Kansas-area wrestlers earn a quartet of medals

Sophomore Kendrick Woody (above) takes charge of this state match while medaling as the lone Rawlins County (Kan.) qualifier in last weekend’s 3A-2A-1A state tournament at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.

Carrie Towns/For The Gazette

HAYS, Kan. — Freshman Reece Grafel’s fourth-place finish led a strong performance from area state wrestlers at the Kansas 3A-2A-1A tournament last weekend.

The Red Devils were 16th among more than 60 teams with 106-pound Grafel, senior Drew Juenemann (fifth at 126) and Gavon Uehlin (fifth at 160) all earning medals.

Senior Reegon Witt also scored two pins at 220 in his final state meet to finish 38-8 this season.

Grafel (28-7) clinched no worse than fourth when he needed only 22 seconds to pin 37-7 Mason Scholz of Effringham.

It was Grafel’s third win of the tourney following two triumph decisions on Friday. He reached the consolation final before losing 6-0 to 40-match winner Tyler Voss of Colby.

Juenemann capped a 30-win final campaign by pinning Riley County’s Grayden Jackson exactly 3:00 into their consolation finale.

He scored a Decatur-High four state wins overall including an opening 11-1 decision over Charles King from St. Mary’s.

Uehlin (20-8) also pinned his final opponent of the season, finishing Norton Bluejay Brandon Vacura (31-10) in 1:42.

G.U. had reached the 160 semfinals with two strong wins on Friday at Gross Memorial Colisum.

Freshman Breckin Sauvauge was the other Red Devil qualifier at 113. He went 0-2.

Meanwhile, Rawlins County hit 100 percent as lone qualifier Kendrick Woody medaled at 138. Woody secured a medal following a 1:34 pin of Lyons’ Irlick Moreno and 5-4 quarterfinal win over 33-11 Javier Martinez of Whitewater-Remington.