TEAM SCORES
Royal Valley 181 1/2,
Topeka High 145 1/2,
SM South 122 1/2,
Blue Valley West 122,
KC-Wyandotte 99,
Highland Park 96,
Topeka West 86,
KC-Washington 78.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
103 — Matthews, RV, pinned Enloe, Wash;
112 — Dawn, TH, pinned Parise, BVW;
119 — Williams, Wash, pinned Lierz, TW;
125 — Barksdale, Wyan, pinned Carstarphen, HP;
130 — Melcher, BVW, dec. Pabst, SMS, 6-4;
135 — Glover, Wyan, pinned Wilkes, TH;
140 — Harrison, TH, 18-3 technical fall Flowers, HP;
145 — Gibbens, RV, winner by injury default over Gueary, TW;
152 — Delancy, HP, pinned Brown, Wash;
160 — Campbell, RV, pinned Meyer, BVW;
171 — Hunter, TH, pinned Luthi, RV;
189 — Williams, TH, pinned VanWagoner, RV;
215 — Ashley, SMS, dec. Newman, Wyan, 7-4;
Hwt. — Wamego, RV, pinned Robbins, HP.
CONSOLATION FINALS
103 — Kerns, BVW, pinned Beeton, TW;
112 — Letcher, RV, dec. Pollock, HP, 4-3;
119 — Klopper, SMS, pinned Spielman, RV;
125 — Becker, SMS, pinned Stair, RV;
130 — Lynch, RV, pinned Dawdy, HP;
135 — Lewis, SMS, pinned McCall, BVW;
140 — Torres, Wyan, dec. Haffey, SMS, 10-3;
145 — Rodeheffer, TH, pinned Jadziewiecz, BVW;
152 — Drake, Wyan, dec. Palofox, SMS, 11-9 (OT); 160 — Hanson, TW, winner by default over Lira, Wash;
171 — Nefsinger, BVW, dec. Love, Wash, 15-7;
189 — Moore, SMS, pinned Ayala, TW;
215 — Sundbye, TW, pinned Avery, TH;
Hwt. — No match.
Football players also enjoy success on matBy Rick Peterson
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, December 14, 2008
It may be the age of specialization, but Topeka High junior All-City running back Riley Williams said his football coaches are fine with him, and the other Trojan players, doubling up in wrestling.
In fact, they wholeheartedly encourage it.
"Definitely," Williams said. "I think (football coach Walt Alexander) coached wrestling for like nine years, so he's a wrestling enthusiast and our (offensive) line coaches both coached wrestling, too, so they like us wrestling."
It's an attitude that seems to be benefitting both Trojan programs.
Williams, who wrestles at 189 pounds, was one of three Topeka High football players who earned gold medals in Saturday's eight-school Melvin Douglas Invitational at Highland Park.
Junior Cody Harrison, an All-City honorable mention pick in football, won at 140 pounds while sophomore Lavelle Dawn was the tournament champion at 112 pounds.
Harrison won by an 18-3 technical fall in the finals while both Dawn and Williams pinned their opponents, with Alexander in the stands watching. A fourth Trojan football player, senior 145-pounder Michael Rodeheffer, finished third.
"I feel like it makes me a better athlete than if I were to just play football and lift weights," Williams said.
Williams also enjoys the one-on-one aspect that wrestling provides.
"In football, when you win or lose, you've got a team behind you, but in this you dominate another human being or you get dominated," Williams said. "It's a good feeling just to look at someone and be like, "I just man-handled another human being.' "
Harrison said he began wrestling as a freshman to help him in football.
"I'm mainly a football player," he said. "I just started wrestling to stay in shape, but it's pretty fun.
"(Wrestling) gives me better technique on defense and it makes me stronger in different places that football doesn't, so it's a good fit. I still lift weights to keep me strong, but wrestling helps out a lot to keep in shape."
Topeka High got a fourth championship from sophomore 171-pounder Will Hunter as the Trojans finished second as a team behind Royal Valley (181 1/2-145 1/2).
Host Highland Park also had a champion crowned Saturday, with Scot sophomore Brendan Delancy pinning his final-round opponent.
Champion Royal Valley, coached by former longtime Seaman coach Dennis Switzky, had 10 wrestlers post top-four finishes, including freshman Garrett Matthews at 103 pounds, senior Jessie Gibbens at 145, junior Travis Campbell at 160 and senior Zach Wamego in the heavyweight division.
Switzky's Panthers had two females in their lineup, with junior Samantha Lynch finishing third at 130 pounds and junior Rebecca Spielman taking fourth at 119.
