Manhattan High wrestling faced one of its stiffest tests of the season last week at the Newton Tournament of Champions, with both squads navigating deep fields against some of the top programs in the state.
The Manhattan girls finished second as a team, while the boys placed eighth in a loaded bracket as the calendar moves toward the heart of the season.
The Manhattan girls’ runner-up finish came with 231 points, trailing only Garden City, which won the team title with 259. Basehor-Linwood, Kapaun Mt. Carmel and Emporia rounded out the top five. The runner-up finish marked Manhattan’s first non-team title of the season, but still came against a storied Garden City program.
Manhattan produced two individual champions, as Kayla Cramer won the 130-pound title and Sophia Hoeme claimed first at 140. Alayna Slifer added a runner-up finish at 135, while Tierra Young placed third at 145.
Depth continued to play a role throughout the lineup. Evelyn Thornburg (125) and Tasia Miller (155) each finished fourth, while Eva Lucios (100) and Kalena Borge (105) placed fifth. Erica Li took seventh at 170, and Eleanor Radi added an eighth-place finish at 120.
On the boys side, Manhattan finished eighth with 119.5 points in a field that included several of the state’s top programs. Washburn Rural won the team title with 167.5 points, followed closely by Maize and Andale.
Individually, the Indians found success throughout the bracket. Jack Hutchinson led the way with a second-place finish at 126 pounds. Kadin Dibbini followed with a third-place showing at 215, while Brecken Crist-Funk (165) and Garrison Vikander (285) each placed fourth.
Cameron Coonrod finished sixth at 144, as did Liam Nider at 190. Bode Busch added an eighth-place finish at 157 to round out Manhattan’s placers.
The Manhattan boys return to action this weekend at the Hays tournament, while the girls varsity takes a brief break before both squads reunite Feb. 7 at the Centennial Tournament, hosted by Washburn Rural.