Plainville’s Hayden Staab will admit her freshman season has been a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. 

After thriving for most of the season and establishing herself as a contender at 135 pounds, Staab’s campaign hit a bit of a snag down the stretch. She didn’t place in the Mid-Continent League tournament and settled for fifth at regionals. 

“In the beginning, I really did some great things, and then in the middle, I kind of got in my head,” Staab said. “I started to not like the sport as much as I did. 

“But I think you just need to have more confidence in yourself, especially when you're going through times like that. Just really think about why you've been doing the sport.”

Staab’s love for wrestling came rushing back Friday on the first day of the Class 3-1A state tournament at Gross Memorial Coliseum. 

She knocked off top-ranked Mya Crabtree in the quarterfinals by a 12-7 decision, handing the West Franklin senior just her second loss.

Staab (33-6) followed it up with a first-period pin of No. 4-ranked Jenna Borror from Ellinwood in the semifinals to set up a Mid-Continent League showdown with Oakley’s Abbygayl Jackson in Saturday’s final. 

“I didn't think I'd ever be in the finals,” Staab said. “I came in ranked fifth, and I think a lot of people didn’t have their bets on me for sure. 

“It’s insane. I still don’t even think I’ve (processed) it yet.”

Crabtree, a state runner-up at 140 pounds last year, was in the midst of a dominant season, entering the Staab match with a 39-1 record. Her loss came against Kansas City Washington’s Reddi Johnson. 

“I was sticking to my basics,” said Staab, whose season highlights include tournament wins at Pratt, Hoisington, Norton and Hays. “[Crabtree] was definitely a lot stronger than me, but I just kept to my skills that I know how to do.

“(Against Borror) I kind of used my upper body strength as much as I could. Definitely came out of the gate a little slow, but after that, I feel like I got my rhythm.”

Staab will now gear up for a familiar foe in Oakley’s Jackson, a state runner-up last year. Staab is 3-2 on the season against the No. 2-ranked Jackson, who will take a 38-7 record into the state final after pinning Fredonia’s Eden Hill in the semifinals. 

“So excited,” Staab said of competing for a state championship. “I’m not going to be able to sleep.”

Staab will be joined in the championship finals by three Cardinal teammates – Kaeleigh Klein, Lillian Garcia and Caydance Carter. 

Klein defeated No. 2-ranked Alaynna Barrager from Cherryvale by 4-3 decision in the 100 semifinals. She’ll meet St. Francis freshman Henzley Matties in the championship match. The top-ranked Matthies moved to 28-0 after notching a 16-0 technical fall against Silver Lake’s Kamiryn Clark in the semifinals. 

Garcia, No. 1 at 170 pounds, punched her ticket to the finals with an 18-0 technical fall over Eureka’s Harlie Owings in the semifinals. She’ll face MCL foe Brooke Smith from Oakley in the championship match. Smith pinned Northern Heights’ Brenah Cannon to earn her title shot. 

Carter is back in the finals for the second straight year. She pinned Doniphan West’s Layla Kuhnert in the 190 semis to set up a rematch with reigning champion Cadence Greeson from Norton. 
 

RUSSELL SENDS FIVE TO FINALS, LEADS TEAM RACE 

No. 1-ranked Russell went 5-0 in the semifinals and finished Day 1 with a 20-point lead over Norton atop the team standings.

The Broncos still have some work to do to put away the reigning state-champion Bluejays, but they couldn’t have asked for a much better start. 

Arianna Weigel, Karsyn Hamlin, Kinsey Zorn, Averie Counts and Aaliyah Trevino will wrestle for state championships for Russell, which amassed 129 points Friday. 

Weigel’s 120 title match with Hoxie’s Josie Bell will be one of the marquee matches of the championship slate. The 1-2 matchup will be the fourth meeting of the season between the standout Bronco freshman and Bell, who captured the 115 state title last year. Weigel (42-3) owns a 2-1 edge on Bell (45-3) including a victory in the regional final. 

Weigel pinned Ellsworth’s Kit Donley in the semifinals while Bell earned a 17-2 technical fall over Jayhawk Linn’s Alayna McCarty. 

Counts moved one step away from a perfect season after pinning Riley County’s Annabele Burton in the 130 semifinals. The sophomore Counts will take a 43-0 record into the title match against Rawlins County’s Maggie Holle (34-2). Holle pinned McLouth’s Makinley Daniels in her semi. 

Zorn, who captured the 135-pound title last year, is also bidding for perfection. She pinned Osage City’s KayLynn Nicholson in the 145 semis to move to 29-0. Zorn will face Ellsworth’s Sophie Homolka, a 10-3 winner over Rossville’s Madelyn Wonnell.

Trevino is set for another clash with reigning state champion Cali Wagoner at 155 pounds. The freshman has won three of the four season matchups with Wagoner, most recently pinning the Oakley senior at the regional meet. 

Trevino (38-5) beat Silver Lake’s MaKayla Conner by 8-4 decision in the semis while Wagoner (37-4) pinned Humboldt’s Willow Lacrone. 

Coming into the tournament ranked fifth at 125 pounds, Hamlin (18-2), also a freshman, beat No. 2-ranked Emma Vice from Maur Hill by a 9-0 major decision to earn a shot at Norton’s sophomore Kaison Miller, an undefeated returning state champ. 
 

WINTERS’ UPSET SEMIFINAL WIN PUNCTUATES STRONG DAY FOR NORTON

After crowning a trio of individual champions a year ago, Norton is looking to make it a quartet this year. 

Unsurprisingly, reigning state champions Kaison Miller, Halle Pfannenstiel and Cadence Greeson marched back into the finals. 

They’ll be joined this year by teammate Adriana Winters, who notched one of the biggest upsets of the day. 

Winters dug out of a hole against top-ranked Emmarysn Fordham from Onaga, turning the tables on the returning state runner-up and finding the pin at the 3:59 mark. 

Winters (30-9) was mobbed by her teammates in celebration following the upset of Fordham (33-2). Winters will face Ingalls’ Peyton Smith, who moved to 26-2 after a pin over Douglass’ Braylie Knisley in the semis.

Miller and Greeson each kept their perfect seasons alive. Miller (43-0) pinned Caney Valley’s Bryleigh Rigdon in the 120 semis while Greeson also got the fall against Humboldt’s Savannah Koch at 190. 

Pfannenstiel (44-2) will go for back-to-back titles at 140 after pinning Silver Lake’s Ally Burgos. She’ll face Southeast of Saline’s Annabelle Soell (37-8). Soell took an 8-0 major decision against Maur Hill’s Hollie Finneran in the semis. 

Other wrestlers bidding for perfect seasons include Wichita County’s Jentri Porter and Smith Center’s Keleigh Ochoa. 

In a rematch of last year’s 105 title match, reigning champ Ochoa will take a 45-0 record into the 110 title match against Bluestem’s Reagan Neal (40-4). Ochoa beat Central Heights’ Ebony Hughes by fall in the semis while Neal also got a pin against Stockton’s Saj Snyder. 

Porter reached the finals for the first time in her career with a 14-0 major decision over Maicey Marrs from Bluestem in the 105 semis. Porter (33-0) will face Rossville’s Nora Mitchell in the title match. Mitchell (37-11) pinned Minneapolis’ Bristol Copple in the semis.

In the only title match not to feature a wrestler from western Kansas, Lahna Passmore of Chase County will meet Sierra Loader of Caney Valley for the 115 title. The division saw its top-two ranked wrestlers (Bennington’s Lennah Monts and Sterling’s Jacynn Boeken) get knocked off in the quarterfinals. Loader (32-6) beat Hill City’s Kya Bell by a 14-4 major decision while Passmore pinned Oakley’s Hadlie Younkin in the semis.