Owassu Dual Tournament — Manhattan gets third, beats Lebanon High, a school from Missouri, for third

Norton tourney – 1st place

Newton tournament included first place wins by Jalen Harper and Mason Wallace

Whilst the majority of Manhattan High students enjoyed their holidays, another group kept up with their routine, practicing harder and and letting their results speak for themselves.

The Manhattan High wrestling team conquered the three tournaments after break, which showed them in the top three places for total team points

“The Norton tournament we won beating four-time defending state champions Garden City and Norton,” junior Abraham Sanchez said.

The 126-pounder was part of the squad which won Manhattan the Norton tournament seven days after the new year.

“We only had one first-place finisher, which was Mason [Wallace, senior], but the rest of the team came back and scored major points.” Sanchez said.

The following tournament would be in Newton, a multi-day tournament which saw Wallace, along with junior Jalin Harper, taking first in their respective weight classes.

“Our last meet went very well,” Wallace said. “We got second as a team. I got first and Jalin Harper got first so we completed our goal.”

Coming off break, the wrestlers have not skipped a beat.  

“We had time to focus on the wrestling and technique,” Sanchez said. “Breaks like that are nice because we don’t have school but we still have practice.”

Following both performances in tournaments, the Owasso Dual Tournament saw a different face in the Varsity team.

“I’m excited and I’m ready,” sophomore Quincy Saddler said. “[From J.V. to Varsity] it’s a lot more competition. I have to step my game up and not let people boss me around.”

He took senior Zephry Killham’s spot in the dual after Killham suffered a leg injury.

Even down to the Junior Varsity level, the goal of the team seems to be concrete.

“[Our goal is] to be number one and get state,” Saddler said.

The Indians defeated Lebanon High, a school from Missouri, to take third in the Owasso Dual tournament.

As the team inches closer to the end of their season, the expectations for victory keep building.

“I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure on anyone,” Wallace said. “Pressure is always something you put on yourself. Pressure isn’t something we feel. We just go in and practice day in and day out and we get better. My expectations are high. I expect us to win.”

Manhattan’s next tournament will be on Thursday when they compete in the Basehor-Linwood Dual away from home.