HAYS — Humboldt sophomore Willow LaCrone and senior Savannah Koch ended their 2025-2026 wrestling season on the medal podium at the state tournament over the weekend.
After missing the medal podium last season, Koch finished in sixth place while LaCrone took third place in her second run at the state tournament competing in the 155 lbs. weight class.
LaCrone entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, and ranked No. 3 by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association. LaCrone cruised to the semifinals with first-period pins of Harper-Chaparral freshman Alivia Haggard (13-12), then Phillipsburg senior Johnna Eber lasted about 28 seconds longer but still succumbed to a first-period pin.
LaCrone fell in the semifinals to No. 2 ranked Oakley senior Cali Wagoner by second-period pin, but she was still in the fight for third place. In the consolation semifinals, she defeated Council Grove senior Savannah Johnson (32-11), who previously defeated LaCrone for the Fredonia Invitational title in February, by first-period pin, then defeated Ebner once more for third place.
Koch (24-18) opened with a second-period pin of Solomon senior Maddison Sudermann, then defeated No. 5 ranked Douglas junior Layton Roberts (26-19) to break into the semifinals.
Koch fell for the first time Saturday to No. 1 ranked, undefeated senior state champion Cadence Greeson of Norton to land in the consolation semifinals. There, she fell to No. 2 ranked state sophomore bronze medalist Kailtyn McCreery of Phillipsburg by first-period pin and ended the day with a loss by second-period pin in the fifth-place match to No. 4 ranked Doniphan West junior Layla Kuhnert.
Senior Victoria Melendez picked up a win in her final run at state. She opened with a loss by first-period pin to eventual state runner-up Kaeleigh Klein (34-5), a Pleasant Hill senior, then rebounded in the consolation bracket with a 14-8 decision over West Franklin sophomore Baylie Wieneke (23-19). In the consolation quarterfinals, Melendez’s high school wrestling career came to an end by a 10-3 loss to Minneapolis sophomore Rylin Johnon (25-18).
Junior Broc Ivy (21-12) was Humboldt’s only male competitor Saturday while wrestling in the 157 lbs. weight class. He opened with a loss to No. 2 ranked senior Dayton Fromholtz (39-7) of Saint Francis, who went on to take fourth place, by first-period pin. Ivy then fell to Minneapolis freshman Blayde Pagel in his consolation bracket opener 4-1.
