Derby, Ark City add a classic to historic high school wrestling rivalry
.JPG "Arkansas City senior Montez Robinson and Derby senior Crew Squires battled to 5-2 decision in a matchup of No. 1 seeds in the 152-pound weight class.")
After the final whistle blew, they shook hands and hugged.
Minutes earlier, fans of the Derby and Arkansas City wrestling teams were screaming for points in the final bout of their 2019 dual meet. The Bulldogs’ Maximus Shannon beat the Panthers’ 220-pounder with a heated 1-0 decision to help seal a 36-36 finish.
Ark City earned the win on criteria based on the Dogs’ number of pins.
Derby and Ark City have been wrestling each other for more than 40 years. Panthers coach Bill Ross was raised to wrestle in Ark City. He and Bulldogs coach Greg Buckbee have known each other for decades.
Because of the programs’ pedigree, many of the wrestlers know one another, but all of that is thrown out the window when the mats are rolled out.
“We love those guys,” Buckbee said. “We’ve grown up together. But in the heat of battle, we hate each other, and you’re supposed to. When it’s all over, you can see Ark City and Derby coming together.”
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Entering Thursday’s dual meet, Derby was the No. 1 team in Class 6A, according to the latest Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings. The Panthers have 11 wrestlers in the top five of their weight classes and finished fourth in a historically tight state tournament last year.
Ark City is ranked No. 2 behind Goddard, who the Bulldogs will meet Feb. 7 on the road. They have 10 wrestlers in the top six of their weight classes. They are coming off a dominant performance at the Class 4A state tournament. It was their 21st state championship.
One of the two teams on the mat Thursday is likely to win another title in 2019, which made the dual meet one of the best in the Kansas wrestling season.
“It means a lot,” Ross said. “It’s kind of like you’re friends with somebody, but you dang sure don’t want to lose to them — or like a brother. We try to make it about growing up in your roots. ... These are some of the best times of their life right now.”
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Ark City opened the dual with four straight wins, including a fall from 106-pound freshman Jevin Foust, No. 2 in 5A, over Derby’s Cody Woods, No. 3 in 6A.
The marquee bout came at 152 pounds when a pair of No. 1 seeds met. Montez Robinson, Ark City’s two-time state champion, topped Derby’s Crew Squires with a 5-2 decision.
Neither team entered its best possible team as three open slots filled the card, but with the history surrounding the dual and the passion brought from the stands, the coaches didn’t need to use their best lineups.
“When the AVCTL split, there was a conversation that we wanted to keep this rivalry because of the tradition of it,” Ross said. “It’s cool. You’re looking at two of the best teams in the state, we like to think.”