CANEY — Brand new weight class, same old result.
Humboldt High’s Cole Mathes, wrestling for the first time in his high school career at 190 pounds, found himself in a familiar position — atop the medal stand — following Saturday’s Kan-Okla Classic, one of the premiere competitions in southeast Kansas.
Mathes, a two-time state medalist at 175 pounds, went 4-0 on the day including a 1-0 thriller over Colton Neal of Bluestem in the championship match. Neal was rated by coaches as the sixth-best 190-pound wrestler in Class 3-1A. Mathes was ranked second in the state at 175 pounds, and showed he’ll probably be somewhere near the top of the higher weight class once the rankings are updated.
He was far from the only highlight.
Humboldt’s Taevyn Baylor, wrestling Friday in the girls competition, steamrolled her way to the championship match of the 155-pound division, before she had to settle for second after falling to Kaylen McAtee, the second-ranked 155-pound wrestler in Class 4A. Baylor is ranked fourth in Class 3-1A.
Gabriela Vargas-Garcia also shined at the Kan-Okla, taking second in 235 pounds. She defeated Mayalo Franco of Field Kindley before falling to Natalie Burnett of Wellington in the championship match.
Savannah Koch took fourth at 235 pounds, while Ella Schomaker finished sixth at 120 pounds.
In junior varsity girls action, Humboldt’s Jordan Hency took first in the 115-pound A group while Rylee Woods took second in the 170-pound B division.
IN OTHER boys action, Brody Gunderman and Curt Shannon both brought home fourth-place finishes at 165 and 145 pounds, respectively.
Humboldt’s full results follow.
Kan-Okla Classic
Varsity Girls
Victoria Melendez, sixth at 100 pounds
— Melendez def. Annaliese Wright, Independence, all 5:04
— Landry Sparks, Central Heights, def. Melendez, fall 5:53
