Blue Comets claim program-first state title

SALINA — The Chanute Blue Comets secured four medals en route to the program’s first state title at the KSHSAA Class 4-1A Girls Wrestling State Championships here Thursday.

“It’s unbelievable, I don’t think it has sunk in all the way yet,” Chanute head coach Nick Nothern said. “We have such a great group of girls. They’re so supportive of each other. When they start wrestling for not just themselves, but each other, that’s when things like this happen.”

Chanute was led by a runner-up finish by senior Brinly Bancroft (155 pounds), third place finishes from junior Reese Clements (125 pounds) and freshman Kylie Dillow (170 pounds) and a fifth place finish from junior Kadynce Axelson (120 pounds).

Bancroft tallied a trio of falls en route to the finals, spending less than three minutes on the mat on Wednesday.

“I was so happy and I almost didn’t believe it,” Bancroft said on making the finals. “I calmed down, and then today I was all nervous again. It was a feeling I can’t say I’ve ever had before.”

Though her finish was the highlight of the weekend, Bancroft’s finals match with Allison King of Oskaloosa did not go anywhere near as planned.

“I knew if I could slow her down, give it all I had and open up shots, I would have a chance,” she said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for me — but I think I battled hard.”

The first period went to plan for Bancroft and was a stalemate, but she surrendered a fall in the second period.

“I really would’ve loved to see her win a state title,” Nothern said, “and with Grace having the finish she had, it makes me a little bit sad because I would’ve liked for them to finish they way they wanted to finish.”

Bancroft finished the year with 31 wins and just seven losses, but was happy her team managed a first place finish.

“I just wanted them all to have good memories of this tournament, and the way they did that was by leaving it all out on the mat,” Nothern said. “They wrestled their butts off for the second day straight and they made it happen.”

All five Blue Comets advanced past the first round via fall, before Dillow and senior Grace Thompson were handed losses in the quarterfinals. Axelson, Clements and Bancroft notched a second straight fall in the round.

“We had some tough draws on the frontside, but we didn’t shy away from it,” Nothern said. “After those losses, they didn’t let it affect the rest of their tournament.”

Wednesday’s final round landed Axelson and Clements in the loss column, but Bancroft tallied a 45-second fall in the semifinals to advance to the finals.

The Blue Comets had ambitions of a team trophy before taking on the tournament. After a day of wrestling the feat seemed almost unavoidable, as Chanute was just four points behind the pace-setter, Rossville.

Thursday morning, Thompson and Dillow got the ball rolling on the eventual title run with wins on the backside of their respective brackets. Dillow doubled that win up to secure a spot on the podium in the blood round, but Thomson was knocked out via second period fall.

“She’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached — boys or girls,” Nothern said. “She was sick all night, and went out and got a win for us. She wasn’t just gonna throw in the towel… she was gonna go out there and compete.”

Thompson finished the season with a mark of 33-7.

Clements and Dillow won by fall in the consolation semifinals, but Axelson took a 6-2 decision loss in the round.

The 120-pound junior was the first to compete for a medal, facing off with Reese Watkins of Larned for fifth place. Axelson held down a hip lever for a fall in the second period, finishing the season with a record of 28-9.

“They all went out and wrestled their butts off,” Nothern said. “They give me everything they have every single day. It wasn’t just the five girls here, it was every girl on our team that made this happen.”

Axelson’s victory meant the Blue Comets were officially the Class 4-1A state champions, as no team could catch up at that point.

Clements then took care of business in the first period, pinning Hanna Bailey of Girard in 42 seconds for her third place finish.

“She was so happy, I think because Kadynce had just secured (the state title) with her win,” Nothern said. “I don’t think she felt any pressure in that last match, and she went out and got a pin.”

Clements finished the year with a record of 33-4.

Dillow had the toughest medal-round matchup, but still found a 5-0 win over Hannah Simmers of Atchison County Community. The freshman nabbed a first period takedown to take control of the match, before extending her lead with an escape and a second takedown in the middle period. A tough ride in the third period handed the young grappler the win.

“She has wrestling in her blood. Being around that her entire life, I think she subliminally started picking stuff up,” Nothern said of the first-year wrestler. “Right when she got in the room she had really good instincts. She proved that this weekend, and the next three years are gonna be really fun coaching her.”

Dillow concluded her first prep season with a record of 33-6.

The Blue Comets scored 88 team points, followed by Rossville in second place with 73 and Baldwin in third with 70.

Results

120: 5th - Kadynce Axelson (3-2)

125: 3rd - Reese Clements (4-1)

130: DNP - Grace Thompson (2-2)

155: 2nd - Brinly Bancroft (3-1)

170: 3rd - Kylie Dillow (5-1)

Team Scores: Chanute 88, Rossville 73, Baldwin 70, Santa Fe Trail 66, Pratt 66, Hoisington 64.5, Columbus 61, Buhler 53, Oskaloosa 52, Winfield 49