HAYS – Brody Chambers bookended a memorable slate of Class 3-2-1A title matches by pulling out a grueling heavyweight championship victory at the last possible second.
The 285 title match between the Southeast of Saline junior and Smith Center’s Kharson Montgomery was still deadlocked at 1 heading to the ultimate tiebreaker.
Montgomery made an admirable attempt at earning the ride-out, but Chambers broke free for an escape with a second left on the clock to secure his title with a 2-1 decision.
“The match definitely turned in to who had the better gas tank,” Chambers said. “I feel like we both are really good at holding our water.
“We definitely were battling through it. I was lucky enough to get the coin toss and score first. That gave me the choice in the ultimate tiebreaker, but I still feel like I could have held him down another 30 seconds.”
Montgomery had just rode out Chambers in the period before the ultimate tiebreaker, but Chambers had nearly escaped.
“I felt really confident because I almost escaped twice during the match,” Chambers said. “I felt really confident on the bottom.”
Last year, Chambers was on the other end of a marathon match with Montgomery, taking a loss in the ultimate tiebreaker in the quarterfinals.
The two also met in the regional finals, with Chambers taking a 1-0 decision.
“It was a hard match,” Chambers said. “I set myself up well (in the bracket) with that win at regionals.”
The title added another highlight to a banner junior year for Chambers, who finished 40-4.
“This championship is great because it’s my second one this year,” said Chambers, a standout lineman on Southeast of Saline’s championship football team in 2A. “It’s a crazy junior year. I don’t know how I’m going to top it next year.”
Montgomery, runner-up for the second straight year, finished with a 37-4 record.
Southeast of Saline's Roman Tuttle celebrates after winning the 120-pound championship.
Southeast of Saline freshman Roman Tuttle delivered another signature moment for the Trojans, defeating two-time reigning champion Ian Giancola from Hoxie in the 120 finals.
Tuttle stormed out to a 6-1 lead with two takedowns in the first period and opened up an 11-point lead late in the second period, ultimately taking a 13-3 decision.
“I wrestled my match,” Tuttle said.
Giancola, battling a knee injury, was laboring in the last two periods and had to take injury time.
Still, Giancola (30-1) managed to get Tuttle in a tight headlock midway through the third period but couldn’t get the finish.
“I felt that I was OK,” Tuttle said. “Just stayed calm and got back to center to wrestle my match.”
Tuttle finished his sparkling freshman campaign with a 43-1 record. His only loss was against Class 6A state runner-up Matthew Long from Garden City in the Newton Tournament of Champions.
“This was never really on my mind. I just came to wrestle,” Tuttle said of his championship. “It’s an amazing, unbelievable feeling.”
West Franklin's Logan Courtois celebrates on the mat after his 144-pound title win.
COURTOIS FINDS PERFECTION AFTER WILD 144 FINAL
West Franklin’s Logan Courtois entered his 144-pound title match with the highly-flexible Brennen Pfannenstiel with a specific game plan in mind.
Courtois was well aware of a rare, patented move Norton’s Pfannenstiel uses to finish matches.
To execute it, Pfannenstiel gets in a sit-out position and attempts to lock up his opponent’s elbows and secure the pin with his arms behind his back.
“I knew what he was searching for. He searches for it on every kid,” Courtois said.
“I knew I was just going to have to take him down and cut him. And keep doing it again and again. It worked for the majority of the match until the third period.”
After flawlessly executing his plan for two-plus periods and opening up a 19-6 lead, Courtois got over zealous while looking for the tech fall and allowed Pfannenstiel the opportunity to unleash his go-to move midway through the third period.
“He can hit it because his shoulders are double-jointed. I was talking to him after the match. He was cool to talk to,” Courtois said.
He was in a precarious spot, but Courtois didn’t panic.
“You can’t really stress in those situations,” he said. “You just have to keep a clear mind and find a way to get out.”
Courtois rolled out of danger and held off Pfannenstiel down the stretch to pull out a wild, action-packed 21-17 win to complete a 45-0 season.
Courtois was exhausted, laying on the mat for a few seconds after the match to collect himself.
“I was so tired,” Courtois said. “I had some injuries that took me out for a while, so my conditioning kind of fell off.
“I knew going into the match I wasn’t going to pin him. It was going to be a long, drawn-out match.”
Courtois’ title came after finishing as the state runner-up at 113 pounds as a freshman, and then taking third at 132 pounds last year. He spent his first two years of high school at Burlingame before transferring to West Franklin as a junior.
“It felt pretty good to finally get the title, but ultimately I feel like I should have had it a while a go,” he said.
Courtois said his pursuit of perfection hadn’t dawned on him until the state tournament rolled around.
His younger brother, Chase Courtois, also took an undefeated record into state before losing to Quinter’s Tate Blackwill in the 113 semis. He went on to finish third.
“It was kind of cool (to go undefeated), looking at it afterward, being the only 3-2-1A undefeated wrestler,” Logan Courtois said.
Pfannenstiel finished his senior season with a 32-6 record.
Beloit's Brogan Monty won his third straight title.
BELOIT’S MONTY NOTCHES THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE
Beloit junior Brogan Monty is one step away from joining the state’s list of four-time champs.
Monty earned his third straight championship, taking the 132 crown with a 4-0 decision over Bluestem’s Axton Vice.
“(Four titles) has been a childhood dream,” Monty said. “Being one step away is really awesome. I’m excited to go get after it.”
It was the first matchup between Monty (44-2) and Vice, a sophomore who finished 34-8.
“I really didn’t know much about him but the game plan was to get up early and hold on to that lead and get the job done,” Monty said.
“It was definitely exciting seeing someone new, especially in a circumstance like that. It makes the match a little more exciting than wrestling the same guy four or five times.”
Monty took control with a takedown and kept Vice at bay the rest of the match.
“The takedown really was what changed that match and that last period was just about sealing the deal,” Monty said.
Monty’s only losses on the season came at the Rocky Welton Invitational in Garden City. His previous titles came at 106 and 113 before making the jump up to 132 for his junior year.
“I think from this year to last year, there’s been a lot of growth in my wrestling,” he said. “I’m a lot more offensive and a lot more aggressive, and that’s exciting. I just want to build my game and get as good as I can.”
Russell's Xzephren Donner
DONNER ENDS LONG TITLE DROUGHT FOR RUSSELL
Xzephren Donner gave Russell its first boys state champion wrestling in 56 years.
Donner beat familiar foe Tate Blackwill from Quinter for the third time on the season, controlling the 113-pound final to take an 11-7 decision.
“I went into the match knowing what he was going to do. I watched a lot of film,” Donner said. “The fundamentals are what won me this match, honestly.”
Donner set the tone early with two takedowns in the first period to open up a 6-1 lead heading to the second period. He remained in control the rest of the way to cap his junior season with a 38-3 record.
“I wanted to push the pace this match. I knew I had better conditioning. I worked all summer and my goal was to push the pace whole entire time.”
Blackwell took a 9-4 lead into the third period and extended it to 11-4, staying in good position late to keep Blackwill at bay.
“I just had to wrestle smart,” said Donnera junior. “If I wrestle smart, he’s not going to score on me.”
Donner’s championship came after he took third at 106 as a sophomore.
“It was so big,” Donner said of his title “I did this match for my seniors. They’ve led me in the program this whole time. If I hadn’t been wrestling with them this whole time, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Blackwill, a senior, was a state runner-up for the second straight year after taking second to Norton’s Kaleb Keiswetter in 2024. Blackwill finished with a 34-7 record.
Douglass' Carter Green gets his hand raised after winning the 215 title.
DOUGLASS' GREEN CAPS DOMINANT SOPHOMORE SEASON WITH 215 TITLE
After coming agonizingly close to a state championship as a freshman last year, Douglass’ Carter Green made sure to capitalize on his return trip to the finals.
Green suffered an overtime loss to Hoxie star Sam Watkins in the 190 title match in 2024.
“It was a lot to take in at once,” Green said. “It was heartbreaking afterward, but it was a really good match.”
Moving up to 215, Green responded with a tremendous sophomore season, capped with a 7-0 decision over Council Grove’s Ace Monihen in the title match.
Green took a 2-0 lead into the third period before sealing it in the final seconds, nearly getting the pin before time expired.
“I was throwing my collar ties pretty hard at him,” Green said. “I wanted to get into his head early because I knew he was a strong opponent. I just wanted to keep his feet moving.
“I felt I was in control for most of the match. There were a couple of times where I got a little scared on the edge of the mat, but other than that I felt like I was in control.”
Green went 39-1 on the season. His only loss came to Garden City’s David Holguin in the Newton Tournament of Champions.
“Going to Newton and having that loss hurt a little bit; he won by a stall call,” Green said.
Green was measured in his celebration after securing the title.
“I was hoping to have an adrenaline rush at the end but I didn’t really feel that,” Green said.
It was a huge day for Douglass, which also had two champions on the girls’ side in Cheyenne Wagoner and Ginger Landis.
“It was a lot of fun to watch, especially for Cheyenne,” Green said. “I went with her to state last year and she went 0-2. To see her win state was heartwarming. And watching Ginger win and (celebrate) with her dad was awesome too.”
Oakley's Carter Krier celebrates after winning the 138 title.
AT LONG LAST, OAKLEY’S KRIER NABS CHAMPIONSHIP
Oakley’s Carter Krier punctuated his roller-coaster ride of a high school career by capturing an elusive state championship.
Krier was a state runner-up as a freshman before missing his sophomore season with an injury. He was a title favorite as a junior last year but was upset in the semifinals by Norton’s Jatin Weigel and settled for third.
This year, Krier (40-1) was in control throughout a 7-0 decision over St. Francis’ Shane Tood (32-10) in the 138 final.
“I had a blast out there,” Krier said. “Just wrestled how I’ve always wrestled this year.
“(The keys) were being boring, wrestling the tough positions and staying dedicated to the ride. Just being grateful for opportunities.”
The 138-pound title was Krier’s to lose this year, and he never wavered.
“It’s been a very bumpy road getting here,” Krier said. “I couldn’t be more grateful. All the glory goes to God and I’m so thankful for my teammates, coaches and family.”
Krier’s not done yet, recently signing with Friends University.
“I still have more wrestling left to do,” he said.
Norton's Kaleb Keiswetter
NORTON NETS TWO CHAMPIONS IN KEISWETTER, CLYDESDALE
A runner-up team showing for Norton saw the Bluejays produce one repeat champion and one first-time champ.
Sophomore Kaleb Keiswetter defended his 106 crown while Derek Cyldesdale won his rubber match with Hoxie rival Kash Schiltz to claim the 126 title.
Keiswetter finished off a 42-3 season with a 12-3 major decision over Jayhawk Linn sophomore Landon Higgins (35-2).
“I’ve never really wrestled him before so I just focused on what I know,” Keiswetter said.
After topping Quinter’s Tate Blackwill in the championship match last season, Keiswetter was unfazed by the target on his back.
“Everybody was coming after me really hard,” Keiswetter said. “But, again, I just had to focus on what I do.
“The expectation was very high (in the finals), and I did not want to let my crowd down. I had to show up.”
Norton's Derek Clydesdale
Clydesdale's title match marked his fifth match of the season with Schiltz, splitting the first four meetings with the Hoxie senior. Schiltz won the regional final bout in overtime.
The championship match was locked at 1 in the third period. Schiltz was working on Clydesdale’s hip midway through the third before Clydesdale spun around and took Schiltz’s back for a reversal, notching the decisive points in a 3-1 decision.
“I was just looking to score points the whole time,” Clydesdale said. “I knew he was going to be tough to take down and I was just focusing on trying to finish shots fast before he could grab a leg or something.
“It was just about keeping my eyes open and looking for any chance to score points. When it presented itself, I took the chance.”
Clydesdale ended his junior season with a 38-5 record.
“It’s just an awesome feeling,” Clydesdale said. “All the work I’ve put in, it’s really paid off.”
Schiltz closed out his senior campaign with a 39-5 record and as a three-time medalist including two runner-up showings.
Norton had seven top-six medalists – Keiswetter, Clydesdale, Ayston Kats (fourth at 132), Jatin Weigel (third at 138), Brennen Pfannenstiel (second at 144), Colton Stover (third at 215) and Corbin Puga (third at 285).
The Bluejays compiled 146 points, finishing 46 points behind champion Hoxie.
“I think we did great,” Keiswetter said. “Everybody thought Hoxie was going to blow us out of the water, which they kind of did, but we kept it close for a long time.”
Phillipsburg's Blake Buresh celebrates his 157-pound title.
BURESH SEALS 157 TITLE WITH TAKEDOWN IN OT
Phillipsburg’s Blake Buresh won the 157-pound title in dramatic fashion, notching a takedown 20 seconds into the sudden-victory overtime to take a 4-1 decision over Atchison County’s Easton Schletzbaum.
“I got a little bit of a re-shot, and just synched it up for a body lock and got the takedown,” Buresh said.
Buresh avenged an early-season loss by fall to Schletzbaum.
“I was confident,” Buresh said. “My partners worked me hard in the practice room.”
The junior utilized all forms of victory en route to his championship. He opened with a 13-2 major decision over Rawlins County’s Eli Holle, pinned Herington’s Cameron Svitak in the quarterfinals and earned a 19-3 technical fall over Frankfort’s Dylan Slifer in the semis before coming up clutch to take the decision against Schletzbaum.
Buresh finished with a 39-4 record.
“It was the greatest feeling ever,” Buresh said of winning the title.
Schletzbaum finished his senior season with a 32-6 record.