Riley County duo among the best in Kansas
Luke Richard and Mikey Waggoner enter the 3-2-1A tournament a combined 70-0
Riley County seniors Luke Richard (left) and Mikey Waggoner enter the state tournament a combined 70-0. (Courtesy Photo)
Riley County seniors Luke Richard and Mikey Waggoner took home regional titles from Rossville last weekend and hope to cap their high school careers with a state championshp this weekend at the 3-2-1A Kansas High School Wrestling Championships at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Fort Hays State University.
Each wrestler enters the tournament ranked first in their respective classification - Richard at 145 and Waggoner at 170 - and the duo is a combined 70-0 on the season. The Falcons qualified seven wrestlers for state in winning the Rossville regional.
Richard and Waggoner have wrestled together since their time in youth wrestling and Richard says they've always wanted to win individual state titles together in high school. Richard was state runner-up at 138 last season while Waggoner finished third at 182.
Richard said the competition is what makes wrestling special.
"I love to compete so I think my favorite part of wrestling is going toe-to-toe with someone and being able to out compete them mentally and physically," Richard said. "That reward is worth all the hard work."
Other top contenders at 145 include Hoxie sophomore Aidan Baalman and Southeast of Saline freshman Matthew Rodriquez, who both start on the bottom side of the bracket with Richard. Fredonia junior Matt Weilert, Lincoln junior Chantz Vath, Plainville senior Brandon Rohr and Riverside junior Luke Horn are among the favorites from the top side of the bracket.
Horn gave Richard an excellent match in last weekend's regional final with Richard winning a 4-2 decision. Lincoln's Vath is an intriguing contender from the top side of the bracket as well. Now 33-3, Vath didn't wrestle last season but placed sixth in state at 120 as a freshman. Richard beat Vath 10-3 earlier this season.
Waggoner's 170 pound class is likely one of the tournament's deepest. Plainville junior Jordan Finnesy was state runner-up at 160 pounds last season and won the WaKeeney regional title over Oakley senior Morgan Rains by an 11-7 decision. Finnesy and Waggoner are both on the bottom side of the bracket and could face off in the semi-finals. Rains, Norton junior Cole Amlong and Hoisington sophomore Joshua Ball are among the favorites from the top-side of the bracket.
Check out the state tournament schedule below.