PARK CITY – Basehor-Linwood sophomore Falasteen Shalabi didn’t show up to Heartland Credit Union Arena on Friday looking for revenge.
 
Sometimes a wrestling bracket just unfolds that way.
 
Shalabi, a sixth-place finisher in Class 5A at 155 pounds last season, knocked off reigning champion Addison Vogel of Bonner Springs in the 5A state tournament quarterfinals, then avenged an earlier loss this season to Salina Central’s Kodi Waite in the semifinals to join four Bobcat teammates as finalists who will wrestle for championships on Saturday.
 
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s really about my wins or my losses today,” Shalabi said. “I came in here with the mindset that I’m just going to have a good day, I’m going to wrestle and beat some butt, and I think that’s what made today really perfect.”
 
Shalabi, No. 5 in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association’s 5A rankings, will face No. 1 Cianna Graves of Shawnee Heights in the title match. Graves pinned Shalabi late in the first period of their Bonner Springs regional semifinal two weeks ago.
 
Shalabi, who is 32-5, said she was battling illness at that tournament and wasn’t at her best. The opposite was true Friday, as Shalabi avenged a loss to Vogel in last year’s state quarterfinals, winning a 12-6 decision in the same round.
 
“There was a big difference this time,” Shalabi said. “I’m pretty happy about it.”
 

Shalabi and the Bobcats positioned themselves to win their first state girls wrestling team title. With freshman Lydia Robinette reaching the finals at 100 pounds, senior Makayla Faulkner at 145, senior Kimberlee Scott at 170 and senior Izzy Renfro at 190, Basehor-Linwood racked up 149.5 points on the opening day with reigning champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel in second at 123.
 
All 14 Bobcat qualifiers advanced to Saturday’s competition.
 
“I think we’re going to come home with a trophy,” Shalabi said. “I’m really excited. It would the first time for our school.”
 
Kapaun qualified four wrestlers for the finals, including reigning 125-pound champion Courtney Nye, who recorded two pins and a technical fall to improve to 38-2. Nye was one of five individual champions from last year’s tournament who kept their hopes of back-to-back titles alive.
 

Maize South sophomore Krislynn Martinez, who went unbeaten en route to last year’s 100-pound title, improved to 38-2 with a first-round bye and two victories on Friday, and will face Robinette on Saturday in her quest to repeat.
 
Newton junior Brookelyn Treaster stayed on track for a 105-pound title defense with a 14-0 major decision over Basehor-Linwood’s Lainie Galvan in the semifinals. Treaster topped Galvan, last year’s 100-pound runner-up for the third time this season to move to 30-4. Galvan was slowed during Friday’s semifinals when she hit heads with Treaster as both tried to shoot simultaneously.
 
Piper’s Maia Dolinar notched her 40^th victory of the season in the semifinals, scoring a 23-4 technical fall over Kapaun’s Ayva Besco. Dolinar won the 135-pound title a year ago.
 
Highland Park’s Makayla Cadet earned a championship rematch with Basehor-Linwood’s Renfro at 190 pounds. Cadet pinned second-ranked Eleanor Stoffel of Hays midway through the first period of their semifinal to improve to 23-2.
 
Cadet won the 190 title a year ago, pinning Renfro on her 17^th birthday.