2016 DeSoto Regional results - click here

Bids to the Class 4A State wrestling tournament were up for grabs in Regional action on Friday and Saturday at DeSoto and the three area 4A schools had at least one wrestler qualify for State in Salina. 

The Holton Wildcats have enjoyed a strong last three years in wrestling winning back-to-back team 4A State titles in 2013 and 2014, while taking third as a team last year. This year the Wildcats will have a chance to make some noise at State again as five Wildcat wrestlers qualified for State and helped Holton take second at Regionals behind Santa Fe Trail and just one-point ahead of Tonganoxie. The duo of Justin Pool (138lbs) and Tyler Price (152lbs) led Holton at Regionals at DeSoto both claiming Regional titles. Pool went 3-0 at 138lbs registering three pinfall wins in 1:32, 3:11 and 3:04 to take first and move to 22-4 on the year. It was a 4-0 day on the mats for Price at 152lbs to take home first place winning all four matches by pin in 1:06, 5:55, 1:32 and 2:51, while improving to 36-5 on the season. 

Three more Holton Wildats also qualified for State as Justin Rieschick (145lbs) earned a second place finish, Tel Wittmer (220lbs) grabbed a third place finish and Kyler Tannahill (195lbs) took fourth. Rieschick on the day went 3-1 in action at 145lbs and heads to State with a 37-4 record. Wittmer won his first two matches, lost a match and responded to win two more matches taking third at 220lbs with a 4-1 mark on the day and 26-11 record on the year. Tannahill went 3-2 at 195lbs to take fourth and heads to State with a 30-16 record. 

It was an eighth place finish at Regionals as a team for the Jeff West Tigers out of 15 teams but the highlight of the Regional action for the Tigers was the five Tiger wrestlers that qualified for State. Shane Kelly (106lbs) and Nicholas Reeb (160lbs) each led Jeff West both grabbing silver medals as Kelly went 2-1 at Regionals and Reeb posted a 3-1 mark on the mats. Kelly heads to State with a 26-13 record, while Reeb is 34-8 on the year. Both Austin Michaelis (113lbs) and Chase Montgomery (170lbs) recorded third place finishes going 3-1 and 4-1, respectively on the mats, while improving to 36-10 and 30-9 this year. Kody Gibson is also heading to State for Jeff West as he finished fourth at 126lbs after a 3-2 day on the mats moving to 31-16 on the year. 

One Atchison Redmen in Spencer Vice is headed to State after earning fourth place at 138lbs at Regionals behind a 3-2 record and carries a 31-15 record into the State tournament. 

The Class 4A State wrestling tournament is set for Friday, February 26th and Saturday, February 27th in Salina at the Bicentennial Center.