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Tim Quiggle

Junior Devin Gomez went undefeated this season and won his first state championship.

Maize wrestling won two state titles at the 5A state wrestling tournament on Saturday at Hartman Area. Sophomore Kyle Haas and Junior Devin Gomez placed first.

Haas won the 182-pound weight class, defeating Cayden Atkins of Goddard 4-2.

“I feel pretty good about my win and about this season,” Haas said. “I just went hard every day in practice and tried to give everything I got.”

This was Haas’ first time winning a high school state title.

“From last year to this year I just felt a lot more calmed down as far as matches,” Haas said. “I just knew what I had to do.”

Gomez won the 145-pound weight class, defeating Jared Simma of Aquinas 7-3.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Gomez said. “All the weight on my shoulders from my loss in the finals last year has been lifted.”

Gomez thinks his experience this year compared to last year is much better.

“The difference was I accomplished my end goal,” Gomez said. “I couldn’t have done it without the coaches pushing me every day and my partners working hard and making me laugh.”

As far as preparation, Gomez thinks he has worked harder than he has ever before.

Next year, as a senior, Gomez said he would like to be more of a leader on the team, work hard, have fun and fall deeper in love with the sport.

“I want to leave no doubt in people’s mind that I’m the best just like this year,” Gomez said. “Also our team next year will be stacked. We are getting some really good freshmen coming in, we get Duwayne back, everyone and everything about the team will improve and we are coming for a state title.”

Other wrestlers who placed are Aidan Campbell, second place at 132-weight class; Carson Wheeler, third place at 160-weight class and Jacob Quiggle, fourth place at 286-weight class.