The six state qualifiers from the Hillsboro High wrestling team encountered a high level of competition at the Class 3-2-1A state tournament in Hays this weekend, but did come away with four wins in 16 matches.
Three Trojans started the tournament with victories in the first round.
Nicholas Mueller, competing at 130 pounds, pinned Tyler White (23-4) of Silver Lake at the 3:12 mark, then lost to undefeated and eventual champion Nathan Broeckelman (37-0) of Norton, 13-3, in the second round.
The Trojan sophomore ended his first state tournament run with a 3-0 loss to Jeremy Chase of Hill City in the consolation bracket. Chase went on to finish fifth in the tournament.
Mueller's 1-2 record at state gave him a 31-7 mark for the season.
Also winning in the first round was senior Sean Leihy, who defeated Zach Beach of Oskaloosa (30-8), 13-4, at 145 pounds. Leihy had lost to Beach just two weeks earlier at Southeast of Saline.
In the second round, Leihy was pinned by Kade Bloom (32-2) of Phillipsburg, who went on to place third. In the consolation bracket, Leihy lost 4-3 to Drake Moore (22-17) of Oakley to finish 1-2 for the tournament and 31-11 for the season.
Jacob Yoder won his first-round match with a 12-4 decision over Logan Numrich (26-15) of Scott City. In the second round, the junior lost to Andrew Stover (23-14) of Sabetha, 12-4.
Yoder then lost to Carl Hickel (23-6) of Hoisington 11-4 to finish 1-2 for the weekend and 31-7 for the season.
Sophomore Alex Jost, who finished 16-19 for the season, went 0-2 in his first tournament appearance, losing by fall at 103 pounds to C.J. Wilson (5-6) of Lincoln in the first round and by fall to Connor Pfannenstiel (24-12) of Norton.
Tyler Jones, another sophomore, was pinned by Darrell Melcher (36-2) of Herington in the first round of the 140-pound class.
But Jones bounced back to defeat Sage Thimmesch (30-11) of Garden Plain 8-4 in the consolation bracket, then lost 3-2 to Jordan Noll (20-6) of Effingham-Atchison County in his next match. Jones finished with a 32-9 season record.
Grady Stultz, who represented Goessel during the post-season at 152 pounds, was pinned by Jordan Meyer (27-7) of Sabetha in the first round and by Travis Rempe (13-5) of Smith Center in the consolation bracket. He finished the season with a 25-19 mark.
"I am proud of these six guys, and the rest of the team, for they way they worked and competed this year," coach Scott O'Hare said.
"These state qualifiers have nothing to be ashamed of. I want them to be proud of what they accomplished, but I do not want them to be content," he added.
"This is a talented young group that could have a bright future. I keep trying to convince them of how close they are, but I am not sure they are seeing it yet. They competed very strong against the best in the state."
