WICHITA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) – Losing a wrestler like Jaden Ney can hurt a small program. Ney reached the state finals twice — she was 30-0 with 29 pins entering state as a junior — and medaled all four years at Russell. Even with her graduation last May, the Lady Broncs enter the new year ranked No. 1 in Class 3-2-1A. Last year, Russell finished third behind Norton and Oakley; two other teams, Plainville and Douglass, are also pushing for a state title in February.
The top two wrestlers at 120 pounds are both freshmen, with Russell freshman Arianna Weigel ranked ahead of Lyons’ Addison Morgan. The Lady Broncs also hold the No. 1 spot at 130 pounds with sophomore Averie Counts, are behind junior Kinsey Zorn at 145 pounds, and have freshman Aaliyah Trevino at No. 1 at 155 pounds. Counts pinned her way to last season’s championship at 130 before getting pinned by unbeaten Ashlyn Hahn of Stockton. Zorn moves up a pair of weight classes as the reigning 135-pound champion. The Broncs are loaded in the middle weights, with Cambrea Solze — the reigning fourth-place finisher at 140 — entering the season ranked No. 1 at 145. Junior Chasie Bachman is now ranked No. 3 at 140. Senior Mya Trevino sits at No. 2 at 135 pounds after placing fourth at 115 last season. Freshman Karsyn Hamlin is also ranked No. 5 at 125 pounds.
Norton returns its own group of premier wrestlers. Sophomore Kaison Miller finished last year as the 115-pound champion with a 37-2 record. She remains at No. 1 despite moving up to 125 pounds this season. Sophomore Halle Pfannenstiel was just as impressive, opening her varsity career 39-2 as the 140-pound champion. She remains No. 1 at that weight. Norton returns all three of its individual state champions. Senior Cadence Greeson returns at 190 pounds after posting a 36-2 record last season. Sophomore Sophia Kane could help at state as the No. 2 wrestler at 170 pounds heading into 2026, and junior Adriana Winters is ranked No. 5 at 235 following a sixth-place state finish last season…