Amara Ehsa wins Derby’s first Kansas high school girls wrestling state championship
The Derby boys wrestling program has carved out a reputation as one of the best in the state. Now the girls program has its first state champion.
It was an emotional ride for Derby sophomore Amara Ehsa, who made history on Thursday at the Class 6-5A Kansas high school girls wrestling state tournament at Hartman Arena.
Ehsa actually gave up a takedown in the first 15 seconds of the 101-pound title match, falling behind quickly to Kansas City Turner junior Arianna Ortiz. But Ehsa eventually escaped bottom position and made a move of her own, a takedown that led to a first-period pin 11 seconds before the horn.
Ehsa finished her season with a 22-2 record and her only losses to Wellington’s Anna Cullens, a defending state champion.
For the second straight year, Wichita North’s Larissa Garcia has emerged as a state champion.
Garcia, a junior, claimed back-to-back state titles and even picked up some sweet revenge along the way.
After losing in the regional finals to Hays junior Sarah Zimmerman, Garcia once again met Zimmerman in the 109-pound finals at state. Zimmerman scored a first-period takedown, which put the pressure on Garcia, but she delivered with a takedown of her own in the third period that she slowly worked into a pin with eight seconds left in the match.
Just as impressively, teammate Rodah Benji, another junior, finished off a dominant 40-0 season with a second-period pin in the 115 finals to win her first state title. Benji pinned three of her four opponents at the state meet, including the finals over Olathe North freshman Kaylan Hitchcock.
After finishing runner-up in the team race last year, Wichita North added another trophy to its collection with a third-place finish and 90.5 points. In addition to Garcia and Bengi as state champions, North had medalists in Diana Urista (fourth at 120) and Sandra Arellano (fifth at 132).
Other area wrestlers who reached the finals and finished runner-up were Derby sophomore Meya Howell (191) and Wichita West sophomore Druzzla Johnson (235). Other local medalists were Goddard junior Ashlynn Goodwin (third at 143), Valley Center junior Grace Timmons (fourth at 155), Eisenhower junior Lainie Burkhart (fourth at 109), Newton junior Jaymie Murry (fourth at 143), Valley Center senior Cheyenne Blackwood (sixth at 170) and Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior Catherine Burr (sixth at 191)
There were no area wrestlers who came away with a state championship at the Class 4-1A state championship tournament in Salina.
The area wrestlers who reached the 4-1A finals and finished runner-up were Mulvane freshman Leiannah Landreth (109), Circle junior Katelyn Schmidt (143) and Wellington senior Averie Burns (235).
Other local medalists were Augusta sophomore Jill High (third at 126), Rose Hill junior Brooklynne Page (third at 170), Buhler junior Emilie Schweizer (third at 191), Wellington senior Kaitlyn Hain (third at 138), Douglass senior Jewella Cokeley (third at 155), McPherson freshman Ciara Rawson (third at 235), Bluestem sophomore Cadence Williamson (third at 120), Eureka sophomore Lyndsey Escareno (third at 143), Mulvane junior Kammie Schanz (fifth at 155), El Dorado senior Elle Vinson (fifth at 101), Winfield senior Mikayla Konrade (fifth at 126) and Smoky Valley senior Madi Tolle (fifth at 191).
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