Team Scores
STA - 260.5
GE - 217.5
SJA - 210
SME - 205
http://varsity.kansascity.com/custom/article&news_id=5436Source: The Kansas City Star
Johnson County Classic provides stage for cross-class wrestling matchups
St. Thomas Aquinas won four of its five championship bouts in capturing the Johnson County Classic Wrestling title Saturday at Blue Valley.
The Saints won the title for the first time since 2006 and the sixth time in the 18-year history of the meet.
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Aquinas had 260.5 points, edging second place Gardner Edgerton by 43 points. Defending champion St. James Academy placed third at 210, and Shawnee Mission East was fourth with 205 points in the 22-team event.
“They were focused on what they had to do today,” Aquinas coach Lorne Parks said. “Our main strategy was to get those first-place points. They worked hard and were focused in practice.”
The Saints got victories in the lowest and highest weight classes.
Junior Luke Henes improved to 13-0, beating Blue Valley West sophomore Logan Mueller 4-1 at 106 pounds. Henes finished second last year at 103.
“I am a lot bigger this year,” Henes said. “I can actually make my weight.”
Saints senior Eric Mason edged Zach Callahan of Mill Valley at 285. The bout went to a one-minute overtime and three 30-second overtime periods before Mason escaped with a second to go in the third 30-second overtime for a 3-2 win.
“That is the way it is with those two,” Parks said. “It can almost be a coin flip as to who will win.”
Mason improved to 14-1.
Aquinas also got wins from freshman Isaac Dulgarian at 120 pounds and senior Tommy Williams at 138.
Dulgarian beat Zac Hensley of St. James Academy 9-3.
“The guys in high school wrestling are stronger and older,” said Dulgarian, who improved to 14-0 and was voted the most outstanding wrestler.
Williams led Jake Ellis 8-3 at the end of the first period of his title match. Ellis couldn’t continue because of an injury to his left arm, giving Williams the victory by injury default.
Williams placed second last year.
“It is a different year and different people,” he said. “I wanted to do well because of all the people who come to this tournament.”
Gardner Edgerton senior TJ Stokes, who won the title at 126 pounds, was voted the most outstanding senior wrestler by the coaches. He pinned Tyler Dickman of Mill Valley with 28 seconds left in the first period.
This was the second Johnson County Classic title for Stokes.
“My brother Tyler won twice here,” he said. “So I guess I tied my brother.”
Olathe Northwest senior Connor Middleton, the defending Class 6A champion at 152 pounds, won the 160-pound championship.
He led SM East senior Blake Hill 3-1 going into the third period of the final. He was in the top position and held it until there were just three seconds left in winning 3-2.
“I was just trying to hang on,” said Hill, 12-1. “I knew that we were equal on our feet.”
SM East senior Ben Randolph placed fifth last year at 130, but this year pinned sophomore Jaquwan Stone of BV Northwest with 45-seconds left in the 132-pound title bout.
