photo by: Contributed photo

A smiling Matthew Marcum looks up while competing for Free State High. Marcum finished first in the 195-pound bracket at the Leavenworth Challenger.

Free State High’s wrestling team took second place this past Saturday at the first big tournament on the winter calendar, the Leavenworth Challenger.

The Firebirds were led by junior Matthew Marcum, who went 5-0 and finished in first place in the 195-pound weight class.

Washburn Rural, Class 6A’s top-ranked team, won the tourney.

Lawrence High also had a first-place individual finisher in Leavenworth. Junior Jack Elsten ran through the competition in the 120-pound bracket. The Lions, with nine wrestlers competing, took eighth place.

The Firebirds, who are ranked No. 4 in 6A, had six of their 16 wrestlers finish in the top three at Leavenworth: Marcum, junior Nolan Bradley (second, 113), junior Eric Streeter (second, 138), senior Zach Shepley (second, 170), freshman Grayson Hagen (third, 106) and senior Brian Lane (third, 220).

The Lions had four top-three finishers: Elsten, sophomore Andrew Honas (second, 106), senior Kevin Honas (second, 126) and freshman Isaiah Shorter (third, 152 B).

FSHS individual placers at Leavenworth:

106 – Grayson Hagen, 3rd

106 – Drew Streeter, 4th

113 – Nolan Bradley, 2nd

120 – Wyatt Sutton, 6th

126 – D’onte Goodman, 5th

132 – Ezra Birdashaw, 5th

138 – Eric Streeter, 2nd

145 – Trey Shanks, 4th

152 – Ben Mellenbruch, 5th

160 – Gabe Swoyer, 9th

170 – Zach Shepley, 2nd

182 – Gavin Blanchard, 7th

182 – Quez Lee, 8th

195 – Matthew Marcum, 1st

220 – Brian Lane, 3rd

285 – Preston Tran, 5th

LHS individual placers at Leavenworth:

106 – Andrew Honas, 2nd

113 – Logan Sheldon, 6th

120 – Jack Elsten, 1st

126 – Kevin Honas, 2nd

132 – Jacob Elston, 8th

138 – Trevon Swearinger, 4th

145 – Johnathan Marquez, 10th

152 B – Isaiah Shorter, 3rd

160 – Brandt Wolleson, 7th

LHS boys fall in 1st round of basketball tourney

Lawrence High’s boys basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday at the Blue Valley Shootout.

The Lions were up against Lee’s Summit (Mo.) in the first round and lost 76-73.

Seabury boys hoops drops opener

Bishop Seabury Academy’s boy’s basketball team lost its season opener, 51-37, to St. Mary’s Academy this past week.

Junior Enzo Karam led the Seahawks with 20 points and senior Sam Hertzog scored 8.

Next up for the Seahawks is a road game at Atchison on Thursday.

Tennis standout VanPelt on 1st-place doubles team

Local youth tennis standout Kinley VanPelt recently took first place at the USTA’s national indoor doubles championship, in Toledo, Ohio.

Competing in the 14-and-under bracket, VanPelt and Emerey Gross of St. Louis won five matches at the national tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.

VanPelt, who is a freshman at Free State High, trains at Overland Park Racquet Club. She recently returned to competition after being out multiple months with an injury, and this is her second tournament since then.