Michael Smith
The Belton girls team recently moved into the top 10 of the MissouriWrestling.com Class 2 girls team poll, but it may have made a case to be even higher following Saturday’s Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference Tournament.
The Pirates competed on Saturday at Staley High School after it was moved from Friday because of inclement weather. The Pirates looked well prepared and took first place with 160 points. Fort Osage was second with 134 points and Liberty took third with 128.
Watch Interviews from:
- Liberty’s Sandy Breeden (105)
- Liberty’s Lilly Breeden (100)
- Park Hill’s Allison Gonier (120)
- Fort Osage’s Aroma Marrufo (110)
- Winnetonka’s Annabelle Dunlop (115)
- Park Hill’s Angelina Vargas (125)
- Winnetonka’s Jorgie Johnson (130)
- Grain Valley’s Sevreign Aumua (140)
- Smithville’s Ellie Pickett (190)
- Oak Park’s Nevaeh Wardlow (170)
- Belton’s Bella Scherfenberg (155)
- Smithville’s Adalee Pickett (145)
Savanna Franklin (135 pounds), ranked No. 1, was one of two Pirates to win her weight bracket as she made it to the championship match to face No. 5-ranked Rylin Beatty of Park Hill. Franklin pinned her opponent in 1:45 in her finals match to take first place.
Belton sophomore Bella Scherfenberg (155) had her coming out party as a contender in her weight bracket on Saturday as she pinned her way to the finals, setting herself up for a match with Grain Valley junior Adalia Del Real in the championship match. In that one, she got a pin with 22 seconds left to earn first place.
“I was a basketball player but I moved to the wrestling program,” Scherfenburg said. “The wrestling program has been very successful and I was excited to join.
“It took some getting used to. I love the wrestling aspect because it’s more about grit. With basketball, it’s more about skill.”
Other Belton wrestlers to finish in the top three were Rylee Jones (100, third), Jackie Penaloza (110, third), Lauren Patrick (125, second) and Louise Juitt (140, second).
Below is a breakdown of the remaining championship matches not already mentioned:
100: Liberty sophomore Lilly Breeden was visibly upset after her finals match with Lee’s Summit West sophomore Kinley Harker, ranked No. 5. The sophomore has high expectations of herself and has good reason to be as the No. 1-ranked wrestlers in her division.
She defeated Harker 8-3 and finished in first place.
“I proud of how I did, but I definitely could have wrestled better throughout the tournament,” Breeden said. “I definitely need to work on setting up my shots in neutral. I have been working on that a lot in practice.”
105: Liberty sophomore Sandy Breeden, ranked No. 2, pinned all her opponents in 1:10 or less, including Blue Springs South sophomore Killian Evans in the finals to take first.
“I have really been working on the chicken wing and using that to turn my opponents,” Breeden said. “My coach and friends have been helping me with my knee position on the head so I can make sure they’re flat….
