Jacob Meseke | sports editor
Wrestling ended its regular season this weekend with a series of three home events.
On Thursday, Wabaunsee hosted a quad with Onaga, Hayden, and Manhattan’s JV. Wabaunsee beat Onaga in a duel. Freshman Calvin Magette secured a third period fall that propelled their win over Onaga.
On Friday, the wrestling team competed in the Mid-East League tournament. Junior Marek Boatwright and Senior Derek Wallin were both league champions in their weight class. Boatwright in the 113 pound weight class and Wallin in the 160 pound weight class. Senior Eli Mumpower got league runner-up in the 152 pound weight class.
The team hosted it’s invitational tournament Saturday.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, the format of the postseason is dramatically different for wrestling.
WHS competes in its district tournament noon Saturday at Silver Lake. The top four placers of each weight class will advance to the regional tournament at Rossville on February 12. They will face the qualifiers from the Marysville district tournament. The top four placers of the regional will then go on to the sub-state tournament at Marion on February 20 to face the qualifiers from the Eureka regional. Finally, the top four placers will advance to the 3-2-1A state tournament in Hays on February 27.
Senior Derek Wallin is currently ranked 6th in the 160 pound weight class by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association. Wallin went 2-2 in the Marysville tournament and got first in their tournament at Chase County on January 9. Senior Eli Mumpower went 3-1 in the Marysville tournament and earned 3rd place. Mumpower got second in the tournament at Chase County.
Freshman Calvin Magette has improved a lot this year. “He’s been working everyday in practice and it’s showing,” said head wrestling coach Joey Heersche. Heersche expects multiple wrestlers to advance to the regional round, including Derek Wallin, Eli Mumpower and Marek Boatwright. Boatwright will automatically advance to regional due to only four wrestlers in his weight class. “Our freshman will have to face wrestlers that have already beat them, so they’ll need to get revenge,” Heersche said.
The regional tournament will be streamed on the Silver Lake Journalism YouTube channel starting at noon.
The Charger 
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