NEWS
Woods qualifies for DCHS boys; Larman, Smith also state-bound
Although the Dodge City High School bowling team finished ninth in the team standings on Saturday at the Class 6A regional tournament at West Acres Bowl in Goddard, Tyler Woods qualified for the state tournament for the Red Demons. Woods rolled a 549 to secure his second trip to the state tourney, which starts Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at North Rock Lanes in Wichita. “Tyler will be making his second trip to state as an individual,” DCHS head coach Tyson Clark said. “The guys were unable to get anything going. We faced very tough competition. The guys grinded all day.
Banner, Woods take home third as six of nine Demons finish as state medalists
WICHITA — State wrestling championships are such a fleeting spectacle.
It all came down to two days of competition at brand-spanking-new Intrust Bank Arena before thousands of fans from throughout Kansas — yet one loss shattered the chance of winning the top prize. Dodge City High School, featuring nine qualifers, had Class 6A state championship aspirations. Although the Red Demons had only one wrestler in the finals in second-place finisher Jesse Trent (285), they still totaled six state medalists Saturday. “As a coaching staff, we’re real pleased about how we did,” Dodge City head coach Lars Lueders said. “Six out of nine is awesome. Last year, we had four state-place winners and this year we have six.”
Senior Jace Banner (189), top-ranked and unbeaten enterting the state tournament, lost in the semifinals on Friday night. But he rebounded to place third, as did Hunter Edwards (140).
Heavyweight encounter
Jesse Trent had worked all season for this moment. There he was, on the state’s biggest stage Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena, where the Dodge City High School junior was battling for a Class 6A state championship in the heavyweight division. As the pecking order of the championship finals churned out one state champion after another, Trent paced back and forth in the lobby adjacent to the mats, waiting and waiting. Finally, after a wait that was longer than any other wrestlers, Trent and Wichita Northwest’s Trey Page were finally set to do battle. Trent and Page had recent history, with Page beating Trent five straight times during the regular season, handing him all but one of his six losses.
The sixth time was no different as Page pulled out a 5-0 decision over a game Trent, who finished his campaign with a 27-7 record and a second-place medal draped around his neck.
Surprise! DCHS boys win WAC outright
Needing a win to gain at least a share of first place in the Western Athletic Conference, the Dodge City High School boys' basketball team took care of business Friday night at the DCHS Field House. And then they got a little help from one of their WAC foes. The Red Demons drubbed outmanned Liberal 68-46 to wrap up the regular season 17-3 overall, and then DCHS (7-1 WAC) overtook Hays for the conference title outright after the Indians (6-2) lost to Great Bend 39-31 Friday night.
DCHS girls finish WAC with unprecedented 8-0 record
Dodge City High School engraved itself in the school record books, beating Liberal 58-35 on Friday night for the first undefeated Western Athletic Conference season in DCHS girls history. The Red Demons were never threatened in regular-season home finale at the DCHS Field House, closing the regular-season at 17-3 overall, including a perfect 8-0 in the WAC.
“We said something earlier in the season that we had an opportunity ahead of us,” DCHS head coach Justin Briggs said, “and our girls proved it tonight. “We’ve got a great group of girls and a great group of seniors and I’m real proud how they played.”
Demons utilizing positive mind-set
Of the nine Dodge City High School wrestlers that qualified for Friday’s and Saturday’s Class 5A-6A state wrestling championships, all of them knew they had a good chance of qualifying at the regional meet if they took care of business. Mission accomplished. As the Red Demons prepare to leave early this afternoon for Wichita and Intrust Bank Arena, they’ll be taking that same mind-set to the big stage.
Indians ambush Dodge City boys
The Dodge City High School’s boys’ basketball team’s Western Athletic Conference showdown with Hays turned out to be an ambush game.
The Hays Indians were waiting for the Red Demons.
Hays denied the Red Demons the WAC title outright, handing DCHS its first conference loss of the season in pulling out a 56-49 victory.
DCHS girls win WAC title outright
The Dodge City High School girls’ basketball team clinched the Western Athletic Conference championship Tuesday night with a 56-42 victory over Hays. “We got it wrapped up,” DCHS head coach Justin Briggs said. “It’s nice. Obviously, any time you win a league championship, it’s good.”
Sophomore guard Brenna Briggs nailed five 3-pointers, including a trio in the first half, to score a game-high 21 points for the Red Demons, who improved to 16-3 overall and 7-0 in the WAC.
