Hoxie’s Josie Bell had one of the more memorable runs to a state championship in last year’s 3-2-1A tournament.
Bell entered state with 10 losses and had placed fourth at regionals before hitting her stride in Hays and capping her sophomore season with a 125-pound title.
She joined her three older brothers – Drew, Dayton and Duncan – as state champions. Duncan was a senior last year and won his second straight title moments after Josie captured her title.
Bell has kept the momentum going this year as a junior, amassing a 24-2 record while dropping down to a loaded 120-pound weight class.
“I've been told by multiple people that my confidence is a lot better this year, and that’s helped a lot,” said Bell, who beat Norton’s Isabella Garrity by 5-4 decision in the 125 title match last year.
Bell has certainly been battle-tested. She defeated Oakley’s Kylee Hodges by an 11-0 decision in the final at the Hays Prairie Classic on Saturday, earning her second win of the season over the junior Hodges, a two-time state runner-up who went 40-1 last season.
“Just had to keep my mind right,” Bell said of the win over Hodges. “You can't have a negative mind going into a match. Just had to stay positive. She’s really good competition.”
Bell also has a pair of wins over state-ranked Madison Siegfried from St. Francis.
Her only losses came against Russell freshman Arianna Weigel and Gardner Edgerton freshman Aspen Walker, who is ranked No. 4 in Class 6A.
Lyons’ Addison Morgan, another freshman, is ranked No. 1 at 120 in 3-2-1A followed by Weigel at No. 2 and Bell at No. 3.
“It is a challenge,” Bell said of the 120-pound class. “Arianna Weigel is a tough one but I am looking forward to the next time we wrestle.”
Bell is closing in on her 100th career win, moving to 98 after her title at the Prairie Classic. She also won tournament titles at Colby, Clay Center and Goodland.
“It definitely brings some more confidence and lets me know what I need to do,” Bell said. “Just got to keep working.”
DODGE CITY’S RAMIREZ CONTINUES DOMINANT SEASON
Reigning Class 6A 105-pound champion Elizabeth Ramirez has been unstoppable in her senior season.
Ramirez moved to 26-0 on the season after winning a title at the Best of the West tournament at Wichita West on Jan. 17.
Ramirez has also won tournaments at Dodge City, Basehor-Linwood, Great Bend and Amarillo, Texas.
“I've actually been trying to improve my shots for sure,” Ramirez told KSHSAA Covered earlier this season. “Setups are super important if you want to have a very successful match. Most of all I wanted to be more aggressive. Last year I wasn’t as aggressive as I wanted to, but this year I definitely see improvement and I'll continue to improve during practice and later on in competition.”
Dodge City won the Best of the West team title. In addition to Ramirez’s 105 title, the Red Demons had individual champions at 140 (Alejandra De La Rosa) and 155 (Yareli Garcia).
OTHER WESTERN KANSAS GIRLS WRESTLING STANDOUTS
– No. 1-ranked Garden City won seven weight classes and captured the team title at the Les Mattocks Invitational in Denver last weekend. The champions were Crystal Loera (115), Julissa Rodriguez (120), Marina Loera (125), Maggie Guzman (135-140 combined division), Aria Cordes (145-155 combined), Mary Condo (190) and Amri Guerin (235). Garden City also won the Newton Tournament on Jan. 14-15. Kaira Acosta (110) and Crystal Loera (115 were individual champions at Newton. The Buffaloes will host the Rocky Welton Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
– Russell is the top-ranked team in 3-2-1A. The Broncos had six champions – Arianna Weigel (120), Averie Counts (130), Mya Trevino (135), Chaysie Bachman (140), Kinsey Zorn (145) and Aaliyah Trevino (155) at the Hoisington Cardinal Round Robin on Jan. 15. The Broncos have eight ranked wrestlers. Zorn, a reigning state champion, returned to the mat for Russell after the holiday break after initially opting to play basketball this season.
– Liberal’s Aileen Figueroa (18-6) won the 190 title at the Best of the West tournament, defeating Dodge City’s Maribel Castro in the title match.
– Hays captured its home Prairie Classic tournament on Jan. 17. The Indians had three individual champions – Reese Vehige (130), Timber Lovewell (145) and Lexi Barnett (155).
– Plainville’s Kaleigh Klein picked up a big win in the finals at the Hays Prairie Classic, defeating Stockton’s Carolina Northup by 3-0 decision in the 100 final.
– Reigning Class 3-2-1A champion Norton had four individual champions – Kaison Miller (125), Halle Pfannenstiel (140), Cadence Greeson (190) and Adriana Winters (235) -- at the Hays Prarie Classic. Other area champions at the Prairie Classic included Ellis’ Kia Mader (105), Stockton’s Saj Snyder (115), Plainville’s Hayden Staab (135) and Oakley’s Brooke Smith (170).
– Colby’s Morgan Hills won a battle of state champions in the 135 final at the Newton Tournament of Champions, pulling out an action-packed 13-11 decision over Manhattan’s Alayna Slifer. Hills is the reigning 4A champion while Slifer is the returning champ in 6A.
– Goodland’s Landin Von Lintel (115) and Danica Dautel (130) won their weight classes at the Higgins Invitational in Lexington, Neb.
– St. Francis had four champions at the Scott City Invitational on Jan. 17 – Henzley Matthies (100), Madison Siegfried (120), Cheyenne LaBarge (125) and Makayla Hays (145). Other area champions at Scott City were Wichita County’s Jentri Porter (105), Scott City’s Haylie McDaniel (110), WaKeeney-Trego’s Kallan Rothchild (115), Rawlins County’s Maggie Holle (130), Holcomb’s McKenzie Simon (135), Stanton County’s Reanna Burger (155), Wichita County’s Jaelene Vestal (170) and Cimarron’s Peyton Smith (235).
– Area individual champions from the Osborne Invitational on Monday included Ellis’ Kia Mader (105), Hill City’s Emily Smee (110), Hill City’s Kya Bell (115) and Hill City’s Sarah Christian (120), Osborne’s Camrum Taylor (130), Osborne’s Logaan Arnoldy (135) and Sylvan-Lucas’ Breckyn Gosvener (190).
– Reigning state champion Keleigh Ochoa from Smith Center won the 110-pound title at the Best of the West tournament at Wichita West, remaining undefeated.