Eudora ? During this weekend’s Eudora Tournament of Champions, Lawrence High junior wrestler Nolan Kellerman had one thing on his mind: his one-point loss a year ago in the 160-pound championship match.

Saturday, he avenged the defeat with a convincing romp through the bracket, making him the only city athlete to earn first-place honors.

After pinning Rossville’s G.W. Westphal in the semifinals, Kellerman had his strategy mapped for the finals against Emporia’s Dan Dikin. Kellerman executed and cracked open a 7-0 lead on Dikin via two huge takedowns. On both of them, Kellerman had leverage by lifting Dikin’s leg into the air and driving him to the mat, leaving his opponent little room for retaliation.

“Once I had the first five points, I knew the match was over, because I was not gonna let him take me down or get any points on me,” Kellerman said of his 9-4 victory in the finals. “I’d seen him throw a couple of kids, so I was trying to stay away from the headlocks and all of that.”

Kellerman’s performance paced LHS to an eighth-place finish in the 24-team tournament. Sophomore Brandon Goodwin placed fourth in the 103 bracket, sophomore Chris Coons took sixth at 112, junior Chris Cates was seventh at 125, and senior Tim Giblin was eighth at 189.

Overland Park Aquinas took the team title, finishing 77.5 points ahead of second-place Blue Valley.

Free State finished 13th after an admirable performance with multiple wrestlers competing out of their normal weight classes.

The Firebirds’ top finisher was junior K.J. Siebert, who was fourth in the 160-pound class that Kellerman won. Siebert, however, normally wrestles in the 152 division.

Free State High's Mike Goble, top, wrestles at the Eudora Tournament of Champions. The tournament was Saturday in Eudora.

“We had some kids cut weight all week who really stepped up,” Free State coach Darrell Andrew said. “K.J. Siebert and Cameron Reschke in particular, who both cut down to 152 and certified at 152. Now it’s just all about one of them jumping back up.”

Sophomore Marc Somers (130), sophomore Kyle Weinmaster (171) and junior Mike Goble (125) each placed fifth, while senior Dale Sipple (145) and junior Cameron Reschke (152) placed sixth. Senior Doug Ratliff finished eighth in the 275-pound bracket.

Lawrence High wrestler Brendan Halpin, bottom, tries to escape an opponent during the Eudora Tournament of Champions. LHS and Free State, as well as a handful of area teams, competed Saturday in Eudora.

“The kids did a really good job of stepping up to the level of competition,” Andrew said. “This is going to be a great morale boost for our kids going into the holiday break.”

Baldwin freshman Kevin Callahan won the 119-pound title, De Soto junior Neil Erisman placed first in the 152-pound bracket, and Tonganoxie senior Ross Starcher was first in the 171-pound competition.