The Iola Kids Wrestling Club made history the past two weeks after posting its first state 6 and under state champion, then adding a few more state medalists last weekend at the big dance in Topeka.
Hot off becoming the IKWC’s first 6U state champion in the 37-pound weight class, Iola’s Dax Hufferd followed that up by stepping up a weight class, and an age class, to take fourth in the 40-pound 8U category.
Hufferd opened this weekend’s tournament with a first-period pin of Wichita’s Maverick Welty, then won a 6-3 decision in the quarterfinals over Evander Cole of Marion. After falling in the semifinals, Hufferd rebounded with a 15-0 technical fall over Paola’s Ryan Miller, but fell in the consolation semifinals to Chasyn Shartlzer of Abilene.
From left Iola Kids Wrestling Club grapplers Addie Wacker, Dax Hufferd, Zoie Hess, Cayleigh Rutherford, Kailyn Rodriguez and Daegen Rodriguez pose for a photo.
Iola High School sophomore Zoie Hesse was the IKWC’s next highest finisher this weekend with a third-place medal. Hesse missed out on making the medal podium at the high school state tournament last month, but would not be denied Saturday.
Hesse opened the tournament with a first period pin of Kenzie Etim of Cougar Kids, then won a second period pin in the second period. She fell to eventual state champion Cadence Greeson of Norton, then earned her way into the consolation finals with a first-period pin of Maribel Castro of DC Wrestling Academy and wrapped up the day with a 4-2 decision for third place over Ellie Baska of Paola.
In the 12U, 235-pound weight class, Kailyn Rodriguez took fourth in a five-man round robin to get on the podium with a first period pin of Nova Rodriguez of Ellsworth County.
In the 12U, 95-pound weight class, Cayleigh Rutherford took sixth. She opened the tournament with a 12-4 major decision over Billeigh Lamp of St. Francis Wrestling Club, then defeated Adelyn Schmale of Trailheads 12-7. In the semifinals, Rutherford fell to eventual state runner-up Meah Russom of Phillipsburg, then fell again to Sofia Brown of Holcombe wrestling club before wrapping up her season on a high note with a 15-0 technical fall over Schmale for fifth place.
Iola High School freshman Addie Wacker poses for a photo with her sixth-place plaque from her hospital bed Saturday night in Topeka.
Recent high school state bronze medalist Addie Wacker received her sixth-place plaque in the hospital while recovering from an injury sustained in the semifinals. Wacker started the day with a 4-0 decision over Brooklynn Kelly of Great Bend, then defeated Josey Weller of Tiger Wrestling Club via 13-3 major decision to line her up in the semifinals against Averie Counts of the Russell Wrestling Club. Wacker’s injury allowed Counts to advance to the finals. Wacker then fell via medical forfeit to Kelly in the consolation semifinals, then lost another medical forfeit to Gracie Brady of Smokey Valley for sixth place.
As for the other Iola male competitor this weekend, Daegen Rodriguez opened the tournament with a loss to Knox Washington of Hoxie Kids, then fell in the consolation quarterfinals to Colton Ganow of Derby.
