Derby girls wrestling battled in two of its most competitive tournaments of the season in a span of three days. The Panthers competed in the second annual Newton Tournament of Champions on Jan. 12 before competing in the Best of the West tournament on Jan. 14.
Led by a second-place finish by Amara Ehsa at 105, Derby took 14th overall in the 22-team tournament in Newton. Injuries to Trinity Williams at 190 and Brooke Downs at 130 limited the Panthers in the tournament. Both wrestlers finished 6th in their respective weight classes.
Williams dislocated her shoulder in the semifinal but should be back in a couple of weeks. Downs tweaked her ankle in the semifinal round, and the coaching staff decided to rest her to get healthy for the second half of the season.
Caylee Headings at 125 scored seven points for the Panthers with a 2-2 day. Both wins came via fall, but her day ended with a hard-fought loss to Kensley Medrano in a 12-9 decision. Analicia Lopez at 235 and Bryley Davis at 170 stepped up and won four points each for the Panthers, which was crucial after losing a pair of wrestlers to injury.
Mimi Sanchez also gave Derby some points with a 1-2 day at 110. Overall, head coach Mike Phillips was pleased with the effort from the squad, but there is still some work to do before the postseason.
“The Newton tournament was probably one of the tougher tournaments to go to, and it showed,” Phillips said. “We had a better effort than some earlier tournaments, and we have a ways to go. It was a good tournament, but we just need some younger girls to turn the corner.”
Ehsa got a bit of revenge after being ranked third in the state in her weight class. She defeated the top-ranked wrestler in class 6A at 105, Kristen Rezac from Washburn Rural, with a fall in the semifinal round. Ehsa was defeated by Jadyn Roller from Bixby in the final.
As the Panthers enter the second half of the season, Ehsa is starting to build some momentum, and she felt that she was extremely focused at the Newton tournament.
“For myself, I need to get my goals in line, especially with state coming up,” Ehsa said. “I had a rough start to the season, and the Newton tournament was first the first time I was locked in this whole season, so I want to keep that streak going.”
Ehsa kept that momentum with a first-place finish at 110 at the Best of the West tournament at Wichita West. She was one of five Panthers to place in the tournament as the team finished 11th overall. Headings took fifth at 125 and Maddie Snowbarger placed sixth at 135.
Sanchez continued her success from the Newton tournament to take eighth at 115. Jeira Schwind also placed 8th at 155. Phillips said the focus at practice was improved throughout the week leading up to the tournaments, and the younger wrestlers are starting to learn how to avoid being susceptible to an easy pin.
“Practice was a lot better the entire week,” Phillips said. “I thought we had much better focus, and some of our young girls are learning to avoid putting themselves in bad positions.”
Newton Tournament of Champions (1/12)
Best of the West Tournament (1/14)
1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 137.0
3. Olathe Northwest 111.5
13. Wichita Southeast 67.0
15. Goddard-Eisenhower 65.0
16. Wichita Northwest 60.0
Cody Friesen is the sports editor for the Derby Informer. Contact him with sports tips at sports@derbyinformer.com, and follow @Derby_Sports on Twitter for the latest updates.
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