It was a night filled with emotion, energy, and emphatic victories inside North Kansas City High School as the Lady Hornets celebrated Senior Night in unforgettable fashion. With Liberty and Park Hill South on the schedule, the spotlight belonged to seniors Juliana Tice, Anh Ngo, Alissa Chanda, and Emily Velasquez, each stepping onto their home mat for the final time in front of a roaring crowd.
North Kansas City didn’t just celebrate; they dominated. The Lady Hornets stormed to commanding wins in both duals, defeating Liberty 67-12 and Park Hill South 66-15, reinforcing their position atop the Class 2 landscape. The victories pushed NKC to an undefeated 9-0 dual record on the season, paired with back-to-back conference championships, a testament to both depth and leadership.
The emotional peak of the evening came in a highly anticipated showdown between two of Class 2’s premier 105-pound wrestlers. Senior Juliana Tice delivered the exclamation point, securing a thunderous fall over Liberty senior Sandy Breeden in front of her home crowd. The bout, billed as a clash between the top two wrestlers in the class, lived up to the hype before Tice slammed the door shut with authority.
Assistant coach Tess Kinne emphasized the simplicity of the approach heading into the matchup. Her message to Tice was direct: “wrestle freely, trust herself, and enjoy the moment” a formula that once again proved effective for one of the state’s most dangerous competitors.
This senior group leaves behind more than memories; they leave a legacy measured in wins, podium finishes, and culture-shifting leadership.
Emily Velasquez, currently ranked #5 in Class 2 at 130 pounds, closes her North Kansas City career with an impressive 70-27 record. A transfer from Schlagle High School, Velasquez quickly became a cornerstone of the lineup after arriving as a two-time state qualifier and 2025 state medalist. Her favorite memories center around bonding with teammates at out-of-state tournaments; the kind of moments that define a wrestling career just as much as medals. With college on the horizon, she plans to continue her education at the junior college level while exploring her academic path.
Juliana Tice exits with a staggering 121-39 career record, two state qualifications, and a returning state medal to her name. A Missouri National Team member and Fargo representative, Tice has also placed fourth at both the KC Stampede and Wonder Woman, two of the Midwest’s most prestigious high school tournaments. Her ambitions include wrestling at the collegiate level, with Oklahoma State among potential destinations. Her personality and humor, including a now-legendary post-weigh-in soda spree, have made her just as memorable off the mat as on it. Yes, it was Dr. Pepper… 5 to be exact.
Alissa Chanda, ranked #3 in Class 2, compiled a strong 68-25 record while consistently testing the state’s elite. Her narrow 10-12 finals loss to Missouri’s top-ranked wrestler Killian Evans at the KC Stampede showcased her grit, closing a late deficit and pushing the match to the brink. Chanda followed that performance with a fourth-place finish at Wonder Woman, further cementing her standing among the state’s best. She is weighing collegiate options between Purdue and Missouri, with aspirations of pursuing electrical engineering while potentially continuing her wrestling career.
Anh Ngo rounds out the quartet with a remarkable 115-34 career mark and one of the most decorated senior seasons in the region. Her 7-1 victory over Platte County’s Charley Sims in the KC Stampede finals highlighted her ability to rise in big moments, complemented by a third-place finish at Wonder Woman and a previous fourth-place state finish. Anh has represented Missouri at Fargo and looks to continue that path after the season. Ngo’s future is firmly academic, with plans to pursue pre-med studies in pediatric oncology or pre-dental work. Her favorite memories, like many wrestlers, revolve around late-night team bonding and the friendships built along the journey.
Coaches Reflect on a Special Group
For girls Assistant Head Coach Isaiah Gutierrez, this class carries deep personal significance. As the first group of athletes he coached at North Kansas City, they helped reignite his own passion for the sport. Their humor, work ethic, and trust in the coaching staff stand out as defining traits that shaped both their success and the culture of the program.
Assistant Coach Tess Kinne, who joined the staff this past summer, echoed that sentiment, describing the seniors as a class that “trusted the process from day one” and continually climbed through challenges. What she will miss most isn’t only their performance on the mat, but the growth she witnessed off it; young athletes evolving into confident, driven women prepared for the next chapter.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere and lopsided dual scores, the mindset within the North Kansas City wrestling room remains grounded. Both coaches emphasized balance and consistency: wins are expected, not over-celebrated, and preparation does not waver. The focus remains on refining small details, staying even-keeled, and letting the work speak louder than the scoreboard.
As the Lady Hornets shift their attention to upcoming postseason tournaments, one thing is clear, this senior class has set a standard. They leave behind banners, records, and highlight-reel moments, but more importantly, they leave a blueprint for the next generation of North Kansas City wrestlers.
Senior Night was more than a farewell. It was a declaration that the program’s foundation is strong, its future is bright, and its leaders (past and present) have built something that will continue climbing long after their final whistle.
North Kansas City vs. Park Hill South
No. 3 North Kansas City delivered a commanding dual victory over Park Hill South, fueled by a senior class performance that turned the evening into both a celebration and a statement. From the opening whistle, the Lady Hornets’ veterans controlled the tempo and never looked back, stringing together falls in rapid succession and putting the dual out of reach early.
Julianna Tice set the tone for the senior group with a blistering 0:53 fall that immediately swung momentum to North Kansas City. The energy barely had time to settle before Alissa Chanda followed with a dominant first-period pin over Annaliese Monaco, doubling down on the pressure and signaling that the seniors intended to own the night. Anh Ngo then etched her name into the highlight reel, recording the fastest fall of the dual with a lightning-quick 0:41 finish that brought the NKC bench to its feet. Emily Velasquez closed the senior showcase in fitting fashion, securing a 0:52 fall to cap a near-perfect run and give the North Kansas City Class of 2026 a memorable send-off on their home mat.
Park Hill South found its biggest spark in No. 4-ranked Abigail Monaco, who tried to kept her squad within striking distance with a hard-fought fall at 5:12. Evelyn Rosas and Chikako Kotani also added valuable wins to the Panthers’ team total, showing resilience despite the uphill battle.
In the end, however, the night belonged to North Kansas City’s seniors. Their string of sub-one-minute pins created an avalanche of momentum that Park Hill South could not slow, turning a competitive matchup on paper into a decisive victory on the scoreboard. It was a dual defined by experience, urgency, and a veteran class determined to leave the mat with authority.
Dual Results:
105: Juliana Tice (North Kansas City) over Anya Desai (Park Hill South) Fall 0:53
110: Alissa Chanda (North Kansas City) over Annaliese Monaco (Park Hill South) Fall 1:29
115: Anh Ngo (North Kansas City) over Ollani Diersel (Park Hill South) Fall 0:41
100: Sara Salazar (North Kansas City) over Alexandria Pike (Park Hill South) Fall 3:27
120: Abigail Monaco (Park Hill South) over Sophie Horton (North Kansas City) — Fall 5:12
125: Temperance Lowe (North Kansas City) over Grace Agron (Park Hill South) Fall 1:40
130: Emily Velasquez (North Kansas City) over Chikako Kotani (Park Hill South) Fall 0:52
135: Evelyn Rosas (North Kansas City) over Luna Salas-Montero (Park Hill South) Dec 12-6
140: Graycen Norman (North Kansas City) over Sydney Van Aken (Park Hill South) Fall 1:35
145: Brooklynn Joiner (North Kansas City) over Jaslyn Stevenson (Park Hill South) Fall 1:09
155: Lylah Inzarry (North Kansas City) over “Forfeit” (Park Hill South)
170: Chikako Kotani (Park Hill South) over Marley Gay (North Kansas City) Fall 3:46
190: Aliyah Vandeputte (North Kansas City) over “Forfeit” (Park Hill South)
235: Arika Miller (North Kansas City) over “Forfeit” (Park Hill South)
Dual Meet Score: NKC 66.0 – PHS 15.0
North Kansas City vs. Liberty
In a dual that featured elite rankings on both sides of the mat, No. 3 North Kansas City left little doubt who owned the night, storming past No. 5 Liberty in a lopsided team victory powered by a string of dominant performances and one unforgettable comeback that ignited the entire gym.
The tone of the dual was set dramatically early in the marquee bout between North Kansas City’s No. 2 Julianna Tice and Liberty’s top-ranked Sandy Breeden. For two periods it looked firmly in Breeden’s control, as the Liberty standout built a commanding 14-1 lead and appeared on cruise control entering the third. But the final period flipped the script in a matter of seconds. Tice fired off a shot within the opening ten seconds that Breeden initially stuffed, only for Tice to explode back to her feet, reset her hips, and chain her attack together with relentless strength and speed. In one fluid sequence, she turned defense into offense, catching Breeden out of position and driving her straight to her back. Down by 13 just moments earlier, Tice secured the fall in stunning fashion.
The Lady Hornets’ senior class ensured that spark turned into a wildfire. Alissa Chanda delivered a clinic, surrendering zero points in a commanding 15-0 tech fall. Anh Ngo followed with a decisive fall at 2:32, keeping the pressure squarely on Liberty. Emily Velasquez added another emphatic statement, rolling to a 23-7 tech fall that further widened the gap and underscored North Kansas City’s depth and experience.
Liberty avoided the shutout thanks to senior Alexis Stinson, who wasted no time putting points on the board with a blistering 0:56 fall over North Kansas City junior Arika Miller. A forfeit at 100 pounds added six more, but those would be the only bright spots for the Blue Jays on an otherwise one-sided scoreboard.
From Tice’s jaw-dropping comeback to a wave of senior-led dominance, North Kansas City controlled the dual from top to bottom. What began as a clash of equally ranked programs ended as a statement performance; one that showcased grit, composure, and the kind of explosive momentum that defines championship-level wrestling.
Dual Results:
105: Juliana Tice (North Kansas City) over Sandy Breeden (Liberty) Fall 4:24
110: Alissa Chanda (North Kansas City) over Kariann Robinson (Liberty) TF 15-0, 1:45
115: Anh Ngo (North Kansas City) over Ariana Hurd (Liberty) Fall 2:32
120: Alexis Martin (North Kansas City) over Forfeit Liberty
125: Temperance Lowe (North Kansas City) over Forfeit Liberty
130: Noelia Vega (North Kansas City) over Forfeit Liberty
135: Emily Velasquez (North Kansas City) over Heaven Patton (Liberty) TF 23-7, 5:48
140: Graycen Norman (North Kansas City) over Forfeit Liberty
145: Brooklynn Joiner (North Kansas City) over Forfeit Liberty
155: Lylah Inzarry (North Kansas City) over Annie Currie (Liberty) Fall 3:27
170: Marley Gay (North Kansas City) over Chloe Newman (Liberty) Dec 5-2
190: Aliyah Vandeputte (North Kansas City) over Maysoun Esla (Liberty) Fall 0:45
235: Alexis Stinson (Liberty) over Arika Miller (North Kansas City) Fall 0:56
100: Lilly Breeden (Liberty) over Forfeit (North Kansas City)
Dual Meet Score: NKC 67.0 – LHS 12.0
