Seven Bulldog wrestlers competed at the 4A State Championships in Salina last weekend, and two were able to come away with medals. Senior Bryce Shoemaker (champion at 138 lbs) and sophomore Jon Pratt (5th at 120 lbs) became the 42nd and 43rd state placers in BHS history. And Shoemaker became the eighth state champion in BHS history, and the first ever to win two titles.
Three other Bulldogs won one match at State: junior Tucker Clark (132 lbs), senior Mark Harman (170 lbs) and sophomore Tiler Garcia (220 lbs). Senior Colton Horne (152 lbs) and sophomore Mario Garcia (182 lbs) also competed, but went 0-2.
Harman had a good experience wrestling at State for his first time.
“It was fun. I pinned one of my guys. I got the award Pin Master so that was fun. For my first time going, I had a blast,” Harman said.
Horne felt very accomplished with going to state and the satisfaction that he is one of the best.
“It was awesome. Being down on the floor and competing and just the feeling that I’m one of the best guys in Kansas
Shoemaker dominated the 138 lbs bracket so much that he was voted by all coaches as the 4A Wrestler of the Year.
“It was pretty sweet to end my career on top, “ Shoemaker said. “But hopefully I can accell at the next level.”
He won by fall in the first round, then faced off with one of the high medal favorites from Concordia, Drake Hake who was 30-2. Shoemaker won by 16-1 technical fall and then took on another ranked opponent from Osawatomie. Shoemaker won 13-4 by major decision to earn his third trip to the finals. He then faced Spring Hill’s Corey Spader for the fifth time this season. Shoemaker won 7-0 for the gold medal. He did not give up an offensive point during either the Regional or State tournament. He ended his career as a three-time state placer (1st, 2nd, 1st). He was injured his sophomore year and could not compete at State. Shoemaker ended his four-year Bulldog career with a 160-18 overall record.
Pratt put himself in a great spot in the State bracket by winning a Regional championship the week before in Tonganoxie.
“It was good. I finished higher than I thought I would, actually. I probably could have done better, but as a team we did alright.” Pratt said.
Pratt opened with a 6-3 decision over Topeka-Hayden. Then lost to Mulvane’s Blake Cusick by a 4-0 score. Pratt then was forced to battle through the backside. He major decisioned Jeff West’s Nate Holloman 9-1, then in the medal round he won 8-2 over El Dorado’s Daniel Thomas to earn a state medal. Pratt then almost knocked off #1 ranked Mies from Andale, losing only on a takedown in the final seconds. But Pratt ended the tournament with a revenge win over Cusick by 11-2 score to finish with a fifth-place medal.
Three more Bulldogs recorded state wins. Clark, a Regional finalist making his third trip to State, won a major decision over Pittsburg’s Brett Cobb. Harman, also was a Regional finalist, won by fall with a revenge win over Cox from Anderson County. And Tiler Garcia won by fall over Concordia’s Kyle Marks in his first trip to State.
Baldwin scored enough points to finish in a tie for 13th with Abilene.
Shoemaker was proud of the team’s overall season, winning a team league championship and placed third at regionals.
“It felt good. At the beginning we didn’t think we would be able to achieve that because we are such a young team,” Shoemaker said.