photo by: Courtesy photo

Free State's Darius Shields battles for a takedown against Lawrence High's Kevin Honas during a match in the 120-pound weight class Saturday afternoon at Tonganoxie High on Jan. 23, 2021.

In its toughest meet yet, Free State’s wrestling team rose to the challenge by earning three wins during Saturday’s quadrangular at Tonganoxie High. It allowed the Firebirds (No. 7 in Class 6A) to improve to 17-0 on the season under first-year head coach Randy Streeter.

Of Free State’s three victories on Saturday, two of them came against ranked opponents. FSHS secured a 36-25 win over Mill Valley, the defending state champion and the No. 2 squad in Class 5A, to start the day off on the right foot.

The Firebirds followed that up with a 42-35 win over Tonganoxie (No. 3 in Class 4A) by claiming eight victories in their 14 matches. Free State then closed things out with a 56-15 win over crosstown rival Lawrence High.

Perhaps the biggest individual win of the day was recorded by FSHS junior Tai Newhouse. In the 285-pound weight class, Newhouse came through with a big upset by pinning two-time state champion Ethan Kremer of Mill Valley. Kremer entered the matchup ranked No. 1 in his respective weight class in Class 5A, while Newhouse is listed at No. 5 in Class 6A.

Eric Streeter, Darius Shields, Madyson Gray, Ben Mellenbruch, Laython Biddle and Austin Burenheide all picked up wins in their respective weight class against Mill Valley as well.

Burenheide ended up delivering the signature win in the Tonganoxie dual to help FSHS edge out an area opponent. Biddle, Newhouse, Nolan Bradley, Eric Streeter, Ezra Birdashaw, Caleb Streeter and Cole Rorick all registered victories against the Chieftains.

Against Lawrence High, Free State picked up victories from Bradley, Shields, Birdashaw, Gray, Burenheide, Biddle, Rorick, Newhouse, Caleb Streeter, Alex Allison and Zach Shepley.

Lawrence, meanwhile, ended up with three wins in its dual against Free State. Jack Elsten defeated Eric Streeter by decision in the 113-pound weight class. Trey Medina secured a win in the 145-pound weight class, while Anthony Morales received a forfeit in the 170-weight class.

The Lions also suffered a 54-19 loss to Tonganoxie and were handed a 54-15 defeat by Mill Valley. Elsten pinned his THS opponent and earned a win via forfeit against Mill Valley. Like Elsten, Medina went 3-0 on the day after picking up wins against Tonganoxie (major decision) and Mill Valley (pin) in the 145-pound weight class.

Kevin Honas won two matches in the 120-pound weight class, including a 3-2 decision against a Mill Valley wrestler. Logan Farrell earned a 8-4 decision victory against Tonganoxie’s Noah Bailey in the 132-pound weight class.

LHS will return to the mat in a home dual against Washburn Rural on Thursday. Free State will travel to Paola on Monday.

Free State results

Free State 36, Mill Valley 25

106: Cooper (MV) dec Bradley (FS)

113: Streeter (FS) received a FF

120: Shields (FS) pin Cassella (MV)

126: McCallister (MV) dec Birdashaw (FS)

132: Gray (FS) dec Mason (MV)

138: Dulitz (MV) dec Streeter (FS)

145: Mellenbruch (FS) dec Imes (MV)

152: Whisler (MV) maj dec Shepley (FS)

160: Biddle (FS) pin Zigmant (MV)

170: No Match

182: Burenheide (FS) received a FF

195: Scott (MV) pin Allison (FS)

220: Cassella (MV) pin Rorick (FS)

285: Newhouse (FS) pin Kremer (MV)

Free State 42, Tonganoxie 35

106: Bradley (FS) dec Coleman (Tong)

113: Streeter (FS) pin Bauswell (Tong)

120: Birdashaw (FS) pin Herrig (Tong)

126: Sonntag (Tong) pin Goodman (FS)

132: Bailey (Tong) TF Gray (FS)

138: Streeter (FS) pin Lawson (Tong)

145: Duffet (Tong) pin Mellenbruch (FS)

152: Bailey (Tong) pin Shepley (FS)

160: Biddle (FS) dec Brusven (Tong)

170: Bruch (Tong) received a FF

182: Burenheide (FS) pin Benedict (Tong)

195: Branden Martin (Tong) pin Allison (FS)

220: Rorick (FS) received a FF

285: Newhouse (FS) pin Jones (Tong)

Free State 56, Lawrence High 15

106: Bradley (FS) pin Honas (LHS)

113: Elsten (LHS) dec Streeter (FS)

120: Shields (FS) dec Honas (LHS)

126: Birdashaw (FS) dec Girard (LHS)

132: Gray (FS) maj dec Kirk (LHS)

138: Streeter (FS) pin Razak (LHS)

145: Medina (LHS) def. Mellenbruch (FS)

152: Shepley (FS) maj dec Kirkwood (LHS)

160: Biddle (FS) received a FF

170: Morales (LHS) received a FF

182: Burenheide (FS) received a FF

195: Allison (FS) pin Saldano (FS)

220: Rorick (FS) received a FF

285: Newhouse (FS) received a FF

Lawrence results

Mill Valley 54, Lawrence 15

106: (SMV) over Andrew Honas (LAWR) (Fall 3:31)

113: Jack Elsten (LAWR) over (SMV) (For.)

120: Kevin Honas (LAWR) over (SMV) (Dec 3-2)

126: (SMV) over Hunter Girard (LAWR) (Fall 1:33)

132: (SMV) over Logan Farrell (LAWR) (Def.)

138: (SMV) over Zach Razak (LAWR) (Fall 0:45)

145: Trey Medina (LAWR) over (SMV) (Fall 1:06)

152: (SMV) over Harrison Kirkwood (LAWR) (Fall 4:55)

160: (SMV) over Anthony Morales (LAWR) (Fall 4:50)

170: Double Forfeit

182: Double Forfeit

195: (SMV) over Ralph Saldana (LAWR) (Fall 1:04)

220: (SMV) over (LAWR) (For.)

285: (SMV) over (LAWR) (For.)

Tonganoxie 54, Lawrence 19

106: Brock Coleman (TONG) over Andrew Honas (LAWR) (Fall 1:10)

113: Jack Elsten (LAWR) over Pesley Herrig (TONG) (Fall 0:26)

120: Kevin Honas (LAWR) over (TONG) (For.)

126: Grayson Sonntag (TONG) over Noah Kirk (LAWR) (Fall 1:01)

132: Logan Farrell (LAWR) over Noah Bailey (TONG) (Dec 8-4)

138: Nick Lawson (TONG) over Zach Razak (LAWR) (Fall 3:59)

145: Trey Medina (LAWR) over Derek Duffett (TONG) (MD 19-8)

152: Gabriel Bailey (TONG) over Harrison Kirkwood (LAWR) (Fall 1:30)

160: Colton Brusven (TONG) over Anthony Morales (LAWR) (Fall 4:53)

170: Connor Bruch (TONG) over (LAWR) (For.)

182: Hunter Benedict (TONG) over (LAWR) (For.)

195: Branden Martin (TONG) over Ralph Saldana (LAWR) (Fall 2:10)

220: Double Forfeit

285: Cooper Jones (TONG) over (LAWR) (For.)

Free State 56, Lawrence 15

220: Cole Rorick (LFS) over (LAWR) (For.)

285: Tai Newhouse (LFS) over (LAWR) (For.)

106: Nolan Bradley (LFS) over Andrew Honas (LAWR) (Fall 0:00)

113: Jack Elsten (LAWR) over Eric Streeter (LFS) (Dec 7-3)

120: Darius Shields (LFS) over Kevin Honas (LAWR) (Dec 7-6)

126: Ezra Birdashaw (LFS) over Hunter Girard (LAWR) (Dec 6-3)

132: Mady Gray (LFS) over Noah Kirk (LAWR) (MD 17-7)

138: Caleb Streeter (LFS) over Zach Razak (LAWR) (Fall 0:00)

145: Trey Medina (LAWR) over Ben Mellenbruch (LFS) (Fall 0:00)

152: Zach Sheplay (LFS) over Harrison Kirkwood (LAWR) (Fall 0:00)

160: Laythan Biddle (LFS) over (LAWR) (For.)

170: Anthony Morales (LAWR) over (LFS) (For.)

182: Austin Burenheide (LFS) over (LAWR) (For.)

195: Alex Allison (LFS) over Ralph Saldana (LAWR) (Fall 0:00)