Lady Buffs repeat 6A wrestling crown
Image courtesy of GCHS Sports Information
Story by Garden City High School Sports Information Department.
Abrego, Marina Loera, Plankenhorn, Long bring home individual titles
Saturday at Overland Park’s Advent Health Sports Park at Bluhawk was another memorable day for Garden City High School wrestling.
The Lady Buffaloes successfully defended their 2025 state title with a convincing team championship with 226.5 points to runner-up Gardner Edgerton’s 197.0. The Buffs had a slim lead of three points over the eventual runner-up after Friday’s competition.
On the boys’ side, the Buffs held true to form, finishing a solid fourth with a mostly underclassmen squad by scoring 130.5 points. Maize was the favorite and was a runner-up champion team with 237.0 points. Manhattan (192.5) and Topeka-Washburn Rural (180.0) placed second and third.
For the Lady Buffs, a pair of juniors brought home gold with championships as Nicole Abrego captured the 100-pound division with an impressive 13-1 major decision over Gardner Edgerton’s Madalyn Riedinger. Marina Loera took the title at 125 pounds when she pinned Lacey Middleton of Topeka-Washburn Rural at 2:33 of the second period.
For the Buffs’ boys, junior Pace Plankenhorn improved on his runner-up finish from 2025 (106 pounds) to claim the 120-pound division with a 13-4 major decision over Ryder Harrison of Topeka-Washburn Rural. Senior Zach Long capped off his high school career with a 7-4 decision over Tucker Verbeck of Maize.
It was an impressive showing by both squads as the girls, who qualified 11 for state, came home with 10 medals, adding in second-place finishes by senior Emjay Marez at 105, junior Crystal Loera at 115 pounds and sophomore Kylie Huber at 135 pounds.
Three girls finished third – senior Kaira Acosta at 110 pounds, sophomore Aaliyah Garza at 130 pounds and freshman Aria Cordes at 145 pounds. Senior Raygen Meza-McDermott placed fifth to earn the final medal for the team.
On the boys’ side, freshman Myles Garza took third at 132 pounds; junior Romeo Garcia (144) and sophomore Izaac Gonzalez (106) placed fourth and senior Isaiah Ayala took fifth at 138 pounds. Six of the nine qualifiers came home with medals.
With the girls’ second state team championship, the school has now produced 13 state team titles, with the Buffs’ boys earning the other 11.
