BonnerSprings.com

The Bonner Springs wrestling team had its best performance in recent memory at the Kaw Valley League Championships on Saturday at Basehor-Linwood High School.

The Braves had six medalists and two individual champions and finished in third place as a team.

Lansing ran away with the league title with 189.5 points, Turner was second with 137 and BSHS took third with 114. Mill Valley — the 2009 KVL champ — finished fourth with 113, followed by Santa Fe Trail with 81 and Basehor-Linwood with 76.5.

Caleb Seaton continued his season-long dominance at 119 pounds. He cruised through the early rounds and then beat Santa Fe Trail’s Kale Cauthon in the finals with an 11-0 major decision.

Jake Barren also had a stellar day for the Braves. The 285-pounder has been on a charge late this season, and he continued to shine throughout the league championships as he rolled to a first-place finish. He pinned Mill Valley’s Zach Callahan in the finals.

Three other Braves also reached the finals but placed second. Jonathan Blackwell marched through the bracket at 130 before falling in the finals to Turner’s Forrest Carroll in a 5-3 heartbreaker.

Aaron Puckett reached the finals at 140 before being pinned by Lansing’s Spencer Blew, a defending state champion.

Brian Callahan also was a finalist, but he was overpowered and pinned by Tonganoxie’s Jeremie Maus.

Justus Seaton also earned medalist honors as he finished fourth at 103.

BSHS coach Brandon Jobe was unavailable for comment after the league tournament.

Now the Braves turn their focus to advancing as many wrestlers as possible to the Class 5A state championships. They will compete Saturday at the Class 5A regional tournament at Shawnee Heights High School.

Other schools at the tournament are Mill Valley, Shawnee Heights, Emporia, Gardner-Edgerton, Highland Park, Topeka Seaman and Topeka West. The top four individuals in each weight class will advance to state.

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