Brothers lead Baldwin wrestlers

? It was a family affair that led Baldwin High to the team championship in Saturday’s Class 4A regional wrestling tournament at Eudora High.

Kevin and Alan Callahan and Josiah and Gabe Mason turned in first-place performances in their weight classes.

“The Callahans and the Masons, all season long, have been big point-getters for us,” Baldwin coach Kit Harris said. “They really push each other, and as the season’s gone on they’ve gotten stronger and stronger and stronger.”

Freshman Alan Callahan took the 103-pound division.

“It feels pretty good coming in the first year of high school,” the younger Callahan said. “It just feels great to get that off my back.”

Kevin Callahan, just a year ahead of Alan, will attempt to improve on last year’s fourth-place state finish at 119 pounds, returning this year at 125 pounds.

“It really means a lot to me to see my little brother do well and accomplish great things, and I’m just glad I can be a part of it,” Kevin said.

For the Masons, it was a case of older brother looking out for the younger.

Senior Josiah decided to drop down to 152 pounds this year in hopes that Gabe could join him at state as a 160-pounder.

“I was hoping to be able to do that last year, and it didn’t work out,” said Josiah, who was the only Mason to attempt state a year ago. “But this year, it did, and we’re both champions.”

The Bulldogs also had three other wrestlers qualify for state. Nick Rockhold took fourth at 112, Michael Thurlow finished second at 119, and Matthew James came in fourth at 130.

The host Cardinals also had their fair share of success. Three of their four state qualifiers took first in their weight classes, with the fourth, Miles Cleveland, winning his consolation match.

“I was real pleased with Miles, who came back and got third, especially as our senior that was left,” Eudora coach Bill DeWitt said.

Michael Witten came through at 135, while Tim Durkin and Evan Meyers won the 189 and 215 pound divisions.

“Winning all four of those matches helps our seed at state and gives us confidence going in,” DeWitt said.

De Soto’s Neil Erisman (171) and Tonganoxie’s Kevin Hamm (103) also will be heading to state in Salina.