El Dorado senior Dylon Walker was on a mission at the Class 4A state tournament at the Bicentennial Center, but he was tied 4-4 midway though his 189-pound title match after getting taken down by Clay Center junior Ryan Anderson.
Walker felt it was time to kick his game up another gear.
The EHS senior scored a reversal to end the second period up, then scored eight points in the third period to beat Anderson by major decision to win the Wildcat wrestling program’s first individual titile in 10 years.
It also concluded Walker’s season as an undefeated champion, going 36-0 on the season to his state title.
“One of my goals that I didn’t talk about was to go undefeated, as welal as being state champion,” Walker said. “I didn’t worry about rankings very much, but I knew if I came around and got a chance, that I would take it and everybody would know and it would clear up everything.”
Walker, who finished fifth in 189 last season, is the first individual state champion from El Dorado since Wes Reynolds won in 1999 and 2000. Reynolds is now an assistant coach for the Wildcats and sat next to EHS wrestling coach Derick McCreary during the matches.
It looked like Walker —who finished fifth in last year’s 189 division and ranked third in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, two spots behind Anderson — was going to have an easy time with his match as he recorded two takedowns in the opening period to an escape for Anderson after the first take down.
Anderson opened up the second period with an escape and then wrapped up Walker to tie the match.
That’s when Walker made his final moves as a Wildcat.
“It irritated me a little bit and at that point, I realized it was the last time I would put on an El Dorado High singlet, so I knew I needed to get it done,” Walker said.
The senior reversed Anderson’s hold for the final points of the stanza after the Clay Center wrestler tried to push Walker into a near-fall position.
The third period started with Anderson getting the advantage, but Walker escaped within 20 seconds. The Wildcat then was able to record a takedown and a near fall for an 11-4 margin. Walker was able to put Anderson on his back again late in the period and scored his final three points on another near fall just before the final buzzer.
Walker jumped up and pointed No. 1 with his right hand and to the El Dorado High fans who attended the meet with his left.
McCreary said Walker’s championship match as most of his battles on the season.
“He did what he did all year,” McCreary said. “He came out, wrestled well and finished off the regular season.”
The other state finalist for the Wildcats wasn’t as successful, but not from a lack of trying.
Lucas Cortez finished second in the 160-pound division, losing to Labette County’s John Hambleton 4-2 in the final.
Although Cortez (29-4) fell for the third time to Hambleton on the season, it wasn’t like his first two matches that ended 7-0.
“I knew that I could beat him,” Cortez said. “I don’t have any regrets except that I didn’t win. It was a big improvement (from fifth at 152 in 2009), but it still wasn’t first.”
Cortez tried for an early takedown for an advantage, but Hambleton, who won his third state title, was able to use his height to roll his opponent down for a takedown and a two-point near fall. Cortez was able to get a reverse later in the first quarter for the only points of the match.
“If I could have stuck him for a takedown, then it would have been different,” Cortez said. “It was tough giving him four points early.”
The second period saw both wrestlers trying to get takedowns on their opponents, but neither was successful.
The third period had Hambleton giving Cortez the advantage at the start. The El Dorado wrestler had a couple of chances to roll Hambleton on his back, but was unsuccessful, ending the period and the match.
“He gave himself a chance,” McCreary said. “He wrestled real well and left everything on the mat. He had a great season and a great career.”
The Wildcats finished tied for 10th in the final team standings with 48 points.
In his first year with the Wildcats, McCreary finished with two state medalists, three other state qualifiers, three second place tournament finishes and an 11-6 dual record — including winning the season-opening El Dorado Dual Tournament — on the season.
“It’s a great feeling to watch these two finish their high school careers like that,” McCreary said about Walker and Cortez. “They go at it every day and I’ve got the best seat in the house.”
Clay Center won the team title with 129 points, followed by Valley Center (114), Andale (105), Abilene (92.5) and Colby (68).
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El Dorado senior Dylon Walker was on a mission at the Class 4A state tournament at the Bicentennial Center, but he was tied 4-4 midway though his 189-pound title match after getting taken down by Clay Center junior Ryan Anderson.
Walker felt it was time to kick his game up another gear.
The EHS senior scored a reversal to end the second period up, then scored eight points in the third period to beat Anderson by major decision to win the Wildcat wrestling program’s first individual titile in 10 years.
It also concluded Walker’s season as an undefeated champion, going 36-0 on the season to his state title.
“One of my goals that I didn’t talk about was to go undefeated, as welal as being state champion,” Walker said. “I didn’t worry about rankings very much, but I knew if I came around and got a chance, that I would take it and everybody would know and it would clear up everything.”
Walker, who finished fifth in 189 last season, is the first individual state champion from El Dorado since Wes Reynolds won in 1999 and 2000. Reynolds is now an assistant coach for the Wildcats and sat next to EHS wrestling coach Derick McCreary during the matches.
It looked like Walker —who finished fifth in last year’s 189 division and ranked third in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, two spots behind Anderson — was going to have an easy time with his match as he recorded two takedowns in the opening period to an escape for Anderson after the first take down.
Anderson opened up the second period with an escape and then wrapped up Walker to tie the match.
That’s when Walker made his final moves as a Wildcat.
“It irritated me a little bit and at that point, I realized it was the last time I would put on an El Dorado High singlet, so I knew I needed to get it done,” Walker said.
The senior reversed Anderson’s hold for the final points of the stanza after the Clay Center wrestler tried to push Walker into a near-fall position.
The third period started with Anderson getting the advantage, but Walker escaped within 20 seconds. The Wildcat then was able to record a takedown and a near fall for an 11-4 margin. Walker was able to put Anderson on his back again late in the period and scored his final three points on another near fall just before the final buzzer.
Walker jumped up and pointed No. 1 with his right hand and to the El Dorado High fans who attended the meet with his left.
McCreary said Walker’s championship match as most of his battles on the season.
“He did what he did all year,” McCreary said. “He came out, wrestled well and finished off the regular season.”
The other state finalist for the Wildcats wasn’t as successful, but not from a lack of trying.
Lucas Cortez finished second in the 160-pound division, losing to Labette County’s John Hambleton 4-2 in the final.
Although Cortez (29-4) fell for the third time to Hambleton on the season, it wasn’t like his first two matches that ended 7-0.
“I knew that I could beat him,” Cortez said. “I don’t have any regrets except that I didn’t win. It was a big improvement (from fifth at 152 in 2009), but it still wasn’t first.”
Cortez tried for an early takedown for an advantage, but Hambleton, who won his third state title, was able to use his height to roll his opponent down for a takedown and a two-point near fall. Cortez was able to get a reverse later in the first quarter for the only points of the match.
“If I could have stuck him for a takedown, then it would have been different,” Cortez said. “It was tough giving him four points early.”
The second period saw both wrestlers trying to get takedowns on their opponents, but neither was successful.
The third period had Hambleton giving Cortez the advantage at the start. The El Dorado wrestler had a couple of chances to roll Hambleton on his back, but was unsuccessful, ending the period and the match.
“He gave himself a chance,” McCreary said. “He wrestled real well and left everything on the mat. He had a great season and a great career.”
The Wildcats finished tied for 10th in the final team standings with 48 points.
In his first year with the Wildcats, McCreary finished with two state medalists, three other state qualifiers, three second place tournament finishes and an 11-6 dual record — including winning the season-opening El Dorado Dual Tournament — on the season.
“It’s a great feeling to watch these two finish their high school careers like that,” McCreary said about Walker and Cortez. “They go at it every day and I’ve got the best seat in the house.”
Clay Center won the team title with 129 points, followed by Valley Center (114), Andale (105), Abilene (92.5) and Colby (68).
