When Kinsey Zorn briefly stepped away from wrestling, it wasn’t because she lost her passion for the sport.
Instead, it was more of a time management decision for the Russell junior.
Zorn, a state champion as a sophomore last year at 135 pounds, initially opted to play basketball this season instead of wrestle, a move that would keep her weekends mostly open to also participate in dance.
“I love the sport and I love the team,” Zorn said of wrestling. “It’s just very difficult with being involved in so many things.”
A few weeks into the season, Zorn couldn’t resist returning to the mat for the No. 1-ranked Broncos.
“I looked at the first tournament results and I was like, ‘Yeah, I should be there.’ ”
Zorn rejoined the wrestling team right before the holiday break, bolstering an already loaded Bronco squad.
“That was a nice early Christmas present,” Russell coach Luke Keller said. “She's a hard worker and she's a leader. She is a great kid to have on a team. You can't have enough good people in your program and getting her back was huge for us.”
Despite the late start, Zorn showed absolutely no signs of rust. Now wrestling at 145 pounds, Zorn will take a 26-0 record into the Class 3-2-1A tournament on Feb. 27-28 in Hays.
“I picked it up pretty fast,” said Zorn, who is also a reigning Class 3A state champion in the 800-meter run. “I was a little nervous going into my first tournament but it turned out well.”
Zorn was one of four individual champions for the Broncos at the 3-2-1A regional in WaKeeney last weekend. Russell rolled to the team title with 211 points, clearing second-place Norton by 39 points.
Last year, Zorn enjoyed a breakthrough sophomore year, going 37-6 and capping her season with a thrilling 15-9 decision over Oakley’s Abbygayl Jackson in the state title match.
Zorn, who is ranked No. 1 at 145 in Class 3-2-1A, pinned Ellsworth’s Sophie Homolka in the second period of the regional final.
Keller said the quality of wrestlers Zorn competes against in practice helped her quickly return to form.
“It was just a good way to get her back going, because she was wrestling hard girls every day, all Christmas break, and she really didn't miss a beat,” he said.
“It’s been great,” Zorn said. “We push each other every day in the room and we have so much fun.”
Aided by the arrival of a talented freshman class — composed of Arianna Weigel, Aaliyah Trevino, Karsyn Hamlin and Camry Ney — Russell has been ranked No. 1 throughout the season.
Like Zorn, sophomore Averie Counts is also undefeated, sporting a 40-0 record at 130 pounds.
“I kind of had it circled when (the freshmen) were coming up,” Keller said. “I taught them all when they were in third grade, so I kind of knew they were going to be pretty good wrestlers, keeping track of their career. They've been great kids to coach. It's just an awesome group.
“With the girls we had returning from last year's team, it's just been a good mix. They cheer for each other. They support each other. They push each other when they need to push. It makes my job really easy because they just take care of business and I just get to coach them and enjoy being a part of their team.”
In the 120 final at the regional meet, Weigel (39-3) met up with reigning state champion Josie Bell from Hoxie for the third time this season. Weigel moved to 2-1 against Bell with a 5-2 decision.
“She's just tough,” Keller said of Weigel. “She stayed in good position. The last time they wrestled at league, she panicked a little bit when she got down, but there was no panic in her (at regionals). She scored her points, when she needed to, and just stayed in good position the whole match. We might see that match again, we might not. But two really good wrestlers wrestled that match, and it’s fun to be a part of that.”
Counts continued her perfect season with a pin against Minneapolis’ Quinley Bohl in the 130 regional final.
“Averie started wrestling in seventh grade and she's never really stopped wrestling once she started,” Keller said. “She puts in a ton of work. She lifts weights all year round. It's just a credit to her dedication and hard work to the sport. She's a great ambassador for our school and community.”
Like Weigel, Aaliyah Trevino (35-5) also earned a win over a reigning state champion at the regional meet. She beat Oakley’s Cali Wagoner by pin in the 155 final.
“Those two are always close when they wrestle,” Keller said. “It's just a good matchup. I was really proud of (Trevino). She had a good little bounce back from the league tournament. She worked hard, got her mind right and took care of business.”
Mya Trevino (135) and Hamlin (125) also made the regional final in their respective weights. Other state qualifiers for Russell included Ney (115) and Chaysie Bachman (140).
“It's awesome,” Zorn said. “Getting to see these underclassmen come up and win regionals is insane. We've built up (the program). Luke Keller's an awesome coach.”
“It's huge to get momentum going to the state tournament and wrestling your best,” Keller said.
“That's how we try to train so we can peak at the right time. It's just a credit to our girls, they come to practice every day and work hard. There's really no nonsense with them. They just come and work. A good group of kids to coach, so I'm really proud of them.”
GARDEN CITY CAPTURES REGIONAL TITLE IN WICHITA
Reigning Class 6A state champion Garden City held off Manhattan for the regional title at Wichita South, posting 247.5 points to Manhattan’s 239.
The Buffaloes had two individual champions and put eight in the finals.
Nicole Abrego won the 100-pound title with a 9-0 major decision over Manhattan’s Eva Lucios while Marina Loera took the 125 crown with a pin of Manhattan’s Evelyn Thornburg.
Regional runner-ups for Garden City were Emjay Marez (105), Kaira Acosta (110), Crystal Loera (115), Julissa Rodriguez (120), Kylie Huber (135) and Aria Cordes (145).
COLBY NABS 4A REGIONAL TITLE
Led by Morgan Hills’ individual title at 135 pounds, Colby captured the Class 4A regional championship at Augusta last weekend.
The Eagles edged Chapman by a point (145 to 144) for the team title.
Hills, a reigning state champ, pinned Tristin Compton in the 135 final. She improved to 41-2 on the season.
Adrian Salcido (100), Lux Vrbas (105), Gala White (115), Faith Hoover (120), Dallis Stieben (155), Makenzi Rhymer (170) and Alana Fabrizius (190) also qualified for state for the Eagles.
OTHER WESTERN KANSAS GIRLS WRESTLING STANDOUTS
– St. Francis freshman Henzley Matthies moved to 25-0 with a pin of Plainville’s Kaeleigh Klein in the 3-2-1A regional final.
– Wichita County’s Jentri Porter improved to 30-0 with an 8-7 decision over Minneapolis’ Bristol Copple in the 105 regional final.
– Smith Center’s Keleigh Ochoa, a reigning state champion, continued her perfect season with a pin over Ellinwood’s McKena Parker in the 110 regional final.
– Norton’s trio of reigning state champions also cruised to regional titles. Kaison Miller (40-0) won by forfeit in the 125 finals, Halle Pfannenstiel (41-2) earned a technical fall over Southeast of Saline’s Anabelle Soell in the 140 final and Cadence Greeson (36-0) pinned Phillipsburg’s Kaitlyn McCreery in the 190 title match.
– Oakley’s Abbygayl Jackson (35-7) pinned Russell’s Mya Trevino in the 135 regional final.
– Plainville’s Lillian Garcia (27-3) captured a 170 regional title with a 4-1 decision over Brooke Smith of Oakley.
– Ingalls’ Peyton Smith (23-2) pinned Southeast of Saline’s Isabella Owen to win the 235-pound regional title.
– Haylie McDaniel (32-6) won a 4A regional title with a 7-0 decision over Clay Center’s Chloe Rott.
– Great Bend’s Camdyn Post (28-11) won a Class 5A regional title at 110 pounds, defeating Hutchinson’s Aaida Brown by pin in the final.
– Hays’ Eleanor Stoffel (19-4) won a 5A regional title at 190 pounds with a pin over Goddard’s Sophia Castorena in the final.
– Reigning state champion Elizabeth Ramirez (36-1) from Dodge City won the Class 6A regional title at 105 pounds with a 7-3 decision over Garden City’s Emjay Marez. Dodge City’s Yareli Garcia (38-1) pinned Manhattan’s Tasia Miller to win the 155-pound regional title.