best match of the day. It was a tough match.”
Elliott pulled off the upset with a pin with 37 seconds left in the second period. She rode the momentum to a first-period pin of Circle’s Wall in the finals, improving to 31-2 on the season.
“I knew it was going to be a tough day because there were so many ranked girls there,” Elliott said of a bracket that featured five of the top six in the 4-1A 100-pound rankings. “But I expected to do at least good. I don’t know that I expected to win.
“I think it really does help my confidence (for state). I don’t think anybody expected it and nobody knew going into that tournament where I really was. It’s really exciting knowing I have the No. 1 seed and a good draw for state. I know I’ve still got a lot of tough matches to wrestle, though.”
Elliott’s side of the bracket includes El Dorado’s Trinity Motter, who was fourth at the McPherson regional and is ranked No. 5.
In addition to Calovich keeping her undefeated season and quest for a second straight state title going, Chapman also had Taya Rowley capture a regional title, taking the crown at 140 win a pin over top-seeded Kasyn French of Smoky Valley. Rowley improved to 22-4 and is ranked No. 5.
Mulvane's Leiannah Landreth is the No. 2 seed in the Class 4-1A 120-pound division.
MULVANE’S LANDRETH WORKS TO SOLVE STATE TITLE RIDDLE
Mulvane junior Leiannah Landreth could easily find herself trying to play the spoiler’s role Saturday in the Class 4-1A 120-pound final.
But the Wildcat standout probably prefers to see it differently.
“I’m not a state champion yet because of Josiah Ortiz,” Landreth said of the former Lakin star, who defeated Landreth in the 109-pound state final two years ago and the 115-pound semifinals last season. “Just not getting one yet, I really want it.”
If the tournaments seeds play out, another formidable hurdle – three-time state champion Kendra Hurla of Rossville – will await.
Like professional golf’s “best to not yet win a major” discussion, Landreth brings similar credentials into the state tournament. Her 33-2 record this season has raised her career mark to 105-6 with second- and third-place finishes in two state appearances.
Her two losses this season? To Hurla, in championship matches at the Eureka and Baldwin invitationals in late January.
The latter of those meetings was an 11-10 classic that the unbeaten Hurla procured with a three-point near fall in the closing seconds after she had trailed by four earlier in the period. Landreth had earned her spot in the championship with a 7-1 semifinal victory over Class 6-5A No. 1 Nicole Redmond of Olathe South – her 100
th career victory.
After winning the McPherson regional title with a 16-1 technical fall over Pratt sophomore Miranda Webb, Landreth said part of her postseason preparation had centered on countering Hurla’s strengths.
“I was working with (Mulvane assistant) coach (Michael) Bird, and he’s been shooting sweep singles on me because that’s been her attack on me,” Landreth said. “I’ve been working on my defense and when she shoots in to try to break from that.”
While Hurla and Landreth are top contenders, Chanute’s Kadynce Axelson adds quality depth to the bracket as the third seed. Axelson won the Columbus regional to improve to 38-1 and was a fifth-place finisher at 120 a year ago after falling to Hurla in the quarterfinals.
“I look for that competition,” Landreth said. “I love it. I just need to sharpen up some of the little things.”
Halstead's Callyn Divine (left) is the lone freshman unbeaten in the state heading into this weekend's state tournaments.
HALSTEAD’S DIVINE TAKES UNBEATEN RECORD INTO FIRST STATE TOURNAMENT
Of the 13 girls in all classes who’ll take unbeaten records into this week’s state wrestling championships, one thing about Halstead’s Callyn Divine stands out.
She’s the lone freshman.
Divine has performed beyond her years, posting a 37-0 record with 33 pins heading into Thursday’s Class 4-1A state tournament. Divine, Halstead’s first regional champion, will be the No. 2 seed in the 130-pound bracket and wrestle Tonganoxie sophomore Finley Keller in the opening round.
“I’ve grown tremendously,” said Divine, who won the McPherson regional with a 6-2 decision over Pratt’s Wendy Candia. “It’s been a lot of fun and my team has been there every step of the way. I’ve been seeing a lot more competition, which I love so much. I love wrestling good people. It’s fun.”
Divine’s arrival on the high school scene certainly wasn’t done in anonymity. She has had a successful junior wrestling career as an under-14 state champion in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman.
“I wrestled freestyle over the summer and that has helped tremendously,” Divine said. “And just having the support now and the people in my corner have really helped, too.”
Candia has been the only wrestler to take Divine the distance this season, doing so at the Douglass Invitational and Central Kansas League tournament as well as regionals. The degree of difficulty figures to be raised in a state bracket that includes reigning champion Amanda Jaeger of Colby.
Like Divine, Jaeger is 37-0 this season. The senior possesses a wealth of state experience, finishing sixth at 120 pounds as a freshman and sixth at 126 as a sophomore prior to last year’s 32-1 run to the title. Jaeger has 110 career victories.
A potential finals matchup on Saturday would be the first between the two.
“I’ve had a lot of tough matches that I had to fight through,” Divine said. “Those were my favorite matches because I had to wrestle and do all my moves correctly and finish.
“My record, my ranking, it doesn’t really matter. I just need to focus on my next match, my next move. Everybody can be beaten and everybody can win. It’s just whoever’s the best that day.”
Tonganoxie's Grace Stean goes for a takedown at the Newton Tournament of Champions.
TONGANOXIE GIRLS BRING FIERCE 4-PACK TO STATE
The Tonganoxie girls wrestling team will head to the Class 4-1A state wrestling tournament in Salina with a small group.
Just four of the team’s wrestlers were able to secure a spot at state during last week's regional tournament.
But Tonganoxie head coach Adam Ludwin is still very excited about what his rowdy quartet can get done going up against top competition this weekend.
Three of the four wrestlers have been perfect so far in the postseason. Autumn Wilson, Stella Bradley and Grace Stean all won both Frontier League and regional titles in their respective weight classes in addition to clinching spots at state.
Wilson’s postseason titles are accompanied by a first-place finish at the Spring Hill Invitational. Competing at 110 pounds, Wilson is a mat technician who will not back down from any opponent, according to Ludwin.
“Autumn is an outstanding kid, on and off the mat,” Ludwin said. “She listens to everything you say and is never afraid to wrestle anyone. She’s always excited to wrestle and wrestle the best girls at that. She embraces the challenges.”
Bradley took first in the same tournaments as Wilson while also winning at the Olathe Southside Slam and the prestigious Newton Tournament of Champions. Bradley holds a victory over Oskaloosa’s Holly Thacher, who has won a state championship each of the previous two seasons. Bradley also knocked off previously undefeated Keera Lacock of Rossville.
Her victories there ultimately led to those competitors both being positioned on the same side of the bracket as No. 1 ranked Layla Tindle of Fredonia.
It’s still not a clear path to the finals for Bradley, particularly with talented Oakley freshman Kylee Hodges waiting for her as a potential semifinal matchup. But both of those wrestlers ended up avoiding the gladiator’s path to the finals that awaits Tindle.
Ludwin described himself as a lucky coach to have a “freak” athlete like Bradley on the team.
“Everyone can only wish they had such a natural talent like Stella on their team,” Ludwin said. “Her hips and balance are things I’ve never seen before in wrestling. She will beat anyone in a hip battle.”
Stean is the only wrestler in the group who is a returner to the state tournament. Stean earned a fifth-place finish at last year’s state tournament. She continued to build off that this season, earning a first-place finish at the Newton Tournament of Champions to go along with her two postseason crowns at 170 pounds.
“Grace is just a hammer all around,” Ludwin said. “She is strong and athletic. In the offseason, she’s hitting home runs all day in softball. In wrestling season, she’s ripping your arm off in a chicken wing.”
Finley Keller is the only one in the group that did not win a postseason title. She took third at Frontier League and fourth at regionals in the 130-pound weight class.
Ludwin said Finley is a wrestler who is very effective if she gets an opportunity from the top position.
“She will half (nelson) you until your shoulder or head falls off,” Ludwin said. “She can be down 14-0, but if she has a chance on top, her chance of turning you is very high.”
For Tonganoxie to get into the team trophy conversation at state, all four state qualifiers will need to push as far as possible to overcome the lack of depth for this team.
Ellis' Kaydawn Haag is the defending 4-1A champ at 140 pounds.
ELLIS' HAAG LOOKS TO CAP CAREER AS REPEAT CHAMP
Despite being a previous state finalist, Ellis’ Kaydawn Haag was ranked No. 5 at 140 pounds heading into last year’s Class 4-1A state tournament.
And that was fine with Haag.
“I will say last year we had many good wrestlers in that bracket,” Haag said. “When you’re a previous finalist and you’re ranked No. 5, there’s got to be a reason for that. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to fly lower under the radar.”
Haag proved up to the task, capping an outstanding 2023 tournament with a pin over Baldwin’s Audrey Darnell in the final to notch her first state championship.
Haag will have a target on her back as she looks to defend her championship, but she’ll do her best to keep the same approach and mentality.
“You have to ignore the rankings and what people think about you,” Haag said. “Ultimately, when you step on the mat, it’s you versus yourself, and if you can beat that, you can beat anybody.”
No matter what happens, it will be the final wrestling tournament of a tremendous career for Haag, who has committed to play softball at Fort Hays State.
Haag grew up around wrestling drom a young age while watching her father, Ron Haag, officiate matches around the country. She decided to start wrestling her eighth grade year when girls wrestling became a KSHSAA-sanctioned sport.
She was a state runner-up to eventual three-time state champion Livia Swift of Pratt as a freshman before taking fifth as a sophomore, followed by last year’s breakthrough.
Ron Haag is in first year as head coach of the Ellis wrestling programs after previously serving as an assistant.
“He’s never missed a match,” Haag said. “He’s been in my corner for every single match already. Getting to have him run the room has been kind of nice. It definitely does add a little bit of a special element.”
Haag enters with a 32-1 record. Her only loss was a 6-4 decision against Hays’ Lexi Burton. Haag owns three wins this year over Goodland’s Destiny Gonzalez, a state runner-up last year who is ranked third, and also has a victory against No. 4-ranked Lyndsey Escareno from Eureka.
“It sucks to lose but you definitely learn so much more from your losses,” Haag said. “And I’ve definitely had some good championship matches. Destiny Gonzalez and Lyndsey Escareno have definitely put up a challenge throughout the year.”
Haag said she doesn’t feel much pressure heading into the tournament.
“Honestly, it’s been more relaxing, which kind of seems backwards, I guess,” Haag said. “I’ve got nothing to lose. It’s all for fun and the glory to God to be able to step out there one more time.”
Oakley's Atavia Cain is 33-0 and ranked No. 1 at 170 pounds.
OAKLEY LOOKS TO CONTEND FOR TEAM TITLE
An impact transfer and a pair of talented freshmen quickly transformed Oakley into a contender for a team state championship in Class 4-1A.
The Plainsmen have been jockeying with Rossville at the top of the rankings this season and held down the top spot in the last edition.
Oakley is coming off a regional title and qualified five wrestlers for the tournament – freshmen Kylee Hodges (115) and Brooke Smith (190), sophomore Abbygal Jackson (130), sophomore Cali Wagoner (155) and junior Atavia Cain (170).
“Our kids club is doing a wonderful job of encouraging kids to come out and wrestle, boys and girls,” Oakley coach Bryce Lewis said. “These girls are very coachable. A little bit goofy off the mat sometimes, and you’ve go to rein that in, but the depth has been fun.”
Cain has been a driving force for the team’s success. After finishing runner-up at state last year as a sophomore, Cain is 33-0 and ranked No. 1 at 170.
“She’s aggressive – clean but mean,” Lewis said. “In the sport of wrestling you’ve got be physical and mean about some things, and she has that switch. It’s just fun to watch.”
Wagoner transferred to Oakley after moving from Quinter, where she was the first girls wrestler for the Bulldogs. She is 30-5 on the season and ranked No. 1 at 155 after placing fifth at 135 as a freshman.
“Her and Atavia are practice partners and watching them go at it has been fun, helping each other improve and get better,” Lewis said.
Jackson (29-6) is ranked No. 6 at 130 while Hodges (34-6) and Smith (19-3) have produced promising freshman campaigns.
“I knew they we’re going to be good, but you just never know with freshmen,” Lewis said. “High school wrestling is a lot different than kids and junior high. I had some high expectations but you never know how things are going to work out.”
Lewis said the Plainsmen aren’t getting caught up in the No. 1 ranking but expect to be in the mix for a state title if they perform well.
“I know Rossville has some stud girls and Pratt qualified eight,” Lewis said. “There’s some other good teams. We just need go take care of our business and see how the chips fall.”