Varsity wrestling gets 5th at tournament

Kamryn Bussmann, Staff Writer

Manhattan High varsity wrestling team opened their season with a top-five placing and had six top individual placings at Gardner-Edgerton on Saturday.

“The first tournament you just want to get out there and see how your moves are working,” junior Mikey Soberano said. “We’ve been learning a lot and have been implementing it on the mat.”

The team had some tough competition to go against. There were schools from Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and two from Oklahoma, with four nationally-ranked teams.

With all that on their plate the boys still went out and were dangerous. Three seniors each headed into the finals under the spotlight.

“I think about how it’s me and this other person and how he’s in the way of all my hard work and dedication I’ve put in,” senior Christian Schlepp said.

Bubba Wilson (160), Schlepp (220) and Quincy Saddler (170) got second in their weight classes. Saddler and Schlepp went 4-1 on Saturday and Wilson went 3-1.

“I pinned the first four of my opponents pretty easily,” Schlepp said, “and then had a tough match in the finals.”

Junior Darius Island-Jones (145), senior Jake Mitchell (138) and sophomore Damian lladio (285) took sixth in all their weight classes. Juniors Tate Sauder (120) took eighth place and Soberano (195) took seventh along with A.J Bunning (285)  who placed sixth.

The team’s successful returning competitors plus the new assets to the team show promise for a successful season.

“We are here to win state,” Soberano said.

In addition, freshmen Easton Taylor received fifth (126), Tucker Brunner (126) placed 14th and Blaisen Bammes (132) got 10th for the team.

“The freshman looked decent for their first high school experience,” Soberano said.

As a team they placed fifth with a score of 134.5, only 56.5 points behind Goddard who took fourth. Southeast Polk ended up winning the tournament with a score of 250.

The boys have a dual on Thursday against  Bonner Springs. This will be one out of two times varsity plays at home and is also senior night. They also have a dual on Saturday at MHS.