All five girls wrestlers from Hays are still in contention after the first day of competition Wednesday at their respective state wrestling tournaments.
Hays High’s Sarah Zimmerman pinned her way to the championship match Wednesday at 109 pounds.
Zimmerman (32-4) opened the tournament with a first-period fall, in just 54 seconds, over Luisa Duewel of Shawnee Mission Northwest. In her championship quarterfinals match Zimmerman record a first-period fall, in just less than two minutes, in a win over Catherin Duong of Olathe North. It took Zimmerman just one minute and 15 seconds to record her third pin, this time over Ashley Alonso of Dodge City in the championship semifinals.
Zimmerman will face Larissa Garcia (41-4) of Wichita North in the championship match Thursday evening.
The three other Hays High wrestlers, Addison Otte, Katie Gutierrez and Lexi Burton lost a match on day one but are still in contention.
At 120 pounds Addison Otte recorded a second-period fall over Katina Keosybounheuang but then lost by fall in championship quarter finals to Jenna Knight from Bonner Springs. Otte (18-15) will face Ella Weber of Shawnee Mission West in the consolation wrestle backs Thursday morning.
Both Katie Gutierrez at 132 pounds and Lexie Burton at 143 pounds stumbled out of the gate with first-round losses but bounced back with wins in the consolation first round to avoid elimination.
Gutierrez (18-13) at 132 pounds lost by a third-period fall against Kamahni Jackson from Sumner Academy. She followed that with a second-period fall against Aubrianna Barnes of Olathe North. She will face Brynn Lowe from Blue Valley Southwest in the consolation wrestle backs Thursday morning.
Burton at 143 pounds lost a 2-1 decision in her first match of the day against Sara Soureshjani from Shawnee Mission South. Burton (21-15) then defeated Claire Vanderweide of Basehor-Linwood. She will face McKenna Haltom of Shawnee Heights in the consolation wrestle backs Thursday morning.
TMP’s Claudine Stein went 1-1 in her first state wrestling tournament Thursday.
Stein (19-16) opened with a second-period fall victory over Linsay Witt of Wellsville. The followed that with a loss by first-period fall against Lyndsey Escareno of Eureka. Stein will face Jailyn Rodriguez in the consolation wrestle backs Thursday morning.