OVERLAND PARK — For one day, the Class 6A girls wrestling team race looked like it might come down to the wire. 

Garden City made sure it didn’t stay that way for long, pulling away Saturday to capture its second straight state championship at AdventHealth Sports Park in Overland Park. 

Garden City finished with 226.5 points, distancing itself from runner-up Gardner-Edgerton (197) after entering the final day with only a three-point lead. The Buffaloes created separation through a strong performance on the backside of the bracket and a lineup that kept piling up points. 

“It’s a big deal,” Garden City coach Paul Lappin said. “Our girls really put in the work and deserve all the honors they get. This one was hard because we lost one of our key members late in the season and we knew we had work to do. Our kids rose to the challenge and they just battled.” 

Despite losing a pair of state-ranked wrestlers to injury during the season — including 190-pounder Mary Condo — the Buffaloes still placed 10 wrestlers and sent five to the championship finals, showing the depth that helped them repeat as champions. 

 

“The girls wrestled lights out on the backside,” Lappin said. “We went 5-1 in the consolation semifinals and that was really big for us.” 

Two of the biggest performances came from junior state champions Nicole Abrego (100 pounds) and Marina Loera (125). 

Abrego completed a dominant run through the bracket, recording three falls before defeating Gardner-Edgerton’s Madalyn Riedinger, a former state champion, by major decision (13-1) in the title match. 

For Abrego, the moment capped a journey that included doubt and determination. 

“My feelings after I won the state title were everywhere,” Abrego said. “It was very emotional because I’ve always felt like an underdog and doubted myself leading up to this year. I finally learned how to control all those thoughts and let it fly.” 
 

Abrego said last year’s third-place finish helped fuel her run. 

“After placing third at state, I knew I was capable of more,” she said. “I just trained and trained to lead up to this moment.” 

Loera’s championship carried a different kind of motivation. 

A year earlier, the Garden City junior reached the state finals but was pinned in just 13 seconds by Junction City’s Bree Villanueva. This time, she left no doubt. 

Loera powered through the bracket with three falls before pinning Washburn Rural’s Lacey Middleton in 2:33 in the championship match to claim her first state title. 
 

“Last year I had a tough loss in the finals,” Loera said. “This year knowing I had something to prove … the feeling after I finally did it was shock. At the same time it was validation knowing my hard work paid off.” 

Lappin said the victory was especially meaningful given Loera’s experience a year ago. 

“Last year she made the finals and got pinned in 13 seconds,” Lappin said. “I reminded her of that number earlier in the day. To see her have another opportunity to go get what she wanted was special.” 

The Buffaloes’ depth also showed through their other finalists. 

At 105 pounds, Emjay Marez (29-9) finished as state runner-up after reaching the finals with two falls and a major decision before falling to Dodge City’s Elizabeth Ramirez. 

Crystal Loera (115), Marina’s sister, also finished second after advancing to the championship match, where she was defeated by Villanueva, a three-time state champion. 
 

Garden City’s fifth finalist was Kylie Huber (135), who placed second after reaching the title match with three falls. 

The Buffaloes added a trio of third-place finishes from Kaira Acosta (110), Aaliah Garza (130) and Aria Cordes (145), while Julissa Rodriguez (120) placed fourth and Raygen Meza-McDermott (140) finished fifth. 

For Abrego, the championship reflected the collective effort of the entire roster. 

“Winning another team state title meant a lot,” Abrego said. “It makes me proud of all our teammates because it shows everyone worked for it and did all the little things right.” 

Loera agreed the repeat carried extra meaning considering the adversity the team faced. 

“Some people say it’s easy to get an A, but hard to keep it,” she said. “That perfectly described our situation.” 

In the end, Garden City’s combination of experience, depth and determination ensured the Buffaloes remained on top of Kansas’ largest classification. 

“Each title is special in its own way,” Lappin said. “But to win a state title is always special, and these girls wrestled really hard.”