By CONOR NICHOLL
Frontenac wrestling has had one all-time state champion when Riley McDaniel captured the 138-pound title with a 38-0 record. McDaniel defeated Buhler’s Sam Elliott, then a freshman, in the state quarterfinals. Elliott, a Top 11 all-classes running back this fall, is a two-time state wrestling champion.
That season, Dawson Lapping went 0-2 at state and completed a 27-14 record at 132 pounds.
Three seasons later, Lapping and fellow senior Justice Compton look to match McDaniel’s feat this season.
Frontenac finished sixth at its own 4A regional last week with 86 points and qualified five for state. Now, Lapping is ranked first at 152, and Compton tops the 170 list.
Chanute rolled to the title with 219.5 points. Independence was second with 143 points. Labette County, Fort Scott and Prairie View were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, all between 102.5 and 94 points.
Boys’ state wrestling is Friday and Saturday at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Lapping improved to 33-0. After a first-round bye, Lapping won by fall in 30 seconds and 1:51. In the championship, Lapping beat Iola’s Trent Jones in a 5-0 decision. At 170, Compton (32-1) captured a regional title.
After a bye, Compton won his three matches by fall in 44 seconds, 1:15 and 1:10. Lapping is ranked first in 4A at 152 pounds, and Compton is ranked first at 170.
Additionally, freshman Kayden Chance (12-9) qualified at 106, and junior Alex Williams (18-17) earned a state spot at 160. Senior Matt Moore (11-9) also qualified fourth at 182.
Last year, Frontenac had three state qualifiers. Lapping was 34-5 and earned state runner-up at 145. Compton was also second at 170 with a 32-8 record.
In 2020, Lapping (35-9) was sixth at 138. Compton (26-9) went 1-2 at state at 170. That year, Frontenac had six state qualifiers.
