By CONOR NICHOLL
Great Bend held its inaugural 29-team girls’ wrestling Christmas Clash competition last weekend. Dodge City girls, the reigning 5-6A state champions, won the meet with 242 points. All five Western Athletic Conference schools finished in the top-six.
Dodge City was known for its depth en route to the narrow state title victory against Washburn Rural last year. The Red Demons returned six state placers, though none won a championship.
Garden City took second with 218, Hays High was third with 168, and Great Bend fourth with 167.
In Tuesday’s Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings, Washburn Rural is first, followed by a top-six of Dodge City, Garden City, Leavenworth, Shawnee Heights and Hays High.
For Dodge City, senior Jasmin Beltran (7-1) won the 100-pound championship. Beltran had two byes, won by fall and had a forfeit win in the title. Elizabeth Ramirez (5-2) took fourth.
At 105, sophomore Jessica Rivera (7-1) finished second. Sophomore Ashley Alonso (6-3) was fourth at 110.
Junior Ariana De La Rosa (9-0) earned the 125-pound championship. She had a bye and had three straight victories by fall. In the finals, De La Rosa matched up against Great Bend’s Daizy Gomez in a matchup of undefeated wrestlers.
Sophomore Hailey Ramos went 4-2 and improved to 9-2 at 135. For 140, freshman Yareli Garcia (9-3) took third. For 145, junior Dayanara Garcia (7-2) finished fourth. Sophomore Yoselyn Rubio (6-4) was fourth at 155, and freshman Lilliana Arroyo (6-3) was fifth at 170. Senior Jolette Almaraz (5-1) took third at 190.
Last year at state, Rivera was sixth, Alonso third and De La Rosa third. Ramos is a defending state runner-up, and Garcia finished fourth. Almaraz took fourth at 170.
Rivera is third at 105. Alonso is ranked second in 5-6A at 110. De La Rosa is ranked second at 125. Ramos is ranked fifth at 135. Yareli Garcia is fourth at 140. Dayanara Garcia is fourth at 145. Almaraz is fourth at 190.
