MHS - Wrestling / March 1, 2021 By Kasey McDowell
It has been 1 year and Mulvane sophomore Kammie Schanz thought about that match every day. Last year, her freshman year, she had a phenomenal 31-3 season and wrestled her way through the state tournament, and made it to the final match. She was ahead most of the match but a takedown less than 20 seconds by her opponent put her down 2-3 and she finished with a 2nd place medal.
Schanz was not going to let that happen again this year, however, a string of injuries and a bout of Covid made her run this year much more difficult. She did not get very many matches in but finished the regular season undefeated. She wrestled her way through districts, regionals, and sub-state without a loss and had her eye on the gold again at state.
Her first match at 4-1A State was against Morgyn Baker (Burlingame) and Kammie pinned her at the 3:03 mark. Her second match was against Belle Peters (Lindsborg-Smoky Valley) and she pinned her at the 4:55 mark.
In the championship match, Schanz faced Courtney Holt from Circle, which she had faced in the districts and regional tournaments, so Kammie was familiar with Holt. The first period was mostly the girls tied up in the standing position. The second period started with Kammie in the bottom position. She scored 2 points with a reversal and then pinned Holt for the gold at the 3:55 mark.
"The goal was to win state," Schanz said. "I mean, I wanted a perfect season. That would be obviously ideal, but it was just to win state. I knew if I had lost something earlier at like districts or regionals, I knew it wouldn’t matter because I was going to state."
"So stoked to be a small part of this remarkable kid's journey. Ever since these hugs were for a crushing loss in the closing seconds of the final last year, a part of me has been counting the days til her next shot. One year, a partially torn Achilles, a bout with COVID 19, an elbow injury, and beat up cross country feet later, this warrior got her hand raised. Earned!! I love it." said Coach Kruger.
"I'm super proud, that girl works her butt off every day. She had some injuries earlier in the season, but she did everything she could do until she could get back on the matt." said Coach Myers.
Mulvane had 3 girls wrestling at State and as a team finished with 26 points, all scored by Kammie and finished in 12th place. Freshman Kasey Dillon and Katelyn Wyant both lost their first two matches and were eliminated, but hopefully we will see them all and even more girls at state next year.
Kammie Schanz has cemented herself in Mulvane High School history as the first girl's wrestling state champion ever, there can and hopefully will be more girl's state champions, but she will always be the first.
KSHSAA Girls DII Championships Results for Mulvane
132
Kasey Dillon (16-10) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
