Inspired from grandmother’s death, reserved West freshman wrestles for state title
Quentin Saunder’s grandmother, Marie Martin, didn’t get the chance to watch history.
Martin died in January. She was 96. Saturday, her grandson won his first Kansas Class 6A 170-pound state championship by a 10-0 major decision against Manhattan senior Quincy Saddler. He was the first Pioneer wrestler to reach a final in about half a decade, and he is a 14-year-old freshman.
“If I had a message for her, I’d say, ‘I love you, and I’m gonna do this for you,’ “ Saunders said.
Before Quentin Saunders entered high school, one of his club wrestling coaches said a common “You better watch out for this kid.” He was right.
Before last week’s Class 6A regional tournament, Saunders was undefeated. He suffered his first loss in Garden City to Derby’s Cade Lindsey. It was a 5-1 decision in the semifinals. A week later, West athletic director Weston Schartz was talking with wrestling coach Kenny Taylor.
“We’re gonna beat him,” Taylor told him. “Watch us.”
Schartz said Taylor wasn’t being cocky, just confident in a 14-year-old. Later that day, he beat Lindsey 3-1 in the first sudden victory period. Saunders said he wasn’t shocked to take down the Oklahoma State-bound senior, but most of the rest of Hartman Arena was.
“It’s just natural to me,” Saunders said. “I don’t have no emotions playing sports. I’m just a born athlete.”
Saunders is one of the best 170-pounders at his age. He has been through national tournaments, world tournaments and won two triple crowns, he said. Saunders said the state tournaments stage doesn’t get to him.
He is quiet, hard to break, composed under pressure. Saunders is one of three Wichita Public Schools students to reach a wrestling state title bout. Wichita Northwest senior heavyweight Marcus Hicks is another, and South junior Malachi Karibo (in the 160-pound class) is the third. He and Hicks were the two winners.
Saunders said he has known Karibo for years. They wrestled together on their club team. Being close in weight, they became sparring partners and good friends.
Karibo wrestled Manhattan senior Bubba Wilson in the state championship bout and suffered a 7-4 decision. Karibo is a City League champion and regional runner-up. He said being part of rare WPS company is special, and Saunders did, too.
“We’re ready,” Karibo said. “We want it. Just got to go out there and achieve it.”
Saunders said wrestling isn’t even his No. 1 sport; he does it because his mother wanted him to. He said it helps with his balance and agility, but his goal is the NFL. He is a linebacker and running back at West.
Schartz, who is also the football coach at West, said Saunders is one of the keys to building a program.
“He’ll be a two-time all-metro kid and all-state,” Schartz said. “The kid has just won his whole life.”
But Saunders said he is putting everything into Saturday night’s championship bout for his grandmother and for history.
Taylor said he has full confidence in his freshman. He isn’t the average 14-year-old. He said he has never coached one like Saunders.
“He’s the reason why I had to go back to the weight room over the summer because I work out with him,” Taylor said. “He’s the real deal. He’s legit.”
This story was originally published February 23, 2019 at 5:13 PM.