3A returning State Tournament Points

Taking a look at the returning state tournament points in Class 3A shows a very interesting and exciting race in 2022.  Last year, it came down to the very end with Marlow holding off Jay to win the state championship. Those two teams return the most state tournament points, but Salina is right on their heels with teams like Comanche, Cascia Hall, Vinita Blackwell, Bridge Creek and others also looking to take home the state championship trophy this year.

Returning state tournament points guarantees nothing, but it is a good starting point for comparing teams at the start of the year.  With last year being such a tough year on everyone, we are hopefully looking forward to a normal schedule with lots of outstanding wrestling to watch.  The numbers below, of course don’t consider incoming freshmen, improved upper classmen, weight changes, injuries and all of the other factors that will have a definite impact on what happens at the 2022 State Tournament.  

Jay, led by their outstanding sophomore class, lead the way with 70.5 returning state tournament points.  Sophomores Gage Walker (19-1 record) and Devin Duran (34-4) are returning state champions while Maverick Williamson (35-3) was a state runner-up.  Those three finished with a combined record of 88-8 in their freshman year, while fellow sophomore Connor Gough won 25 matches last year.  The Bulldogs also return state placer Dustin Duran (31-7) and state qualifiers Jeron Newcomb and Kaden Murray.  Jay will prepare for the State Tournament with a loaded schedule that includes participating in the Flo Kickoff Classic, Mid-American Nationals, Kansas City Stampede along with several other top tournaments in the state.

Marlow returns the largest number of wrestlers as ten wrestlers gained valuable experience at last year’s State Tournament.  Marlow returns 60.5 points from their State championship team including state medalists Cody Huber, Zach Dawson, Kyle Wilson and Case Rich. The Outlaws are a senior dominated team with seven seniors that have State Tournament experience.  Kyle Wilson already has made three trips to the State Tournament with finishes of SQ-4-3 and has compiled an impressive 102-20 career record.  Cody Huber went 28-8 last year and was a state runner-up at 285.  Case Rich, with a 69-19 record over the past two years was a State qualifier in 2020 and added a 4^th place finish last year.  Andrew Johnston is a two-time State qualifier with a 51-23 career record.  Other seniors that competed at State were State qualifiers Cody Davis and Dason Davis and wrestle-in participant Trey Southerland.  Zach Dawson earned a 2^nd place finish at 126 (falling to 4X state champion Eli Griffin and was 29-4 in his freshman year.  Lawson Knox was a State qualifier at 106 and Brayden Bowman competed in the wrestle-in match at 120.  

Salina, led by state champions Hunter Fitzpatrick and Gavin Montgomery and two-time State runner-up Jack Wilkins, is just ½ point behind Marlow as they return 60 State Tournament points.  Fitzpatrick has State Tournament finishes of SQ-2-1 while compiling a career record of 87-22.  Montgomery finished 4^th as a freshman before winning it all last year and has a career record of 60-15.  Wilkins has compiled a strong 72-7 career record while finishing with the silver medal in his freshman and sophomore years.  Wilkins fell to 3X champ and 4X finalist Kolby DePron (Bridge Creek) in the 2020 state finals and suffered a tough 6-5 tiebreaker loss to 2X state champion Jose Flores of Inola in 2021.  Salina also returns 2X State qualifier Gaige Stock (49-20 career record) and wrestle-in participant Colby McIelland.  

A team to keep an eye on is Berryhill.  The Chiefs only return two state tournament points, but they may have been a school most affected by the shortened season last year as most of their wrestlers came into the 2021 State Tournament with only 10-15 matches under their belt.  Ready to make some noise again are 2020 state runner-up Owen Martin, 3^rd place medalist Wyatt Meredith, two-time state qualifier Hunter Waits, state qualifier Kyler Tabor and wrestle-in participants Chanc Bruner and Dalton Deathrage.

Listed below are the returning State Tournament participants for each team.  SQ means State Qualifier and WI means lost wrestle-in match.