The Bobcat Classic has a way of revealing exactly who a program is.
Over two days and dozens of bouts last weekend, the noise inside Basehor-Linwood High School rose and fell with every takedown, scramble and pin. By the time the final whistle sounded Saturday afternoon, the host Bobcats had matched their best finish ever at their home meet.
Basehor-Linwood placed third overall in the 43-team Bobcat Classic, finishing with 187.5 points behind Missouri powers Hickman (242.5) and St. Pius X (219). The Bobcats’ third-place finish was the top showing among Kansas schools in a field that included nationally ranked programs and state champions from multiple states.
“I thought our team wrestled outstanding,” head coach Jason Puderbaugh said. “To have three finalists and seven overall medalists in such a tough field of competition speaks volumes to the amount of hard work and commitment that this team has made to the sport and doing things the right way.”
Junior Trevor Christenson (132 pounds) and junior Cael Puderbaugh (138) led the charge with individual championships, while Eric Vielhauer finished second at 126 pounds. Basehor-Linwood was one of only a handful of Kansas teams to produce champions, with five Kansas wrestlers winning titles overall.
For coach Puderbaugh, the results reflected more than just wins and losses.
“Beyond their performance on the mat, what makes our coaching staff most happy is the character these young men displayed throughout the entire weekend,” he said. “They battled through adversity. They didn’t allow names, rankings or the actions of others to affect how they wrestled.”
Christenson’s championship match was the emotional centerpiece of the weekend.
In the 132-pound final against Odessa, Mo., standout Blaine Wallace, Christenson was illegally thrown out of bounds and struck his head on the floor after wrestling had stopped. The Basehor-Linwood junior was given the option to end the match and claim the title by injury default.
Instead, he chose to continue.
“Where many would have been tempted to end the match or react out of anger, Trevor chose to be gritty,” Puderbaugh said. “He chose to keep his composure and stepped back into the circle to finish the match as a true champion who refuses to quit and refuses to win any other way.”
Christenson returned to the mat and controlled the remainder of the bout, earning a 6-1 decision over Wallace — a Missouri state champion and Donnybrook placer. The win added another highlight to a season in which Christenson remains unbeaten in Kansas competition and is pursuing his third state title, while recently winning his 100th match.
“Trevor just continues to do Trevor things,” Puderbaugh said. “He’s an absolute warrior on the mat, but he’s also one of the best young men you’ll ever meet off it. He brings the HEAT — heart, effort, attitude and team spirit — every single day.”
Basehor-Linwood's Cael Puderbaugh won the 138-pound title at his home Bobcat Classic.
At 138 pounds, Cael Puderbaugh delivered a championship of his own, defeating Hickman’s Brady McMurty 5-1 in the finals. The victory marked another milestone for the defending state champion, who added a Bobcat Classic title to an already impressive résumé.
“Cael’s performance was awesome,” his coach said. “He was attacking, getting to his offense and having fun. Not many Bobcats in the history of this program can say they’ve won a Bobcat Classic, and now he can add his name to that list.”
Along with the three wrestlers in the finals, the Bobcats medaled seven, including a third place finish for Gavin Mitchell at 215 pounds.
Puderbaugh said the tournament win was especially meaningful given the level of competition and the tradition surrounding the event.
“This is one of the premier tournaments in the Midwest,” he said. “The atmosphere is incredible, the competition is tough, and it prepares you for what February is going to look like.”
While the Bobcats’ performance on the mat stood out, Puderbaugh also highlighted the team’s commitment off it. Wrestlers gave up their evening before the tournament to help with setup, volunteered during the weekend as table workers and concession helpers, and stayed late to help tear everything down after the event concluded.
“This team is a true class act,” Puderbaugh said. “They didn’t just compete like champions Friday and Saturday — they lived it all weekend.”
The coach also praised the community and volunteers who continue to elevate the Bobcat Classic nearly three decades into its run.
“Our goals for this tournament have never changed,” he said. “Taking care of teams, running an efficient tournament and creating an electric finals atmosphere. Because of the people in this community, this tournament has outlasted adversity and is back on top as one of the toughest tournaments in the state of Kansas.”
PAOLA'S JOHNSON JOINS ELITE COMPANY
Paola senior Brock Johnson made history of his own, becoming just the second wrestler in Bobcat Classic history to win four individual titles.
Johnson captured the 144-pound championship with a technical fall over West Franklin’s Logan Courtois, finishing the weekend 5-0. During the tournament, the state’s No. 1-ranked wrestler also recorded the 150th victory of his career and continued his pursuit of a fourth state championship.
Paola's Brock Johnson won his fourth Bobcat Classic title.
“As a coach, I was very happy to see him win his fourth Bobcat title,” Paola head coach Darvin Willard said. “It is hard to win four, so to add that to his résumé is pretty awesome.”
Willard credited Johnson’s offseason dedication for his continued growth.
“Brock’s wrestling is at an all-time high right now,” Willard said. “How he trains in the offseason and during the season is different than most. That’s why his wrestling has elevated, and he’s making those around him better in the process.”
CARROLL BREAKS THROUGH AT HEAVYWEIGHT
St. Thomas Aquinas senior Stephen Carroll added a signature win to his final high school season by claiming the heavyweight championship at 285 pounds.
Carroll pinned St. Pius X’s Kyler Kuhn — the defending Missouri state champion — in the second period to earn his first Bobcat Classic title. The victory came after Carroll finished second as a sophomore and fifth last season at the tournament.
St. Thomas Aquinas' Stephen Carroll celebrate his Bobcat Classic title.
“It was a nice milestone for Stephen,” Aquinas head coach Eric Akin said. “The Bobcat Classic is a huge tournament. The brackets are tougher than the state brackets at most weights.”
Akin said Carroll embraced the moment in the finals.
“Before the match he told me, ‘I’ve never beat this guy before, so I think I’m just going to try something big,’” Akin said. “I told him, ‘This is your poker game. If you want to roll the dice, let it fly.’”
With his senior season nearing its postseason push, Carroll’s focus is clear.
“He’s definitely got his vision locked in on the state title and nothing less,” Akin said.
His teammate, K'Lyn Curtis, also made the finals at 215 pounds and finished as the Bobcat Classic runner-up.
Other boys wrestling standouts:
Lawrence Free State's Zane Shaw
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Blue Valley Southwest senior, and defending state champion, Ben Traw won the heavyweight title at the Newton Tournament of Champions last week. Traw earned a 3-1 decision over Southeast of Saline’s Brody Chambers to win the title. Teammate Tad Forsyth took second at 190 pounds, losing to Maize’s Everett Joyce in the finals.
Leavenworth wrestling
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Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Steven Brown is putting together a memorable final season. The No. 1 ranked heavyweight in Class 6A, is currently 30-1 on the season. From Jan. 3 through the 10th he went 13-0 capturing a touranment title in Allen, Tex., where he went 8-0 and defeated the state’s No. 1 ranked wrestler, before capturing the Bonner Springs title a week later.
Mill Valley's Jeredy Nilges
Girls Wrestling Standouts
Olathe East's Audrey Lennard