Maize wrestling won the Blue Valley Northwest tournament last Saturday at Heights. Cayden Hughbanks, Keton Patterson, Devin Gomez, Carson Wheeler, Duwayne Villalpando and Kyle Haas all placed first in their weight class. 

Haas wrestled 220 lbs. at the tournament and finished in first place. Haas is now preparing for who he thinks is his biggest competition. Now that one of the team’s bigger tournaments is over, Haas is focusing on reconnecting with the team.

“Our team needs to stay on the same page,” he said. “We have regionals, then state.”

Haas believes the team has capability to go far in state this year.

“Staying undefeated and winning state as a team [is the goal],” Haas said. “I think this year we have potential to win state as a team.”

Even a number one ranked wrestler has things to learn about tournaments.

“Tournaments are going to be scattered,” Haas said. “There was a projector on the wall and you were just called to your match. You didn’t know when to warm up or you would be late to your match. Just stay calm and wrestle.”