Durossete takes 145 at Paola Invitational

PAOLA -- Jacob Durossette won the 145-pound bracket and five other Tigers medaled as Fort Scott High's wrestling team too part in the Paola Invitational here Saturday.

Durossette (17-2), ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, received a first-round bye. Then he pinned Sam Riess of Atchison County in the quarterfinals. He won by a 7-0 score over Pittsburg's K.J. Shaw in the semifinals. In the final, he pinned Nick Haug of Olathe North, who is ranked No. 5 in Class 6A, with one second remaining in the match.

John Hughes (21-8) placed fourth at 160 pounds. He pinned Mike Longacre of Eudora in the first round and took a 15-4 decision over Colton Steele of Lawrence-Free State, ranked No. 3 in Class 6A, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Hughes was pinned by Taylor Watkins of Columbus, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in Class 4A.

In consolation, Hughes took a 21-8 decision over Christian Rivas of Great Bend. Steele won a rematch with Hughes, 15-4, in the third-place match.

Cole Stewart (13-11) finished fifth at 120 pounds. In the first round, he took an 11-6 decision over Sam Bramer of Derby but was sent into consolation when he was defeated by technical fall by Keaton Sander of Great Bend in the quarterfinals.

Stewart took a major decision over Spencer Ogden of Basehor-Linwood in the next round in consolation. Kelvys Gonzales of Olathe North won a 5-1 decision in the next match. But Stewart pinned Gabriez Chaves of Topeka-Highland Park in the fifth-place match.

Jerad Heckman, ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, finished fifth at 126 pounds. He received a first-round bye but was pinned by Cody Liles of Great Bend in the quarterfinals.

In consolation, Heckman pinned Chance Montgomery of Atchison County but then lost a 9-3 decision to Grant Hollingsworth of Shawnee Mission East. In the fifth-place match, he claimed a major decision over Jeff Wallingford of Atchison, 18-6.

Chance Crawford (10-10) placed sixth at 220 pounds. In the first round, he won by forfeit over Josh Holford of Highland Park. He pinned Bradley Portoff of Atchison in the quarterfinals. Quentin Cox of Derby pinned Crawford in the semifinals.

In consolation, Brennan Haley of Paola took a 5-1 decision over Crawford. Jake Phillips of Basehor-Linwood pinned Crawford in the fifth-place match.

Phillip Moran (7-6) placed eighth at 113 pounds. He pinned Ryan DesLauiers of Great Bend in the first round. But he was pinned by Braden Dipman of Derby, ranked second in Class 6A, in the quarterfinals. Andrew Adrian of Atchison took a major decision, 10-0, in consolation.

Moran pinned Payton Williams of Eudora to reach the seventh-place match, where he was pinned by Quailan Fowler of Lawrence-Free State.

Chris Stell (7-10) was 0-2 at 132 pounds. Chris Rodriguez of Shawnee Mission East, took a 14-5 major decision in the first round and Vernon White of Bishop Miege won by technical fall in consolation.

Dawson Mitchell (0-2) was 0-2 at 152 pounds in his first varsity appearance. He was pinned by Zach Jaso of Olathe North, ranked No. 3 in Class 6A, in the first round and by Kylan Lindsey of Kansas City-Sumner Academy in consolation.

Jesse Hodge was 0-2 at 170 pounds. He was pinned by Sam Skwarlo of Lawrence-Free State and by Jordan Callier of Sumner Academy.

Harley Cooley (3-9) was 1-2 at 182 pounds. He was pinned by John Avalos of Pittsburg in the first round. He drew a bye in the first round of consolation and then was pinned by Chris Bozinos of Olathe North.

The Tigers finished 11th out of 16 teams with 62 points, one behind host Paola. Derby, ranked fourth in Class 6A, was the champion with 222 points, well ahead of runner-up Great Bend's 159. Atchison County, ranked third in Class 3-2-1A, was third with 137 points.

The Tigers will be in Ottawa today for a triangular which includes Osawatomie. This was added to the schedule following the loss of the Ottawa Dual Tournament due to inclement weather in December. Action in scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.