OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — This weekend, the Kansas 6A State Wrestling Championship will take over the Advent Health Sports Park at BluHawk in Overland Park, marking the first time since 1983 that the state wrestling tournament has been held east of Topeka.
For athletes like Gardner-Edgerton's Ty Hammers and Madalyn Riedinger, the move offers a unique opportunity—closer to home and, more importantly, a larger home crowd.
“It’s pretty cool. It’s not just a wrestling gym or whatever, there’s a lot more to it,” said Tyler Cordts, head coach of the Gardner wrestling team.
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The shift east offers a short commute for many teams, which is expected to translate into a bigger turnout at the event.
Greg Jackson, the general manager at Advent Health Sports Park at BluHawk, anticipates a spike in attendance, with many local fans coming out to support their hometown athletes.
“We expect the attendance to maybe double just because of the local athletes,” Jackson said.
The championship will feature top wrestlers from around the state, including Riedinger, a sophomore and defending 6A state champion, who is looking to claim her second consecutive title, and Hammers, a senior, aiming for his first state title.
Both athletes are feeling the pressure of competing in front of their home crowd, though Riedinger admits there's a sense of nervous excitement.
“I’m also a little nervous because I also have a lot of people that are cheering me on and I don’t want to lose in front of them,” she said.
For the Gardner-Edgerton team, the excitement is palpable.
“To be at home and get more crowd support than we’re used to is going to be a lot of fun,” Cordts said.
Despite the venue being newly opened just a few months ago, the Advent Health Sports Park at BluHawk is ready for the big event. Jackson expressed pride in the facility’s ability to host such an event soon after its opening.
“To have a state championship being housed here, in only 4 months open, we’re proud of,” Jackson said.
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