Senior wrestler Connor Patton had wrestled Prairie View Senior William Holland three times in the last two weeks before state. Holland had beaten Patton every time, but their final match ended differently. This time, Patton was victorious.
“Winning that match, especially since he beat me [before] was a great feeling,” Patton said.
After losing a 4-3 decision in the first round, Patton knew he would need to defeat Holland to place in the top six.
“That was probably the most exciting part of the whole tournament,” Patton said. “If I won I was going to place no matter what, and if I lost I was done.”
Patton finished the season with a winning record of 28-12 and a fifth place medal in the state tournament at 152 pounds.
“It feels like I accomplished my goal,” Patton said. “Winning, to me, is worth all the hard work.”
Freshman wrestler Tyler Flood also placed 5th at the tournament held in Salina on Feb. 28 and Mar. 1.
“It was exciting, [but I want] to go to state and win,” Flood said.
Flood has been to the state tournament six times in his eight years of wrestling.
“I practice year round,” Flood said. “If you don’t practice hard you’re not going to make it.”
Flood spends eight to 12 hours each week practicing for wrestling. He is now preparing for a wrestling tournament in July held in Florida.
“I like that it’s hard,” Flood said. “It’s competition and you have to go against someone else.”
At 106 pounds, Flood finished the season with a winning record of 31-6 and a 16-5 rematch major decision victory over Emmanuel Brown from Sumner Academy. This victory and his hard work won him fifth place at state.
“You have to have a tough mind,” Patton said. “Every time your body tells you to quit you have to overpower it with your mind.”
Junior Chase Holub also wrestled at state.
“I was really excited that I got the opportunity to go to state and wrestle for Paola,” Holub said. “No matter what, I told myself I was proud that I got to go.”
To qualify for state, Holub beat Colin Koger from Sante Fe Trail at the regional tournament in Burlington on Feb. 21 and 22.
“I learned that if you work and you really want to do well in your sport it’s always possible,” Holub said.