Lady Buffs roll over Hays, 13-0, to win WAC

Story Credit: GCHS Athletics

The Garden City Lady Buffaloes, who have been ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and all classes by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, left little doubt as to the strength and depth of their 2026 team on Thursday night at The Garden.

Making their final appearance of the regular season, the Lady Buffs, on Senior Night, vanquished their nearest for in the Western Athletic Conference by winning all 13 matches on the mat for a final 72-6 wipeout. The only points by the Lady Indians came when the Buffs forfeited the 190-pound match due to Mary Condo sitting out with an injury.

Otherwise, the Lady Buffs took no prisoners. Both teams had entered the match with 3-0 WAC dual meets, but this one was no contest.

Ten of the 13 wins came from the Lady Buffs pinning the Lady Indians’ opponent. There was one victory by technical fall (15 points), one by major decision (12 points) and one decision.

“We got hot tonight,” said head Coach Paul Lappin in the understatement of the day. “The girls had a lot of fun and when they let it fly like they did tonight, they are scary good.”

Lappin downplayed the significance of the team triumph, especially considering that the Buffs have won all but one tournament this season (Kansas City Stampede, 2nd place, with two starters out). They’ve won tournaments in Colorado (twice), New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas.

“The main thing we’re looking at is are they doing all the little things right?” Lappin said. “Are they in the right positions to make good strong moves? That’s what we focus on.”

Among the victories Thursday night, it was a freshman — Aria Cordes — who perhaps had the most significant triumph when she pinned junior Timber Lovewell in the 145-pound match. Lovewell, who entered the match with a 24-3 record, was coming off an impressive tournament triumph last Saturday in the Rocky Welton Invitational in Garden City.

“I’ve said it before, she doesn’t know how good she can be,” Lappin said. “She’s going to be something to watch.”

Senior Emjay Marez made her final home match a memorable one as she pinned Emily Nicholas at 0:35 of the first in her 105-pound match.

Junior Olivia Dunlap, injured early in the season, and now coming into form, won a battle over Lexi Barnett at 155 pounds in a 10-8 decision. Dunlap had lost to Barnett twice previously this season.

For seniors Raygen Meza-McDermott (140) and Julissa Rodriguez (125), the victories were somewhat of a bittersweet night as they made their final appearance in The Garden.

Meza-McDermott and Rodriguez each have had their own long and arduous journey to this point of their final high school season.

Meza-McDermott was a varsity starter as a freshman in the 2023 season but had not been able to crack the lineup as a sophomore, junior or most of her senior campaign.

An injury last week to another senior, Maggie Guzman, placed Meza-McDermott back into the varsity lineup at the Rocky Welton where she placed third at 140 pounds, up 10 pounds from her normal weight.

“This was my last time to wrestle here at home and to get to perform and win a match with my teammates is the biggest blessing,” Meza-McDermott said. “I guess it takes a lot of patience and faith to stick with the program, but I love my teammates and I have a lot of trust in the Lord.”

Meza-McDermott said that for sometime she had not worked as hard to make the varsity as she had in her freshman year.

“I just knew I had to get serious about wrestling again and I worked harder this year,” Meza-McDermott said. “If you want to be on the varsity on this team, you’ve got to earn it.”

Meza-McDermott was all smiles after her dominating 15-0, technical fall, victory over Crystal Walters.

“I can’t think of a better way to finish this at home,” Meza-McDermott said.

Rodriguez’ journey has also seen many twists and turns since she came onto the scene as a celebrated freshman. That year, she finished second in the 120-pound division to the top-ranked wrestler in Kansas.

Between her freshman and sophomore years, Rodriguez was in a serious car accident that nearly cost her her life. The long road of recovery from surgery and rehabilitation included missing her entire sophomore season of wrestling.

She returned for her junior year of 2024-25 and made it all the way back to the championship match at 120 pounds only to come up short in that title bout. Now, there is one elusive goal that she pursues — a precious gold medal.

“This was an amazing night to wrestle here in The Garden one last time,” Rodriguez said after her pin of Addison Nueberger. “It’s a little sad, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else because of my teammates and coaches.”

Rodriguez has already committed to wrestle for Otero Community College in LaJunta, Colo., next year and will pursue her degree in cosmetology. For now, though, she reflects a little on the winding road of her high school career.

“I’ve had to put a lot of trust in God’s hands for what I’ve been through,” Rodriguez said. “The biggest thing coming back was getting over being scared of getting hurt. I still have some thoughts.”

She knew her senior year would be filled with promise and her 25-4 record is indicative of that.

“There’s more than I can and want to do,” she said of that final goal. “There’s my team where we want to repeat and I want to walk off the mat with the one medal I haven’t won yet. This is such a special group of girls. Everyone gets along. There’s no drama. Everyone can take a joke and we have a lot of love and support for each other.”

Two goals remain for this edition of the GCHS Lady Buffs.

The first arrives on Feb. 14 when they compete in the Class 6A regional tournament at Wichita South. Lappin feels like every wrestler has a chance to qualify for state. The second goal will arrive on Feb. 27-28 in Overland Park where they will defend their 2025 state team championship.

————

Western Athletic Conference
Dual No. 4
Thursday, February 5, 2026
At The Garden

GARDEN CITY 72, HAYS 6
(Garden City wrestlers listed first)
100–Nicole Abrego won by major decision, 12-0, over Audrey Yarmer.
105–Emjay Marez won by fall, 0:35, over Emily Nicholas.
110–Kaira Acosta won by fall, 1:42, over Chloe Robben.
115–Crystal Loera won by fall, 0:58, over Chassidy Carlisle.
120–Madison Polson won by fall, 5:18, over Kenlee Vehige.
125–Julissa Rodriguez won by fall, 4:21, over Addison Nueberger.
130–Marina Loera won by fall, 1:59, over Reese Vehige.
135–Aaliah Garza won by fall, 0:59, over Kierdyn Baulman.
140–Raygen Meza-McDermott won by major decision, 15-0, over Crystal Walters.
145–Aria Cordes won by fall, 3:36, over Timber Lovewell.
155–Olivia Dunlap won by Dec., 10-8, over Lexi Barnett.
170–Ari Serrano won by fall, 1:15, over Audrey Gutierrez.
190–Hays won by forfeit.
235–Amri Guerin won by fall, 4:52, over Emily Casas.